Interview by Kris Peters
Michigan rock outfit Pop Evil - as their name suggests - have managed to find that elusive sweet point between hard rock and pop that many, including myself, thought was never possible.
While the band's first two albums Lipstick On The Mirror and War Of Angels laid the platform for future success, it wasn't until 2013's Onyx that the rest of the world started to fully catch on, with lead single Trenches becoming the first of Pop Evil's nine number one tracks.
Fast-forward five more albums, and Pop Evil are the flag bearers for crossover rock/metal. Their music contains all of the things considered blasphemous in the metal realms with melodies, hooks and an abundance of pop sensibilities dominating the sonic landscape, but it also contains chunky guitar riffs, aggressive vocals and enough venomous intent to scare a rattlesnake.
The result is the recently released What Remains, a thundering collection of arena-ready modern rock and metal hits in which frontman Leigh Kakaty opens heart, mind and soul – pulling no punches and taking no prisoners in doing so.
What Remains is the culmination of everything Leigh Kakaty has fought for his entire life. It’s the dismantling of the armour he has adorned to survive the journey along the way. It’s the reckoning with the man he was yesterday, the man he has become today, and the man he strives to be tomorrow. It is at once the complete Pop Evil story writ large, and its definitive release.
HEAVY sat down for an in-depth chat with Kakaty and started by asking if, after eight albums, it still matters to him how new music is received by the public or if he is more at a stage now where pleasing himself musically bears more significance.
"Honest answer," he stated, looking HEAVY square in the eye. "It's a bit of both, you know what I mean? Obviously, when you make music for a living, you want people to like it. But at the same point with this album, there was a lot of just me being me. It was a therapeutic album for me with a lot of mental health issues that I've dealt with for my whole career that I buried, and I didn't even realize I had buried for as long as I have. They just came out.
And the band - being as close as we have probably ever been - really put me in a position with support to be able to even do this in the first place. Once the band gave me their blessing, it was just important for me to get this off my chest and just see where it went. And whether it was going to be Pop Evil music or not, I got to a point where I wasn't even really thinking about that. It was just let's just see what comes out, shut my eyes, see what my soul has to say, and then I'll worry about the album after that.
And I think coming in at the time we did it, rock radio here in the US, heavy music, it was just a different place. It didn't get played the same way. There wasn't a place for it the way that there is now in the streaming world. You can have songs stream and go further than even radio singles do nowadays. There's so many different options. And with these younger bands too on the come up, everyone's been a little bit… everything and everyone seems to be heavier, and we're definitely not afraid now to pick up our guitars. It just feels like it's the right time for Pop Evil to really dive in and focus on our guitars and our tones, and just making sure these songs are upbeat and hitting."
In the full interview, Leigh further discussed What Remains, which has received positive feedback for its personal themes, particularly regarding mental health. Leigh shared that the album served as a therapeutic outlet, reflecting his struggles with anger and frustration, especially in the aftermath of COVID. He emphasized the importance of authenticity in Pop Evil's music and the collaborative environment within the band that allowed for the expression of deeply personal experiences. The conversation highlighted the significance of self-improvement and personal responsibility, encouraging listeners to engage with the album's themes, as well as the heavier nature of What Remains overall.
The discussion also covered Pop Evil's creative process and their upcoming tour schedule, which begins on the West Coast and includes a stop in New York. Leigh expressed the importance of expanding their international fan base while being mindful of the financial risks associated with touring in new countries. He fondly recalled their previous visit to Australia and the unexpected support they received here, and more.
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