Interviews: In Hearts Wake

On this new occasion, we have the amazing opportunity to chat with Ben Nairne the guitar player from the Metalcore band In Hearts Wake from Australia. In the interview, we talk about the story of the band, future plans, and many more. Enjoy it!

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, did you plan it or come out just like that?

We started playing together when we were 15 in my basement but we never really had a name. There was a Battle of the Bands coming up that we wanted to go in but we didn’t have a name yet so Jake wrote a bunch down on a bit of paper and we all liked In Hearts Wake and it stuck!

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

I grew up playing guitar and got introduced to punk music when I was about 12. Not long after that, I was in high school and Parkway Drive was starting to play a lot of shows in our town and they would bring big hardcore and metal bands from around the world. We’d all go to the shows and became really inspired by the genre and wanted to write and play that music too. The energy was just so infectious.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Eaven and I played in a soccer team together since we were 5 years old and we were in high school together. Jake lived on the same street as me and we’d always play soccer in the park together when we were younger. We’d hang out at shows together and that’s when we started playing music together.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

I’m not sure of everyone’s favorite band individually but I know as a collective we’ve always loved to Bury Your Dead and still find influence from them today. Beauty and the Breakdown stands the test of time and we regularly jam that album when we’re on tour.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

There’s something really satisfying about starting a song and seeing it through the various stages right through until you’re on stage and people are going crazy and singing the words back to you. Each stage as the song comes to life is fascinating and fulfilling and I don’t get that feeling doing anything else.

6. Where was your last gig?

My last show was on the Decade of Divination Tour in Perth Australia. The rest of the band actually played a couple of festivals called Road to Unify a few months after that but I was on my honeymoon in Italy so I missed out on those shows!

7. Whom would you like to collaborate musically with?

I’d love to collaborate with Golden Features - he’s an Australian electronic music producer and his staff is super dark and heavy. I think it'd be a super inspiring and fun session writing with someone like that and we’d probably come up with some cool stuff outside of the box.

8. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

I’ve found that I still usually get nervous for shows depending on how big they are. I think it’s just a mixture of the adrenaline and anxiety running through you before you get on stage and it actually shows how much you really care about playing well. Taking some time before the show to take a few deep breaths and stretch it out is always good. Once you get on stage and have somewhere to put all of that adrenaline the stage fright disappears pretty quickly.

9. What bands have inspired you the most?

When we first started out we were really inspired by bands like Bury Your Dead for the heavy parts and As I Lay Dying for their epic metal riffs. These days I think we’re just inspiring each other to write fun and interesting stuff that excites us.

10. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Nothing super crazy to be honest but I always find it pretty crazy when people ask us to sign our names on them and then they get it tattooed, wild!

11. What do you think of your fans?

Our fans are legends. We wouldn’t be anywhere without the support they’ve shown us over the years and we can’t wait for them to hear the new record!

12. Anything else to add?

Thanks for having me and keep your ears peeled for more new music, there are plenty more heavy riffs and sounds to come.