SOURCE – Firstly, congratulations on They Fear Us, it’s and incredible album! Tell us a little bit about the album and how the production and recording went for this?
Djamila Azzouz (Vocals) – Thank you so much! I’m so glad you like it. Our new album ‘They Fear Us’ is definitely our most ambitious record so far and is the culmination of years of blood, sweat and (a lot of) tears. We didn’t go into writing this with a specific sonic concept in mind, but it naturally evolved itself, which is really how we prefer to write. We were lucky enough to work with Lewis Johns, who is probably the best producer around right now and worked on stuff like Rolo Tomassi and Funeral For A Friend so we were in good hands. The recording process itself was very intense, we were in the studio for over a month and we were living and working together the whole time – it was very difficult at times but also enabled us to push each other for the very best. We also got to hang out together a lot for the first time since Covid which was a joy.
SOURCE – Was it an easy decision to pick the singles this time before the album came out?
Djamila Azzouz (Vocals) – Yes and no! We knew from the start that the title track was definitely a first single, but choosing the others felt harder. There are so many sounds and influences on this record that it was hard to pinpoint what we wanted to put out to kind of ‘represent’ us, which is what the singles do. The songs vary so much across the album. I’m happy we ended up picking the songs we did though.
SOURCE – What are your ambitions for the album They Fear Us?
Djamila Azzouz (Vocals) – We just want as many people to hear it as possible. I’m not sure what will happen next but i’ve got a good feeling. We put so many different ideas into this record that i do really think it has a lot of potential to reach people who wouldn’t necessarily classify themselves as metal fans. There’s everything from blackgaze to metalcore to hyper pop and yacht rock on here so i feel like there’s something for everyone.
SOURCE – Speaking of the song Camera Eats First, you’ve had a massively positive response to that video, what has that felt like for you?
Djamila Azzouz (Vocals) – It’s been truly incredible, especially considering the personal subject matter of the song. It made me feel very vulnerable, putting out a song that talked about such a deep and dark part of my mental health but i have no regrets. We’ve had so many people telling us that they’ve connected with the song and the fact that people have been able to relate to it has made it all worth it.
SOURCE – How do you as musicians handle the ever-evolving landscape of today’s music industry – where social media, instant technology, streaming services, etc. play just as important of a role in building the brand of the band as the songs, records, and live performances?
Djamila Azzouz (Vocals) – It’s definitely a struggle sometimes. Particularly when the pandemic happened, and suddenly live music just ceased to exist. As a band we couldn’t even be in the same room together so we really had to approach even writing this record in a completely different way. These days, i think you have to have something to say. Unfortunately just having good riffs isn’t enough. What’s your message? Why should people listen to your band and not the other metal bands that look and sound like you? The only thing we did right was not giving a shit about what anyone else thinks, and that includes on the internet too. It’s hard out there for underground bands and musicians. We’re quite lucky, we really do have a very loyal and dedicated fanbase who vibe with what we do not just musically but morally too. They believe in our message. I think that’s almost as important as the music sometimes.
SOURCE – What do you consider some of the biggest challenges Ithaca currently faces at this point in your career?
Djamila Azzouz (Vocals) – We’re at a really pivotal point in our career where we have the world at our feet, we just have to decide how high we want to climb. If it’s up to me, it’ll be to the top. We’ve spent ten years having people in the metal and hardcore scenes here tell us that we weren’t good enough or cool enough or that we’re too wierd to be included. None of that matters to us anymore so i suppose you could say that those struggles are over. When we stopped giving a fuck, we set ourselves free.
SOURCE – How do you see the state of the world currently, coming out of this global pandemic? What do you think are the biggest concerns that the leaders of the world need to tackle, and where should the focus be for the average person to achieve more of what they want and desire in life?
Djamila Azzouz (Vocals) – Wow, a huge question. The world is a mess, a complete state of disarray. Sometimes i feel like giving up and that it’s not worth it anymore, but then you see your family and friends and bandmates and that encourages you to keep going. I don’t believe in any world leaders, because they don’t have people’s interests at heart. In my opinion, the only way forward is collective action from us, the average people. We need to evolve, quickly, and remember how to love, help and take care of each other because there certainly aren’t any authorities or higher powers who will or even want to do it. All they care about is money and war. We need to take the power back for ourselves.
SOURCE – What are the future plans for Ithaca?
Djamila Azzouz (Vocals) – Tour, tour and more tour. Hopefully some cool festivals along the way too! We’ve been waiting nearly three years to get back on the road so it can’t come soon enough.
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