“Welcome back to SoundStoriesByJo, also featured on the Metalwar.gr official page.
Today we are exploring the sonic landscape of one of the UK’s most exciting musical exports. With their new single ‘Gasoline’ already setting the scene ablaze, they are proving that they are not just ‘another’ alternative band, but a force of nature. Joining us today to discuss their evolution and the fire behind their new music are… As Everything Unfolds.”
The Questions (12 + 1)
Jo: “Gasoline” feels like a chemical reaction—it’s volatile and explosive. When you were in the studio, was there a specific moment where you realized that this track was the bridge leading you away from the Ultraviolet era into something much darker?
George: I don’t know if we felt that it was that much of a big step away from our work on Ultraviolet. I know that we were definitely very excited about the song and all fell in love with it instantly. We probably didn’t recognise that we were leaning into a darker side of our sound until the whole album began to take shape with the other songs.
Jo: Your lyrics often touch on internal struggles. With “Gasoline” discussing the act of “burning bridges,” is this a metaphorical cleansing for the band, or is it a more personal reflection on the price one pays for growth?
George: Gasoline is mainly a story about that unquantifiable and confusing human bond you get with someone else, that twin flame sensation, that mutual connection with an unknown person, almost like you were destined to be in each other’s lives. During this song it explores an explosive connection, the thought process, the denial in wanting it and the need to turn away from it, even though it feels wrong, you desperately try to keep hold of your life path, ignoring this fated sensation, how heartbreaking and soul destroying it can be.
Jo: You’ve mastered the balance between heavy riffs and electronic synths. In this new material, how do you decide when a song needs the “grit” of a guitar and when it needs the “coldness” of a synthesizer to convey an emotion?
George: It doesn’t necessarily happen in a way that is calculated. Jon (synths) and Adam (guitar) have been writing together for a long time and they have got so comfortable with blending the two elements together. They instinctively know when to lean into either element. There are of course times when they purposefully go to create a more guitar
heavy song or a synth heavy song, but for the most part they just start and see where the song takes them!
Jo: As a band that has become a benchmark for the modern scene, how do you handle the “expectation of perfection” from the industry? How do you protect the band’s authentic core from external pressures as you grow into bigger stages?
George: By just writing the music that we want to write. As soon as we try to plan things out too much it doesn’t normally go to plan, so we just start and see where things lead us. We want to write music that excites us and that we want to be out there playing on stages. We know that not everyone is always going to like what we do, but you’re never going to please everyone! As long as we do things for reasons we feel are right, we believe that keeps us authentic to our values.
Jo: The UK scene is currently undergoing a massive resurgence. Do you feel that being a British band in 2026 comes with a specific “sonic responsibility,” or do you try to ignore geographic trends entirely when writing?
George: I think British bands do tend to have a certain sonic flavour but I couldn’t tell you what that is! We certainly don’t look at geographic trends when writing so I can’t say it’s a responsibility we’ve ever acknowledged – however the UK scene is phenomenal and we are happy to represent in any way we can.
Jo: Your vocal and instrumental range has expanded significantly in the new material. How has your collective relationship with “heavy” sounds changed? Do you find that more aggressive tones allow you to express things that melody simply cannot reach?
George: I think our relationship with heavy has changed in the way that it used to be more about riffs and breakdowns, whereas on this record I feel the heaviness comes from the lyrics and atmosphere just as powerfully as the instrumentals. We have certainly experimented with heavier tones than we ever have before on this record, but I think that came more from experimenting. It has certainly allowed us to present songs in ways that we haven’t been able to previously.
Jo: You recently joined the Century Media Records family. How has being part of such a legendary metal roster influenced your creative confidence? Did the transition to a major label change the way you approached the production of “Gasoline”?
George: It was certainly exciting to be part of a roster with so many incredible bands, including some that we are very fortunate to call friends. It changed the approach in the way that it opened us up to support and resources that we didn’t have access to previously, but the progression of the sound wasn’t necessarily tied to joining Century Media.
Jo: The aesthetic of your latest videos is very deliberate. How much does the visual “color palette” of a song influence the writing process? Do you “see” the colors of a track like “Gasoline” before the music is even finished?
George: The aesthetics are really important to the concept of the record. It certainly begins to come into play while the music is being written and the concept reveals itself. From here the colour palette for the whole album is deliberately chosen to work throughout all of the creative elements of the record. The colour palette of Gasoline relates to the film Bram Stoker’s Dracula, we used the story to visually inspire the music video, to which shots from the video are homages to moments in the 1994 film.
Jo: After the critical acclaim of Ultraviolet, many bands play it safe. “Gasoline” suggests you chose the opposite. Is “fear of stagnation” a bigger motivator for you than “desire for commercial success”?
George: I mean we certainly wouldn’t mind some commercial success! But as I touched on previously, we need to write songs that we love and enjoy. We certainly feel comfortable experimenting and doing things people wouldn’t expect. I think the best example of this is the song Reverie.
Jo: You have a massive schedule of festivals ahead. When you play “Gasoline” live, do you find the audience’s reaction changes the way the band perceives the song’s meaning?
George: We haven’t played it live yet, but we can’t wait! It will be interesting to see how it’s received, I’m not sure if it will change how we perceive the song, but I look forward to hearing the thoughts of the fans on their perceptions. It’s finding out all of the different ways people interpret one of your songs that makes it really rewarding.
Jo: As a group that has stayed remarkably consistent, how do you manage the “ego-vs-art” balance when everyone is evolving at different speeds personally and musically?
George: By not thinking about it too much! It’s easy to react to your environment and think about what everyone else is doing, but you just need to do what works for you and stay as true to yourselves as possible.
Jo: If “Gasoline” is the spark, what does the rest of the fire look like? Can we expect the upcoming album to be a concept-driven piece, or a collection of independent sonic explosions?
George: It’s very much a concept-driven piece, so we hope that people enjoy the journey and experience of the record. There’s plenty of variation in there to keep them guessing as well so hopefully there are enough sonic explosions to keep everyone happy!
(+1) The “Legacy” Question: Jo: If As Everything Unfolds were to disappear tomorrow, but one “time capsule” containing only one of your songs survived to explain what your band stood for to a future generation, would it be “Gasoline,” or is there a hidden gem in your discography that holds the true soul of the band?
George: I would go with On The Inside. It’s the perfect snapshot of one of our songs written when there was no pressure, no outside noise, and it just perfectly encapsulates everything that we love about the band.
“A huge thank you to the band for such an insightful conversation. ‘Gasoline’ is out now, and if it’s any indication of what’s coming next, we are all in for a wild ride. Keep an eye on the Metalwar.gr page and SoundStoriesByJo for more updates and tour dates. Until next time!”
Best Regards,
Jo Music Journalist & Editor
SoundStoriesByJo | Metalwar.gr
