Amy Katt
‘Numb Again’ might be Amy Katt’s debut single, but they arrive a fully formed artist with a vicious and fresh track that snarls and tears its way across the two and a half minute run time. The razor-sharp production sounds like the Prodigy tearing Machine Gun Kelley apart in the ring, with Yungblud screaming from one corner and Nova Twins from the other. It’s a visceral modern sound, mixing synths and programmed drums with Travis Baker-eque live drums and tight crunchy guitars that have to have been played through walls and walls of Marshall stacks.
Amy Katt is centred around long time collaborators Amy Katt and Sam Hargraves. After the dissolution of a previous project, Sam and Amy made the decision to start a new and focus on music that was initially solely designed to satiate their own creative hungers and desires. Stepping away from the normal 4 or 5 piece band paradigm this allowed the pair to keep their ideas focused and true to an overall creative vision. Having bonded over a love of heavy metal, emo and rock bands, all these influences got threw into the grinder and spat back out as something entirely new and their own. Their writing process is an entirely collaborative one, with either Sam or Amy bringing in lyrics, a melody or chord progression and building the track up piece by piece.
On the record Sam is responsible for all the drum and guitar tracks, freeing Amy up to add layers and layers of her inimitable vocals to the track. Lyrically ‘Numb Again’ touches on some heavy and difficult subjects covering a toxic relationship which leads to a spiralling negativity and self-medicating with alcohol. Amy delivers an emotionally raw vocal performance, moving between a fully melodic delivery and layers of screams mixed into the chorus that makes you feel as though you’re in the vocal booth with her, gripping the mic and singing three inches from your face.
At two and a half minutes the track bears not even an ounce of fat, an approach the pair were keen to adopt. Consciously picking through sections and being brutal when identifying what wasn’t adding to the track or wasn’t a hook. This yielded a focused track that still maintains dynamics, hooks and punch. ‘Numb Again’ was produced and engineered by Tayte Nikols, someone they have consistently worked with and another trusted voice in the production process, even going as far as to play bass on the track. Tayte’s production lends itself perfectly to ‘Numb Again’, almost becoming another instrument on the track, an exclamation mark or expletive when needed to help punctuate sections.
Despite having Amy’s name on the masthead, neither Amy or Sam feel any additional pressure to meet the weight that might be associated with performing under Amy’s name. Both agreed to unify behind a single name but still maintain the supportive relationship. Amy explains she never feels like she’s alone or out on a limb and both agree that this is the most rewarding and mature approach to being in a band and writing together to date.
The band have made a video to accompany the tracks that adds in additional band members to help bring the song to life, an energetic and powerful whirling dervish that reflects the energy of the track back and hints at what an Amy Katt live show might be like.
‘Numb Again’ has the sound of artist confident and unafraid in their approach, a snarling beast of a song that basks in the high production valve and acts as a catharsis to expunge demons associated with the lyrical content. This is not the sound of a debut single, this is the sound of a fully fledged artist.
Amy
Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
I have memories of holidays to Tenerife with my family as a young teen watching the Billy Idol tribute act. My mum is a huge fan, we would always have the best time dancing and singing the night away. As I got into my late teens I became a huge fan myself, for years me and my mum have been to see him on pretty much every tour and Rebel Yell is our fave song to shout along to together.
Marilyn Manson - The Beautiful People
In enters the 'Goth' phase of my teen years. I remember getting my long black leather trench coat and thinking I was the absolute bee's knees. I was first introduced to Manson by my high school buddy, we would bring each other CD's into school every week to share what we were both listening to. On first hearing Beautiful People I was drawn in by the heavy guitars, the extremely catchy drum intro and the haunting whispery lyrics in the verses. This was a turning point for me into my discovery of much heavier music.
My Chemical Romance - Helena
And then we have the 'Emo' phase... What a time to be alive haha! Spray on tight skinny jeans, comb over fringes, racoon striped hair and H&M kids tshirts. I still remember getting told off for coming into school with bright red makeup under my eyes like Gerard Way and dying a layer of black under my swoopy fringe. I was obsessed with the Helena music video to the point where I learned the little dance routine when she comes out of the coffin. Everytime it came on kerrang TV I would jump up and perform it in the living room.
