The 2024 APRA Music Awards have finally gone metal!
With this year’s event introducing the new Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal category, Australian lovers of hard and heavy music are being welcomed into the annual extravaganza as five of the countries leading rock/metal bands of the last couple of years battle it out to claim the first ever metal award.
Bands nominated are Parkway Drive, The Amity Affliction, Polaris, Alpha Wolf and King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard and HEAVY is doing our best to get the thoughts of each band up for an award.
Today we speak with Ahren Stringer from The Amity Affliction.
HEAVY: The Amity Affliction have been nominated as one of five finalists in the first ever Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work category at the 2024 APRA Music Awards on May 1. Firstly, how much of an honour is it to be amongst the first nominees in this category ever?
Ahren Stringer: It’s always an honour to be nominated for the APRAS as it’s all on data and not down to industry opinions and voting. All the bands in this category work insanely hard and write great songs, so it’s just rad to be mentioned alongside them.
H: What does something like this mean to you as a band?
AS: To be honest we have never been big on awards or anything like that, but the APRA as I said above, the APRA’s are awarded based on data so they would mean the most to us out of any others. It’s nice to know we still have fans out there and still supporting us.
H: The Amity Affliction have been nominated for the song It’s Hell Down Here, which is taken from the 2023 album Not Without My Ghosts. Tell us more about the song from a musical and lyrical point of view.
AS: I think this was the most traditional Amity song off the last record. It’s one of my favourite songs we’ve ever written. Just felt like everything came together on this one. I don’t like to talk about Joel’s lyrics too much as they’re so personal, so you’d have to ask him on those!
H: Would you say it is a typical Amity Affliction song?
AS: As above haha I think this song is a typical TAA song, but we just keep trying to evolve them and make them better. I guess powerful lyrics, catchy hooks and heavy breakdowns….
H: You also released Show Me Your God, I See Dead People and Not Without My Ghosts from the same album. Do you consider It’s Hell Down Here to be the best of those four tracks?
AS: I don’t know about the best, as they are all very different tracks, but it’s definitely my favourite off the record.
H: Have you started work on your acceptance speech or is that something you will just wing on the night if your name is announced?
AS: Well, we will be on tour in the USA so we might have to get someone else to do the speech for us haha. But seriously, aren’t we up against PWD?? We know we aren’t winning haha.
H: What does this new category specifically for heavy metal and hard rock mean for the heavy music scene in this country?
AS: It’s just great for it to be recognised and celebrated. As for Australian bands it’s one of our most successful genres both domestically and internationally. I’m glad it’s finally getting its own category and respect.
H: Do you have any special messages for your fans who have downloaded and streamed your song and the radio broadcasters who have played it on air??
AS: Just thanks! We honestly do appreciate it more than everyone would know. I know it’s cliché, but we couldn’t and wouldn’t do it without you.
