TALLAH: Embracing the chaos in the technique

Experimental, brutal and addictive are words that come to mind when describing genre non-conformists Tallah. These heavy-hitters provide an abundant dose of raw chaotic energy and thrilling performances, leaving you ready to dive into the mosh pit. Tallah have captured the hearts of over 100K listeners on Spotify alone, with hypnotic ferocity live across the globe. It is apparent to many that Tallah’s mark on the metal scene is not to be ignored.

Tallah vocalist Justin Bonitz’s mesmerising variety of vocals delivers lyrically chilling storytelling that conjures an immersive atmosphere. Tallah’s newly released album ‘Primeval: Obsession // Detachment’ showcases a variety of vocal techniques, funky basslines and powerful riffs.

Set in space, ‘Primeval: Obsession // Detachment’ follows the fate of nurse Ana and assassin Sheela embarking on a journey to complete trials that test their moral limits. Commenting on what inspired the album's concept, Justin admitted “lyrically I didn’t really have a concept at first, I just kind of wrote what the music made me feel” after listening to Max Portnoy’s (Tallah’s bassist & co-song writer) carefully crafted instrumentals. Unlike past albums, Justin explained that ‘Primeval: Obsession // Detachment’ was more than just a simple ‘concept’, it was an outlet to express his own emotion. Yet when asked, Justin decided to not elaborate on the concept any further, in a move that he explained was to help fans conceptualise their own interpretations of the story, and to relate to the music in a more personal manner. Justin later mentioned a strong affinity towards concept albums, stating that they will remain at the forefront of his mind in both his and the band's career. Citing renowned metal musician and Youtuber Jared Dines, Justin was advised that “a lot of musicians have so much to say and once they’ve said it their career starts to feel stale”, which appears to have become a mantra for Tallah as they continue their sonic journey. 

To many, growls, gutturals and squeals create the perfect concoction of audio genius when combined with profound lyrics and bewitching clean vocals. “Ones that come to mind are Corey Taylor [Slipknot], Chester Bennington [Linkin Park] and Jonathan Davis [Korn]” Justin stated amongst a long list of iconic frontmen as well as some obscure role models such as Disney villains, unconventional to a genre considered aggressive in nature. This is due to a confession that: “doing a bunch of vocals was really self-critical because when I started doing vocals I really hated my voice - I was doing everything I could to not sound like me”. 

Yet in his twenties, Justin embraced his unique voice and harnessed his plethora of techniques to create the intriguing soundscape he’s so synonymous with. In a performance context, Justin credited Maynard James-Keenan (Tool) for his “twitchy movements” and hobbies such as martial arts, as well as movies, which all contribute to his erratic stage presence and unpredictability as a vocalist. 

Unconventionally to the modern state of metal, Tallah prefers to take an old-school approach when creating music. Established in 2018, Tallah has never used a click track when performing live, pushing them to record the album completely live as seen performed on the Audiotree sessions on Youtube. When asked about fan opinion on the decision to record live, Justin believes that “our ears are conditioned for tuned vocals and 4/4 time signatures, so when you break that norm, people are like "woah this sounds weird"”. However to some it may be a “breath of fresh air”, as it used to be the standard for bands of the past. Justin expressed his admiration for live recordings, stating: “ I wish more musicians would do that. That’s why I got into metal, it was so real compared to pop and hip-hop”. He expressed that to him, metal is raw and authentic and longed for bands to shift back into an experimental direction and not follow suit. However, he was aware that many fans may not even know that the album was executed differently and that some people just like music for the music and not the technicalities.

In a world where making music is so accessible and efficient, guitar modelling software like Archetype Gojira and the rise of MIDI instrumentation has led Justin to feel that it is a “double edged sword”, In that prior generations wrote music with tones and sounds that felt ‘right’ rather than being widely perceived as correct, and mixed around that accordingly, often leading to distinctive sounds and people with experience catered to what they liked. He feels that bands aren’t experimenting with mixing and tones as much as they used to, and it is creating a form of flavour fatigue in metal, wherein a lot of bands are deliberately chasing similarities in sounds reminiscent to other prominent artists at the moment, rather than forming their own sound. He commented, “fans were blown away when I say I track guitars without tracking the raw signal and using DI amp sounds”, showing his stance for future generations' understanding of creating music without modern technological advancement in music. 

Continuing the pattern of in-house production, Tallah completely manufactured their music videos without outsourcing, bar the help of a few friends. Tallah’s music videos are striking in both content and visuals within the ‘Primeval: Obsession // Detachment’ roster. Music videos include scenes such as angsty congregations of fans under a bridge, to a bizarre puppet show or a trippy dystopian landscape. Justin informed us that the music videos weren’t “on the nose” to the concept with the exception of their track ‘What We Know’ , they were just what they imagined doing for the songs.

The adrenaline-boosting visual of Justin hanging from under a bridge left viewers hyped for what was to come next. Justin declared, “it wasn’t scary” but “I was a little worried I was just going to let go involuntarily" after so many takes. He also divulged that rust was getting into his eyes each take showing his level of dedication to the music video and the band itself. ‘As Fate Undoes’, ripped from your favourite cheesy 80s movie, debuts a group of whimsical ‘muppets’ the band must conquer before besting the lead antagonist, a puppet of Justin himself!. When asked about the puppet,  Justin erupted in contagious laughter, brandishing the puppet like a trophy and exclaiming, “I couldn’t believe it! They even got the dots and everything!”. Justin later announced that it was bassist Max Portnoy’s decision, and he was completely unaware until shoot day, adding insight to the band's lightheartedness and dedication to fun despite their deep seriousness towards their music.

Interestingly, we discovered a hope for an imminent return to the UK, due to feeling so at home. Justin proudly stated, “I could hear the audience singing over me through my in-ears”, “that was incredible like I almost wanted to cry, I’ve never had people so enthusiastic about our music before” after speaking to guitarist Derrick Schneider. Last seen in the UK in 2024 off the back of an incredibly successful sellout London show (a credible achievement for them!), Justin also touched on how amazing It is to be with British record label ‘Earache Records’ and have such strong support from UK fans. Therefore, UK fans should keep an eager eye on what Tallah unleashes next!

Words: Alix England

Photos: Tallah