What We’ve Been Listening To: Aurateque

Sydney-based alternative-metal band Aurateque’s Renegade – produced by the Steve Balbi and mixed by the Chris Blancato – engulfs listeners in a whirlwind of guitar-driven chaos and frenetic drumming from the very beginning. Frontwoman Lauren’s vocals deliver a powerhouse performance that effortlessly transitions from soaring screams to haunting whispers.

The song’s resonant bridge serves as a gateway to a hefty breakdown that oozes intensity, drawing listeners further into the depths of Aurateque’s musical progression, as they dive deep into shedding light on the themes of violence, anger, and the painful masks people hide behind.

Drawing from personal experiences, Lauren reveals her tumultuous upbringing in a hostile environment. “Lauren grew up in a very hostile environment as a child and although she left quite young, she didn’t leave completely unscathed,” the band says about the song. “As she grew older, it was a harder pill to swallow to see a human being behind the abuser and to understand that the violence only came from a deep sadness that her family could never escape. The only way to escape these cycles of pain is to truly face yourself. ‘Renegade’, much like every Aurateque song, has helped heal these scars.”

Aurateque’s Renegade delivers an electrifying and emotionally charged experience, with the combination of blistering instrumentals, dynamic vocals, and lyrics that showcase the band’s musical prowess and their ability to navigate dark and introspective themes. To celebrate the release of the single, the band took part in the latest series of “What I’ve Been Listening To” on Eat This Music.

Who are Aurateque and how did the namesake come about?

Aurateque is a 4-piece Nu-Punk outfit from Sydney, blending punk-infused alternative metal with elements of hardcore and math-rock amongst other genres. The namesake came about after a relentless 4-hour dictionary surf that led to the decision that we should make up our own word instead. It’s directly inspired by a math-core song called ‘Vibetech’ by the band Marmozets, a huge influence when we were starting out.

What artists or bands are on your must-listen to list lately and why?

1. Paramore’s most recent album ‘This Is Why’ has been a source of absolute obsession. Every moment is executed with such artful finesse and the whole project has so much genuine depth to it. The album is easily one of our favourite releases of the year.

2. Turnstile have been making massive waves for hardcore lately, and rightfully so. Their music is an absolute masterclass in bringing dynamism and life into every single moment of the music. ‘GLOW ON’ and ‘Time & Space’ are constantly on repeat.

3. As one of Lauren’s biggest influences, Japan’s MUCC have an extensive discography, showcasing incredible diversity and creativity in songwriting. They’ve dabbled in many genres and have consistently carved out a unique, interesting style with every new release since the 90s. Their latest album ‘新世界 / New World’ is by far one of the most epic and creative artistic works we’ve ever heard and a definite must-listen!

4. Genesis Owusu is a more recent discovery that Matt has been totally falling in love with lately. His music intersects experimental hip-hop with dimensions of alternative music for an experience that is wholly unique and brimming with wild, inspiring character. This is an Aussie artist to watch right now.

Which guilty pleasure songs are reluctant to admit to listening to?

Matt: Gotta be anything from OG-era Skrillex. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and its association with ironic meme culture during the prime of my high school years cemented it as a sound that injects joy straight into my brain.

Lauren: ABBA, can’t fucking get enough of ‘em.

Which song of someone’s else’s (artist or band) would you have liked to feature on and why?

Honestly, we can’t think of anything off the bat that we would have liked to feature on, but there are candidates for music that we wish we’d written. The album ‘I Let It In And It Took Everything’ by Loathe immediately comes to mind. Listening to that record in its entirety is such an intense, cathartic, and dizzying experience, and the styles they blend are all so up our alley. Definitely a huge inspiration.

Which song, or songs, of yours would you recommend to a first-time listener and why?

Out of everything we’ve released thus far, our latest single Renegade best encompasses the scope of our music. There’s a chaotic, hardcore-inspired rasp that pervades the entire track, but there are also moments where things simmer down for more picturesque clarity amongst the chaos.

What led you into using music as your creative outlet, and keeps you making music?

Music has always been a part of our lives. There’s just an urge to create that hangs perpetually in our minds, an irresistible pull to develop our craft. Nothing is nearly as satisfying as writing music, listening to it and being proud of it, and we’re always exploring both new and old influences to expand our scope in ways that are distinct and authentic. We’ve already got a few EPs worth of material written simply because it’s just so difficult to resist the call to make music. It’s the lifeblood that keeps us inspired, both inside and outside of being musicians.