Interview with the band Aversed
This year, Aversed released a full-length album called Erasure of Color. But we will discuss more, not just this album. Aversed are wild, elemental, and not only on stage. Here they are.
answered Sungwoo Jeong - Guitars/Songwriter/Founder
Alan – Hello band. Who will answer?
Sungwoo - Hello this is Sungwoo Jeong-Guitars/Songwriter/Founder since 2011.
Alan – Are you all from Boston? How did you find each other? Has the current line-up been the same for 4 years?
Sungwoo - Me, Alden (Guitar 2) and Martin (Bass) have been together since 2011. Jeff (Drums) have been since 2014. Singer has changed in 2021 to Sarah. We honestly all kind of met online and similar mutual connections.
Alan – Have the current musicians in Aversed played, or are they still playing in other bands?
Sungwoo - Jeff Saltzman also drums for the Technical Metal powerhouse Allegaeon.
Alan – When did you form? In 2011, when was the first EP released?
Sungwoo - We formed in 2011 and the first EP ‘Renewal’ was released in October 2016. That was pretty much the same lineup but with our old vocalist.
Alan – This spring, you released another regular album called Erasure of Color. You are significantly different from your previous work – what is it about?
Sungwoo - I wanted to test ourselves and push our own comfortable boundaries with this record. The record makes a lot of twists and turns. Some might find it abrasive but it felt right for this record. We are an ever changing band and I can tell you that the next record will be very different as well.
Alan – Classic question, where did you record and master? And did anyone help you with the album? A producer?
Sungwoo - This album was strictly the 5 members. No outside producer. Erasure of Color’ was recorded at a studio we built in remote northern Vermont, engineered ourselves and mixed by AJ Viana (Hath, Wormhole) and mastered by Brad Boatright (Code Orange, Gatecreeper, Obituary).
Alan – The album was released not only digitally, but also on LP, CD, and MC (cassette). Hats off, great. Was that the intention? Or did the label want it that way? For me, very good.
Sungwoo - We really wanted all formats to accommodate all different kind of fanbases. It’s 2025 and Vinyls and Cassettes have really made a come back.
Alan – The album has only been out for a short time, it’s true. But what are the responses to it? I’ve read some, and all of them were positive.
Sungwoo - Some positive, some negative and critical, but I actually prefer that. I want music manias to listen to our music with the same level of scrutiny as they do with any other major artist in the genre. I don’t want to be shielded from the harsh criticism that listeners have to offer. I find that far more interesting than constant 10/10 reviews.
Alan – We’ve already written about the fact that you’ve changed a bit. So, where would you place yourself in metal, apart from death metal?
Sungwoo - I just call Aversed ‘Extreme Melodic Metal’ or just ‘Heavy Metal’. I understand that people are really fixated on genres and labels but I’m fine with anything anyone wants to call us.
Alan – What are you preparing for the album? I saw that it will be accompanied by music videos. What next – a tour of the States? America? And Europe?
Sungwoo - I believe we will be touring supporting Erasure of Color in July/August with two festival dates this summer hitting the FunTime Bonanza in Lebanon ME and RPM Fest in Montague MA.
Alan – Our zine is mainly for Czech and Slovak readers. do you know these countries? And do you know any bands from the Czech Republic or Slovakia?
Sungwoo - I know that Czech beer is incredibly delicious and that I would totally bathe myself in beer. Gutalax is a band getting a lot of international recognition.
Alan – If we can lighten this interview a bit. Do you have any funny experiences with the band? From recording the album, recording music videos? Or from concerts?
Sungwoo - Aversed played our first festival in 2017 with Lamb of God, Behemoth, Ozzy, and me and Alden (Guitars) both contracted food poisoning during the whole event and let’s just say, we went to the bathroom in places we shouldn’t due to this…
Alan – For Aversed. What do you think is the biggest thing you have achieved so far? And I don't just mean releasing an LP, CD, MC – which is really great.
Sungwoo - I think the biggest thing we achieved is staying as a band and not giving up despite all odds against us. We are not a band with connections, nepotism and inside support. We really feel like we’re playing the long game and letting the music speak for itself.
Alan – Thanks for the interview. Hopefully, we'll see each other at a concert or festival in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, or Bavaria sometime.
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