Heavier Territory With LEIGH KAKATY From POP EVIL

Interview by Kris Peters
Michigan rock outfit Pop Evil - as their name suggests - have
managed to find that elusive sweet point between hard rock and pop
that many, including myself, thought was never possible.
While the band's first two albums Lipstick On The Mirror and War Of
Angels laid the platform for future success, it wasn't until 2013's
Onyx that the rest of the world started to fully catch on, with
lead single Trenches becoming the first of Pop Evil's nine number
one tracks.
Fast-forward five more albums, and Pop Evil are the flag bearers
for crossover rock/metal. Their music contains all of the things
considered blasphemous in the metal realms with melodies, hooks and
an abundance of pop sensibilities dominating the sonic landscape,
but it also contains chunky guitar riffs, aggressive vocals and
enough venomous intent to scare a rattlesnake.
The result is the recently released What Remains, a thundering
collection of arena-ready modern rock and metal hits in which
frontman Leigh Kakaty opens heart, mind and soul – pulling no
punches and taking no prisoners in doing so.
What Remains is the culmination of everything Leigh Kakaty has
fought for his entire life. It’s the dismantling of the armour he
has adorned to survive the journey along the way. It’s the
reckoning with the man he was yesterday, the man he has become
today, and the man he strives to be tomorrow. It is at once the
complete Pop Evil story writ large, and its definitive
release.
HEAVY sat down for an in-depth chat with Kakaty and started by
asking if, after eight albums, it still matters to him how new
music is received by the public or if he is more at a stage now
where pleasing himself musically bears more significance.
"Honest answer," he stated, looking HEAVY square in the eye. "It's
a bit of both, you know what I mean? Obviously, when you make music
for a living, you want people to like it. But at the same point
with this album, there was a lot of just me being me. It was a
therapeutic album for me with a lot of mental health issues that
I've dealt with for my whole career that I buried, and I didn't
even realize I had buried for as long as I have. They just came
out.
And the band - being as close as we have probably ever been -
really put me in a position with support to be able to even do this
in the first place. Once the band gave me their blessing, it was
just important for me to get this off my chest and just see where
it went. And whether it was going to be Pop Evil music or not, I
got to a point where I wasn't even really thinking about that. It
was just let's just see what comes out, shut my eyes, see what my
soul has to say, and then I'll worry about the album after
that.
And I think coming in at the time we did it, rock radio here in the
US, heavy music, it was just a different place. It didn't get
played the same way. There wasn't a place for it the way that there
is now in the streaming world. You can have songs stream and go
further than even radio singles do nowadays. There's so many
different options. And with these younger bands too on the come up,
everyone's been a little bit… everything and everyone seems to be
heavier, and we're definitely not afraid now to pick up our
guitars. It just feels like it's the right time for Pop Evil to
really dive in and focus on our guitars and our tones, and just
making sure these songs are upbeat and hitting."
In the full interview, Leigh further discussed What Remains, which
has received positive feedback for its personal themes,
particularly regarding mental health. Leigh shared that the album
served as a therapeutic outlet, reflecting his struggles with anger
and frustration, especially in the aftermath of COVID. He
emphasized the importance of authenticity in Pop Evil's music and
the collaborative environment within the band that allowed for the
expression of deeply personal experiences. The conversation
highlighted the significance of self-improvement and personal
responsibility, encouraging listeners to engage with the album's
themes, as well as the heavier nature of What Remains
overall.
The discussion also covered Pop Evil's creative process and their
upcoming tour schedule, which begins on the West Coast and includes
a stop in New York. Leigh expressed the importance of expanding
their international fan base while being mindful of the financial
risks associated with touring in new countries. He fondly recalled
their previous visit to Australia and the unexpected support they
received here, and more.

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