Patient Sixty-Seven, a three-member metalcore band from Perth, Australia, has released a debut album, Wishful Thinking, that shows the power music has not just for the listener, but also for the artists who create it. This 10-track album is loaded with hardcore musical elements and both clean and hard vocals that perfectly reflect the various themes the band wanted to share with their fans.
The band members include Tom Kiely (vocals), Rory Venville (guitar, vocals), and Declan Le Tessier (guitar). Patient Sixty-Seven has been around since 2015. Kiely and Le Tessier are original members, and Venville joined in 2017. The band’s song-writing duties are a team effort. Venville generally brings forward a guitar demo, Le Tessier will add his parts, and Kiely works on the lyrics. Then it’s off to the studio to work on the final product.
Wishful Thinking was produced, mixed, and mastered by Ryan Mathew Botha, with additional production and composition by Bryce Kariger and drum composition by Giuliano Macri. Artwork is by Christopher Erb.
In a description of the album on the band’s website, it was “written within the ups and downs of their own lives.” Music has been there for them both as a band as well as fans – it made sure they got through the hard times. They hope this album does that for their fans, also. The album incorporates themes of “sadness, anger, uncertainty, trust, hope, and triumph". The band is very proud of this album, which is reflected in their promotion of it on social media and their website.
Speaking of social media, one of the best things about Patient Sixty-Seven, other than their music, of course, is their interaction with their fans. The band calls itself “Your friendly neighbourhood metalcore band.” Fans are drawn to them. The Patient Sixty-Seven Facebook page has 37,000 followers, and their fan page, the Patient Sixty-Seven Street Team, has almost 6,000 members. Many members actively participate in the Street Team, and so does the band, sharing funny memes as well as posts and videos discussing their music and showing their appreciation of their fans.
Notable on this album are the collaborations with additional vocalists. Those collabs include Brian Wille of Currents on “Fatebringer”, Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens on “Feel Alive”, Joey Varela of VRSTY on “Who You Chose To Be”, and Julian Comeau of Loveless on “Colours”. These vocalists make these already great songs even better.
This album has so many awesome tunes it’s hard to pick just a few to write about, but this writer managed to do so. “Scattered’ is a song about anxiety, depression, insecurity, and self-hate. These feelings are portrayed in the lyrics: "Please let me go I feel so jaded This life I've wasted Disdain for myself and this life I've wasted"
“Fatebringer” is about anger at the pain and destruction in this world, and wanting to make a change but feeling powerless to do so. This song is fast-paced and keeps the listeners on their toes.
“Feel Alive” is not quite as heavy as the other songs, and with the addition of Quinn’s vocals has an almost EMO or "EMOcore" feel to it. However, it does incorporate the powerful hard vocals of Kiely in true metalcore fashion. This is a song about being in a re lationship that is hard to get out of – it’s toxic and you know it, but is still provides some sort of comfort. “You make me feel alive But I’m barely breathing Hopeless to find Some sense of security”
“Wayfarer” describes the anxiety and fear of getting older and watching life pass you by. "If we're not meant for this life As time passes by, the great divide Until then, I wonder why Wayfarer, is this goodbye?"
"Damage Plan" has a high tempo chorus, and is an “anthem" about taking control and fighting back after being hurt by the world around you.
"An eye for an eye
Trying to survive
I'm sick and tired of being pushed aside"
“Fault Line” is fast-paced with catchy guitar riffs and the heaviness of Kiely's hard vocals combined with his emotional clean vocals in the chorus. It’s a statement against people who claim to support you, but doubt you and want to control you
"Can't you see
I'm more than a puppet on your string
Without this dream
I'll forever be lost in obscurity
This dream is everything to me"
Patient Sixty-Seven will be embarking on the “Wishful Thinking” Australian tour August 6th to 20th with Harroway and Bury Me. The band can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Bandcamp, as well as the band's website.
Track Listing Stay Paranoid II
Scattered
Fatebringer (with Brian Wille of Currents)
Try Hard
Feel Alive (with Kelli Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens)
Wayfarer
Who You Chose To Be (with Joey Varela of VRSTY)
Damage Plant
Fault Line
Colours (with Julian Comeau of Loveless)
<Written by: Annie Schlottman>
<Photo credit: Elliot Charleston>