Simple Plan - Welcome to my Life
This one not so much as a fond memory but a song that helped me through a very difficult time in my life. I was bullied very badly throughout my last few years of school because of how I dressed and my taste in music. I strongly resonated with this song at the time, I would come home from school and blast it in my room. Still when I hear it now it makes me feel emotional of these years. Last time I saw simple plan live they played Welcome to My Life and I literally cried my eyes out.
Avenged Sevenfold - Unholy Confessions
Avenged Sevenfold were the first sort of heavy metal band that I saw live. When I went to see them I just tagged along with a friend, I had never heard of them before. When they played Unholy Confessions the whole place went off. Me being like 14 at the time slightly feared for my life haha! At the same time I had the best time and was instantly a fan. M shadows still to this day is one of my favorite vocalists of all time.
Sam
Metallica - Sad but True
I have vivid memories of being in my dad’s old Volvo in the 90’s as a young kid and him having the Black Album on cassette. We would listen to it on repeat, and I loved all of it but Sad but true really stuck with me more than any other track. The ferocity of that opening riff just hits you like a ton of bricks and then remains powerful for the duration of the track. It was my first introduction into metal, tight guitar harmonies and fast solos and I still love it today., I also think it’s efficient as a track it doesn’t have much baggage even though it’s 5 minutes long it Always feels quite clean and crisp to me. I like to remember it as my first face melter and bonding with my Dad.
Rage Against the Machine - Wake up
This was the first Rage track I ever heard, and I must have been 13 years old. I just remember a
friend playing it for me on an old hi fi in their bedroom and being blown away from the opening
seconds. I remember the hairs on my arms standing up when I first heard Zack de la Rocha’s voice. Those rap lyrics juxtaposed with the funk-esque guitar riffs and heavy rhythm section was a true musical awakening that has never left me. It was the first time I really understood the power of music beyond the pleasure of listening. I was inspired by the politicised nature of the lyrics and the actions of the musicians in the face of authority and oppression and there is no doubt in my mind it had an influence on the way I approach certain people or situations to this day.
Tool - Schism
I challenge anyone to listen to Tool and not come away from that experience either a fan or inspired in some capacity. When I was in the earlier stages of learning how to play the drums hearing an album like Lateralus was like taking mind altering drugs. I had never really heard anything like Tool. Despite being exposed to plenty of ‘prog’ artists this just hit completely differently. Schism was a track that I fixated on and as a budding musician the odd but not jarring nature of the time signature as well as the prominence of drums and bass forced me to think about composition in a new way. Tool remain some of my favorite musicians and I believe they are a unique ensemble with an almost surprisingly broad appeal.
Deftones - Bored
Just when I needed music to match my teenage angst I found ‘Adrenaline’ by Deftones. The whole album is so raw and bristling with energy that I could have picked a number of tracks but track 1 – ‘Bored’ was one I go back to over and over again. The throaty guitar sounds are iconic to me and hearing Chino Moreno’s voice for the first time was a unforgettable. Abe Cunningham on drums probably had the biggest influence on me as a drummer and how I approach writing drum parts. He manages to always give Deftones a groove and a feel that is worthy of a jazz drummer and I remember it was the first time I had heard a metal drummer divide the bars of the verses in that choppy and syncopated way that allows for loads of ghost notes and accents that make what could be simple sounding drums really elevated in the mix.
The Crowing – Coheed & Cambria
Again, I could have picked any number of tracks from this Coheed album (In keeping secrets of silent earth III) but The Crowing to me epitomizes what Coheed are about. 6 over 4-time signatures, super tight and surgically precise drumming with epic vocals, soaring choruses, and face melting riffs. I had never been exposed to a concept band before and when I discovered that I not only loved their music but there was an overarching narrative to the albums accompanied by graphic novels well, my head exploded. I was obsessed with Coheed for a long while and I have always been inspired by how much detail, work and intelligence is required to be in a band like that. Just incredible!
