Brisbane metal outfit Diskust have enjoyed something of a rebirth during the last 18 months.
Despite the obvious obstacles placed in theirs - and every band's - path by COVID and lockdowns, Diskust have managed to tour from Cairns in Far North Queensland to the nation's capital throughout that period, along the way sweeping more Maniacs - what they affectionately call their fans - into their sinister world with each show.
Just four short weeks ago it seemed that their momentum would be cruelly halted after the announcement original vocalist, and an integral part of the band's sound, Bo Antrobus would be leaving to concentrate more on his personal life.
While it was a decision that came as a shock to both his bandmates and fans, it was also a decision that saw Bo receive overwhelming support, and so the search for a replacement vocalist began in earnest.
Not only was the timing not good for the band (as if news like ever is), but it also threatened the stability of things going forward, with the band on the cusp of releasing their debut EP and subsequent tour.
The quality of auditions gave the band hope for the future, and after much deliberation and discussion the band has settled on... well you are just going to have to listen to the audio to find out.
In a public display of unity and confidence, Diskust have pushed forward with their release schedule as well, today bringing out the video for their latest song Burning Alive. It is a song that was written by Bo, and as such we felt it only appropriate for him to explain the meaning behind it.
"This one's been in the cooker for a while," he began. "As usual the lyrics are quite ambiguous, but for me, it's a pretty personal song because it's about the birth of my daughter. It was kind of like the life before and after the birth of my daughter, which was a huge moment in my life. It's a pretty huge song for myself, and I'm hoping that it connects to people in their own ways. I didn't directly write anything about my daughter specifically, so I'm hoping that it is able to relate to people specifically with their own stuff."
Although still having its roots in the heavier style of music Diskust are known and loved for, Burning Alive also shows a softer, more vulnerable side to the band, a point not lost on the band themselves.
"We're more than capable of doing that," he continued, "but we wanna show off our slower side as well - our softer side. We don't want to, I guess, jam ourselves into a box a little bit. We've always had a diversity and we really wanna put that on display wth this song. If there's a song to show the soft side, then it's that song. It's such an awesome song. I'm really proud of it."
In the full interview we reveal the identity of the man to carry Diskust into their next phase of music, hear more about Burning Alive, find out the name and release date for the EP, what to expect from it musically, upcoming shows, the new additions to the stage show, future plans and more.