New Beginnings With SAM WOLSTENHOLME From AEON NEXUS

Interview by Kris Peters
First impressions always count massively, especially in the world
of entertainment, where we are currently so spoilt for options that
it is almost too easy to pick and choose. Debut singles, EP's and
albums place more emphasis on getting it right in the knowledge
that your band's future career possibilities could be curtailed
with one ill-thought-out release in the early stages of
existence.
Which is why fresh Brisbane metal outfit Aeon Nexus have hit the
ground running on the back of their debut single Twin Hurricanes
which came out last Friday. It doesn't hurt that well-known local
vocalist Sam Wolstenholme is fronting Aeon Nexus, but that alone
does not guarantee instant success.
Twin Hurricanes is an absolute banger, highlighting the band's
unique blending of djent, raw, aggressive metal, symphonics and pop
sensibilities to create a sonic whirlwind of emotion and intent
that is as infectious as it is brutal.
Sam sat down with HEAVY earlier this week to introduce her new band
and single.
"This is my new project that I formed last year," Wolstenholme
smiled. "Now we've hit the ground running this year with some shows
and our debut single release that will be leading up to an EP in a
few months. We're progressive metalcore, so inspired by bands like
Spiritbox, TesseracT, Architects, Northlane, that sort of thing.
It's been a real pasion project for me. For quite a while I've
wanted to front a heavier band and so learned to scream and found
some amazing musicians to work with and here we are!"
Wolstenholme started Aeon Nexus off the back of her previous
symphonic metal band Seraphic, who were well known and loved and
one of the better bands doing the Brisbane circuit, but after a
tumultuous period during COVID things changed on her personal
musical landscape, thus leading to the formation of this new
project that sees Wolstenholme step out from behind the keys and
assume the role of front person.
"About five years ago now, there was a lot going on in my life,"
she recounted. "There was a lot going on with my personal life, and
basically everything changed. I went through a real transformation,
and I was a bit lost. I was in Seraphic, and I've been doing
symphonic metal for a number of years, but then suddenly my life
imploded. I listened to the album Alien by Northlane, and it really
resonated with me and completely changed my life if I am being
honest. It was something that really stuck with me, and I began
this love affair that I now have with metalcore. I had a vague idea
in my mind of wanting to do something like that - something heavier
- but I thought that could never really be a possibility for me
because I'm a classically trained vocalist, even though I've been
doing metal for a number of years. Before I did metal, I was
actually training and studying to be an opera singer, so I thought
those two worlds could never collide (laughs). I could never do
harsh vocals, that's not a thing. It was always a dream in the back
of my head, but I thought it wasn't possible. Some time went by and
Seraphic decided to go on hiatus. The pandemic really killed us
all, to be honest. It was a real challenge for a lot of bands, and
we were no different, so musically, things were at a bit of a
standstill for me and I thought why not revisit this dream and give
it a go?"
In the full interview, Sam discussed Aeon Nexus' plans for their
debut single and upcoming shows. She shared her personal journey
and the band's decision to release a series of singles before the
EP, with Twin Hurricanes being the debut single. We also discussed
the band's musical direction, songwriting process, and upcoming EP,
which will offer a diverse experience.
The details of the upcoming single launch show at the Brightside on
May 19 were also discussed, including the line-up and benefits to
the local metal scene. The show is the first in a series aimed at
showcasing local core bands, with a focus on hardcore, metalcore,
and deathcore acts.


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