For The Love Of Music With N & V From SYM FERA

Interview by Kris Peters
More often than not, the music industry is dictated to more by who
and/or what you know, rather than the quality of your musical
output. It is something that has been a staple part of the industry
for as long as most of us can remember, and is accepted more as a
given across the board.
So, then, it is refreshing when a band comes along whose members
have the pedigree and personal contacts to guarantee success before
a note is even committed to recording but instead shun that
privilege in favour of earning their stripes on their own
terms.
It is a unique and refreshing approach and one very rarely taken,
but it is a testament to the confidence, ability, and respect of
the two members of alternative rock outfit Sym Fera who decided
from the outset to let their music dictate their fate.
Unlike other bands who have shunned the spotlight in favour of
anonymity, Sym Fera are not using it as a gimmick or point of
attention. It is purely for creative reasons and one which has so
far borne fruit.
Their first EP was released under State of The Art Records, helmed
by Ian McEvily, Marc Jordan, and Mike Clemenza, who themselves did
not know the real names of the band members before they made an
offer to sign them. They have since had their music feature on
television, including the hit Netflix show Ozark, and they continue
to release cryptic, cinematic music videos and shadowy live
performances that showcase a unique and dramatic artist project,
drawing comparisons to Pink Floyd, James Blake, and Bon Iver.
Both members - let's call them V and N for now - sat down with
HEAVY to delve deeper into the talented musical enigma that is Sym
Fera.
"We are two guys in LA who have always been jamming with each
other," N began. "LA's a - despite the reputation - still a music
town, so my partner and I have been jamming in clubs and jam
sessions and speak ezy's and all sorts of crap all around town for
quite a while. By the time we started to make music and record it
and actually put it out, we had already been playing with each
other in various things for years. As way of intro to us, it's just
two long-time friends who… I guess the pandemic inspired us to
actually put the shit out for a change instead of just do it for
fun. We wanted to do it the old way where you lead with the stuff
and the artwork and finding out what people look like and what
they're like in their personal lives was kind of an afterthought.
It came way later, if it ever came at all. It only really applied
to actual famous people, getting into people's personal lives,
otherwise it was check out this band or don't. That appealed to us
a lot, so we decided to not tell people and see if we would get
some progress made from the stuff itself and that alone. So far
it's been small but very gratifying and satisfying."
Sym Fera are described as an atmospheric rock outfit, but that tag
merely scratches the sonic surface.
"I guess so," N measured when asked if that is a fair description.
"The word rock got expanded quite a bit since the 70s and 60s. I
think people forget - even in the 70s - it also applied to artists
like Pink Floyd. There's a huge Earth of difference sonically
between Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin or AC/DC, so I think if you use
rock in that very, very big umbrella term then sure, we're
atmospheric. It's funny. Whenever anyone asks us what genre it's
like we can't really commit because we love artists like Beck and
Pink Floyd's a great example too and Radiohead and all these
artists that won't pick a team and stick with it. They just keep
adding instruments and changing things and taking risks. I think in
terms of those types of rock bands, that makes sense to me."
In the full interview, N & V talk about their latest single Beg
and how it has been received, the four singles they have released
to date and how each represents Sym Fera, future releases and how
they will be structured, the main reasons behind keeping their
identities under wraps for now and the pride at having your music
respected based on merit alone, keeping their anonymity when
playing live, how far they plan to take Sym Fera and more.

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