You have the idea and then you have to do it, singer and bassist Julia Cumming says.
Then youre like, I have no one to blame for this.
I did this, and now Im falling and slipping in mud.
Sunflower Bean in 2024: Kivlen, Faber, and CummingYulissa Benitez*
The cleanup was far from easy.
So it was just this funny, demented thing we were doing in this poor persons backyard.
Headfulwas very much us in quarantine times, trying to communicate with the world, Kivlen observes.
A lot of that was experimentation we wanted to push ourselves and make something that sounded completely new.
We had a lot of time at home, and we were writing about current events.
It was about America and being in society, where this EP is pre-society.
Its this very primal thing.
Were in the earth before it was industrialized or settled.
Merlot … blood purple red.
Italian horror films and their scores were another influence on the bands latest project.
Goblinon a literal level was a direct influence, Faber says.
Thats where it all started.
Adds Kivlen: Were not of the metal world making this thing thats metal-adjacent.
Thats kind of in the spirit of Argento.
Im an Italian-American making rock horror music with horror-adjacent music videos.
I think theres something cool about it happening.
Its about being scared of something that might not be real, Faber says.
It also tackles the disappointment you feel when you realize your childlike fears are only imaginary.
Its being afraid, but its also when you cant look away from a car crash, Cumming says.
And that also makes me feel cool.
And thats not all.
Kivlen:A lot of hard rock music is so corny.
We were like, You know what?
Stuff thats really heavy can be super cool and just as hipstery as stuff thats ambient or soft.
Somebodys got to make some cool fucking rock music.
Faber:Metal is so serious.
When we do this, this is us being unserious.
Hearing it, Cumming smiles.
Poser doom metal is actually a really awesome label.
Can we still be that?
The Bean world is always moving forward, Cumming says.
Shakecould have been an album, but it isnt.
So what comes next?
Who are we rebelling against next?
Who are we pissing off next, including ourselves?
Well just have to wait and find out.
