Exclusive: Pupil Slicer’s Kate Davies Breaks Down the Rage and Potential of ‘Fleshwork’
(Editor’s note: In our constant push to get more artist-driven content, we occasionally reach out to new and upcoming artists to put their mark on the ol’ ‘Sucks site. This time around, we got Pupil Slicer guitarist and vocalist Kate Davies sharing the raw detail behind the band’s new album. Rather than go on and on with unnecessary preamble, here’s Davies with the Artist Breakdown for ‘Fleshwork’.)
Heather
A fight against religious and political authority, that those in power only have a surface level care for humanity that is ultimately rooted in increasing their own power via either furthering their own careers and through financial gain. No thought is given to the people actually affected by what they preach, nor much care given for the policies enforced. This song is heavily inspired by Silent Hill 3 and Heather’s journey and manipulation in that game. Musically it continues ideas explored on Blossom and builds on them to give an indication of the heavier sides of the album.
Gordian
This track explores the ideas of human potential and how much sway we have over our own destiny, the ease of which to sleepwalk through things and be too afraid to make changes with the status quo, to pursue the things you really want to or to step in line, either with an unfulfilling life or towing the line in an oppressive society. The main chorus lyric “Am I figured out? Is this all I’ll ever be?” is from the game Mouthwashing and served as the central theme for the track.
Sacrosanct
A very straight up angry track of unbridled rage regarding how the lives of those affected by subjugation and prejudice are treated like toys by the elite and how distant the suffering inflicted is to those that cause it.
Innocence
Exploring ideas of being stuck in controlling, manipulative and abusive relationships, doing anything to excuse the actions of an abuser and the unhealthy dichotomy of giving up and wanting to let things all crumble and allow yourself to be driven to destruction whilst also loathing the abuser for doing this and leaving you in this state.
Black Scrawl
A breakdown of the tendencies to forget our history and repeat its mistakes, a cycle of hatred and a refusal to understand each other that ultimately ends in destroying ourselves and our world. The main themes in this track are heavily inspired by NieR and the ideas of humanity’s self destruction that that game explores. Musically this is a deeper cut into the world we are now presenting, an angular and full throttle example of this new era in flames.
Nomad
Living in a post truth society where people are living in entire echo chambers that allow them to get caught up in massive conspiracies. The ease of which people can dehumanize other people to fit their own narrative and the vast extent to which this is achievable. The naivety of masses to how malevolent and self interested those in charge are and how to survive in this world that frequently outright lies to justify actions that lead to the deaths of so many people. The idea of noone being safe besides those that make the rules in our society and that the internet is a wasteland of primarily disinformation and bad faith interactions.
Fleshwork
This track explores how easily people are manipulated into becoming drones to parrot and follow the ideology given to them, at what point the fault lies on the individual or how much lies with the person/organizations leading them into these wars, literally and figuratively, against fellow people. How our society is filled with polarizing rhetoric meant to divide and keep the lower classes at war with themselves and not concerned with greater issues facing us. The manga Chainsaw Man served as a main inspiration for this track, particularly the Gun/Control Devil sections of the Public Safety Saga.
White Noise
More of a personal take on my own distance to things in how abusive situations have caused me to experience dissociation and depersonalization and how hard that makes daily life with how difficult it is to connect to the things around me and enjoy/be in the moment for anything. I feel like my life is passing by and I’m not present to be the one living it, as if I’m viewing everything through cloudy glass on the other side of it. I worry that if I can’t find ways to improve this then I’ll miss my entire life.
Cenote
More directly addressing the state of the UK’s benefit systems and the propaganda spread and reforms made to them over the last 20 years that result in thousands of disabled people in the UK each year dying due to the denial/withdrawal of support from the government that helped them manage bills and survive in a society not built for them. That society in general celebrates this fact and thinks we’re getting rid of these dregs of society to them. Not to mention able bodied people affected by the same cuts, homeless people, people with addiction problems etc, in general the less fortunate of society. My wish that we honour those lost and fight in their memory to make the world a better place. For them to be given value and worth as human beings combined, whilst I struggle with my own issues with holding onto memories and how minds in general degrade over time.
