“Before I did metal, I was actually training and studying to be an opera singer.”
Sam Wolstenholme
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.
