After the release of the video for ‘Mockstar’- the first track published by the Sardinian band – AJO will release its second single on November 22nd at 06.30 GMT, accompanied by a music video.
The band anticipates that in the new single they aimed to bring together the visual representation of metal music with an unusual location for a video of this musical genre.
This represents the same dualism that is the pivot on which the entire concept of the band revolves: the fusion of two contrasting elements.
The first one is the band’s image, incorporating the use of typical Sardinian masks; the second is their music, reminiscent of what American metal music was between the ’90s and the early 2000s.
Beyond the fusion of these two elements, the band has hinted at incorporating disparate sonic elements, including sounds strongly linked to Sardinian traditions already present in the first single, introducing the Mamuthones’ bells (a traditional Sardinian mask with heavy, noisy bells worn on the back) within their song.
They also announce that forthcoming tracks will feature other characteristic elements, such as the launeddas (a typical Sardinian wind instrument composed of three pipes).
AJO announces that the new video is musically softer compared to what was presented in ‘Mockstar.’
It features a melodious chorus and a drum section that nods towards rock music, all complemented by heavy guitars and the alternation between distorted and clean vocals.
All that’s left is to await the release of the track to give it a listen, support the band in their growth, and help spread the word about their music.
BIO:
AJO is a metal band born in Sardinia, in the province of Medio Campidano, in 2013.
Its main characteristic is the fusion of Sardinian cultural roots with the energy of American metal music from the late ’90s to the early 2000s.
Originating from the idea of a single musician, a combination of grooves, riffs, lyrics, and vocal lines, the project started to take shape in 2015 when a second musician joined. This allowed the two, both multi-instrumentalists (an important factor for the band’s development, as every subsequent musician would share this characteristic), to begin rehearsing songs and recording initial drafts.
In the initial phase, the project didn’t hold a primary role among the musicians’ commitments, nor was there a clear idea of who would fill which role within it.
After years of work in spare time and with an increasing repertoire, the decision was made to give more to the project and not confine it solely to the walls of a rehearsal room and the very friends aware of it.
This marked the need to find the remaining part of the musicians.
After a few lineup changes, the song drafts materialized, turning into finished, real songs.
Thus, in February 2023, the band debuted with the single “Mockstar,” presented through a live video.
In this song, one can hear the fusion of aggressive metal sounds and unique elements of Sardinian culture, such as the Mamuthones’ bells (a traditional Sardinian mask with heavy, noisy bells worn on the back).
In November of the same year, they released the video clip for the track “Borderline.” With this, AJO presents a song with a melodic chorus and drums that almost nod to rock music, all accompanied by heavy guitars and the alternation between distorted and clean vocals.
AJO aims to continue this unique fusion in their upcoming works, announcing their intention to incorporate further traditional Sardinian elements, such as the launeddas (a wind instrument composed of three pipes), into their future productions, seeking to infuse the island’s cultural richness into their musical creations.
The choice of Sardinian masks is due to two elements: the first is the desire to introduce listeners of the band’s music to the island of Sardinia, almost as a way of showing gratitude towards the land they live in.
The second is the idea of not revealing the identities of the musicians in the band, almost as a sign of rebellion, distancing themselves from what has become a necessity in the period we live in: visibility.
The band opposes the idea of individual leadership, protagonism, the desire to do things solely to showcase what one does rather than deriving real pleasure from it, aiming instead to highlight only their music and message.
For the future, the band aims to fully release their repertoire and perform it live wherever they have the opportunity.
Follow AJO:
