SOURCE – Heather/Black, Fleshwork, and Nomad are the singles that were released ahead of the new album, Fleshwork. How does the current trend of releasing singles impact the reception of full albums?
Kate Davies (Vocals, Guitars) – We’ve had really positive feedback on the tracks so far, so we’re hoping that people will enjoy the album once they get their hands on the full thing!
SOURCE – With the release of Fleshwork, how do you reflect on and evaluate the band’s evolution throughout its career?
Kate Davies (Vocals, Guitars) – On our first album, Mirrors, we didn’t quite have our footing as a band, nor did we have the confidence to fully execute our ideas. On the flip side, that album has a certain raw ferocity and unhinged quality due to how scrappily it was put together. Our second album, Blossom, was much more polished, but instead of the more direct messaging of Mirrors, we went for a concept album that was more fantastical. On Fleshwork, we felt that the world has become far more direct in its hateful messaging, and we wanted the album to reflect that. The songwriting and lyricism are much more to the point and in your face. We tried to capture the ferocity and unpredictable nature of our first album while combining that with the songwriting precision and confidence we developed on our second.
SOURCE – Considering that Pupil Slicer is a trio, what effects and studio arrangements did you have to adapt for your live performances to ensure that the songs sound as close as possible to the studio recordings?
Kate Davies (Vocals, Guitars) – We always take an additional guitarist on the road to cover both guitar parts when needed. For the past two years, this has been the very talented Oliver Miles of Perpetual Paradox. This is a crucial element of our set, and in recent years we’ve also switched to everyone using in-ear monitors and playing to a click track. Back in 2022, our live shows were quite rough around the edges, as we were not prepared for the success our first album brought us. But we rose to the challenge, and now we’re confident that we’re performing at our best and very proud of the show we put on.
SOURCE – Every album presents its own challenges. What were the most significant obstacles or frustrations you encountered during the creation of this one?
Kate Davies (Vocals, Guitars) – I think this album was actually the easiest experience we’ve had writing and recording. The hardest part, as is usually the case, was working on the longer post-metal tracks—in this case, “Cenote.” We love creating these longer pieces, and I think they’re always the highlights of the album, but they require a lot of work to make them flow correctly. I usually spend the most time on the lyrics for these tracks as well. This one took about a year to come together.
SOURCE – Do you feel that music videos still hold the same cultural influence in today’s industry, or has their significance changed with the rise of streaming platforms and the dominance of short-form content?
Kate Davies (Vocals, Guitars) – We’ve noticed quite a drop-off in engagement with music videos across our three albums, and I think this reflects a larger trend: fewer people are using YouTube and Facebook-style social media, instead moving toward TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels as their main sources of entertainment. This shift leaves less room for videos to catch on like they used to, and it’s harder for the average person to discover new bands unless it’s through a 60-second skit or staged video promoting a song.
SOURCE – How was the production process for the Fleshwork and Nomad music videos?
Kate Davies (Vocals, Guitars) – We worked with our longtime collaborator David Gregory for the videos on this album. David previously directed one video for Mirrors and all three for Blossom. Working with him is fantastic, as he likes to delve deeply into the album’s details and themes. We usually have a call with him to go over the concepts behind the songs and the overarching themes of the album, after which he puts together an original treatment based on those ideas. We then finalize any changes and move ahead with the recording.
SOURCE – Social media has become a crucial tool for artists. How have you used these platforms to promote the album both before and after its release?
Kate Davies (Vocals, Guitars) – Honestly, we’re not the best at using social media! It’s a shame that it seems like a required skill to succeed in the industry these days. The internet is so flooded with content that grabbing anyone’s attention for the length of a single song—let alone a whole album—is harder than ever. It’s been really nice to see a recent resurgence of vinyl as a listening medium, as it allows you to unplug, sit down with an album as intended, and experience it fully—something that’s increasingly rare in today’s tech-dominated world.
SOURCE – What are your plans for this year, aside from the album’s release?
Kate Davies (Vocals, Guitars) – We’re heading out on tour with our friends LLNN and Worn Out, starting on November 25th in the UK! We’re really looking forward to seeing fans after the album’s release and performing the new songs live. Hopefully, next year we’ll be able to travel further afield—and maybe one day, we’ll make it out to Brazil as well!
Photo Credit: Derek Bremner
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