Immortal Tax Evader - Rhapsody of the Affect (Intermission) w/Interview
Immortal Tax Evader is the experimental metal music project from guitarist/vocalist Patrick Devine. The experimental nature of this project shines through in each song released and with each new single, there is something interesting to be found. Today we are excited to share our interview with Immortal Tax Evader as well as take a dive into Immortal Tax Evader’s latest single, “Rhapsody of the Affect (Intermission)”.
“Rhapsody of the Affect (Intermission)” is an intricately crafted experimental metal song. Instrumentally, the track features crunchy yet melodic guitar work with engaging percussion that can really suck you in to the track’s overall feel. With lyrics that provide a commentary on modern living - examining and questioning aspects of our current society - “Rhapsody of the Affect (Intermission)” is a track that can easily speak to those who are aware of the forces driving society or awaken those who are not ands Devine’s growling vocals fit the theme of his words extremely well. With each additional listen, I found this track more enjoyable and was able to find something unique that I did not originally pick up on.
Let’s dive into the interview!
Thank you for being with us today!
Can you share how you got your start in music? Who are some of your influences and do you feel like their sound finds its way into your music in any way?
I got my start in music initially when I was four, and I’d sing along to Ozzy and Lynyrd Skynyrd, but really when I was 12 I first picked up the guitar after picking on a Dean Cadillac my cousin had through a Marshall amp. I was hooked immediately. I wound up getting a shitty first act guitar and learned to play by ear almost immediately. It was weird how quickly it just worked, and I was playing my favorite tunes pretty quickly. Influences are Pink Floyd, Randy Rhoads, Megadeth’s first 3 albums, Early Sepultura, Alice in Chains, Pantera, Metallica’s Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Bill Withers, Corrosion of Conformity, Tool, Soundgarden, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. I think the goal of the sounds I’m striving for are a strange mix of thrash metal, psychedelic rock, industrial rock with a hint of vague classical influence. I’m not a fan of semantic genre snobbery, and I don’t want to be that guy who is compared to everyone else or lumped in with a subset of acts, at the same time I don’t want my music to be the equivalent of “I’m not like other girls,” for the sake of being different.
Immortal Tax Evader is one of the most interesting names I've seen floating around music lately. What's the story behind how that name was chosen?
The band name came from a conversation between a friend and I. We had been chilling on the front porch enjoying the high desert of southern Arizona and my buddy wanted me to paint his bass like I painted my guitar. He was trying to sound deep and wanted those little words of wisdom written on the bass; he was kind of a pseud. He had a quip about “Death and Taxes” so I wrote Immortal Tax Evader on the bass and said, “Well, let’s be immortal tax evaders.” He looked at me and said it’d be a great band name and I agreed, I ended up taking it as my own with his consent.
How has COVID-19 had an effect on your writing, recording and performing processes? Are there any plans upcoming for any live performances now that the pandemic seems to be nearing its end?
As far as writing and recording, I’ve had more down time to focus on honing my studio work and getting better sound quality as compared to the horrendous sounds I was getting before. I haven’t played any shows as I’ve not found the right people to play with but I’m actively looking for other personnel.
We took a listen to your latest single, "Rhapsody of the Affect (Intermission)" and really enjoyed its crunchy guitar work and commentary on contemporary living. What were some of the goals you set out to accomplish when writing it? Can you expand on some of the lyrical themes presented in the song?
I usually don’t have any goals in mind when making music. I’m a believer in spontaneous order. I usually start with a half assed rhythm and jam over it for a bit until some decent riffs are made and then make the beat and record the refined guitars, bass, synth and finally vocals. I write what I want to hear. As far as lyrical subject matter in this song, it alludes to the work of British documentarian Adam Curtis and his presentation Hypernormalisation along with some personal observations of the influx of constant information via 24/7 media, the media exploiting tragedies for financial gain and how things are reduced to mere transactional value in all facets of life with a subsequent line about the underlying omnipresent fear of cancellation or blackmail via old social media posts, I’m not rooting for any teams politically though. All in all, just bitter cynicism towards postmodern tendencies (We live in a society lmao). A lot to condense in a short song, but I’m happy with the delivery.
[We’ve attached the lyrics of “Rhapsody of the Affect (Intermission)” below]
What's next for Immortal Tax Evader?
There’s no telling what’s next for my act, I’m just starting out as a solo artist and if I get a full lineup then I’ll be playing shows as soon as I can get a tight performance. I’ve got scores of songs written and I’m ready and able to record them and plan on releasing a few every month until I gain some traction. I’m happy to say they’re better recorded than previous efforts, and the arrangement is much better than on the demos infesting my cloud space and hard drives. I think there are many people out there who can relate to the subject matter, though more emphasis is placed on the instrumentals. I’ll have a new single coming out within the next week or so and I’m excited for people to hear it.
Thank you so much for being with us today!
It was really cool to get a feel for the influences of Immortal Tax Evader and how you can hear both where Patrick Devine is coming from and where he is going in this project’s music. I also appreciated Devine’s explanation of the lyrics, giving us the full scope of the commentary in his words. I truly feel as though Immortal Tax Evader is a fascinating music experience that offers a lot in terms of the musical journey you can go on while listening. Keep up with Immortal Tax Evader on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. You can find “Rhapsody of the Affect (Intermission)” on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes and we have it embedded below - along with the lyrics beneath the Spotify play box so you can follow along while listening!
What am I to really believe?
In this day and age?
My life is for sale
Every word is retail
And everything I’ll ever do leaves it’s undying trail
For some reason they crowned the fools
The acclaim and riches all undue
The parade of misery
It’s what they pay to see
Above all else
I will call it out
I don’t believe for one second that I should fake myself
For some reason the fools accrued
Your attention span from you
The court jester waves his scepter and you have not a clue
What do you want from me?
I’ve nothing more to say
