Holy War’s latest single “Little Godz” may or may not have been inspired by a bedazzled selfie holding torture device the band had before even writing the song. The song is an alt-rock banger warning us of the darkness behind our social media/selfie generation. With spooky instrumentals over scream-singing and troubling string progressions, “Little Godz” is the perfect jump around your room by yourself song.
The music video features the iconic selfie torture device worn by all members. It is a haunting video filled with dark rooms, static TVs, and fire. Holy War’s is making punk rock into a space for social commentary, giving it a little pop flavor. We can’t wait to be able to see them live again. I got to talk to the band about shooting the music video, their advice to the self-obsessed social media generation and the inspiration behind the song.
Where did the name Holy Wars come from?
I named this project Holy Wars after the loss of my parents in 2015. I took a few years off of music to rebuild my life and heal. During this time off, I would be asked by others how I felt and how I was coping during grief and after the same speech of feeling lost, suicidal, questioning faith and having no idea who I was anymore… I would eventually say “everyday feels like a holy war in me”. This would describe the internal push and pull of my survival. When I started writing music again as a form of healing, it became clear that the name for this body of work, written during a time of grief, would be called Holy Wars.
How did this band come together? Did you know each other before?
We were in a project together for a few years and toured, played Staples Center, had our music licensed to major networks such as Fox and major clothing brands and all that stopped when my parents passed away in 2015. I gave up that band and music entirely to find who I was in the aftermath and 2 years later I would write music again. Holy Wars was born with Nick Perez who was in my former project and by my side through my journey of loss and rebirth.
What was the song writing process for Little Godz like? Where did you pull inspiration from?
I wrote Little Godz as an observer… observer of social media and where our society is headed as well as an observer of my role in it. I got so fed up with this numb scrolling and Youtube influencers acting as Gods to the impressionable that while I was hooked into the machine of it… I needed to say something to wake myself and others up. This becomes more terrifying when the internet and its rapid speed can affect a whole society of political opinion and all for self gain. Little Godz is written like a poetic call to arms to tell us all to wake up and unplug while at the same time, I see my own absorption of it.
The music of Little Godz exudes all the same frustrations in this hard hitting track of hip hop rhythms to accompany rapid fire lyrics and buzzing distorted guitars of pure noise to imitate the noise we make online.
I love the bedazzeled selfie harness in the music video. Where did that idea come from? How was it shooting the music video?
I had this idea in a dream where we lived in a world where everyone was wearing this. It resembled some jeweled horror device like something you would see in the movie SAW. A device that traps you while distracting you with its selfie positioned phones and bedazzled jewels where you are so far deep in it… there is just no escape. I told this idea to my good friend Erin Naifeh (who I collaborate with on many of our music videos and live show visuals) and she created this device adding the jewels to show the juxtaposition of it. I performed in this self choker live once at our headlining show at House of Machines in Los angeles and it got the audience talking a lot so I knew I had to bring this to a more public display. I had this contraption before I wrote Little Godz and perhaps it was partially what inspired our song that I knew instantly this needed to be in the video.
Do you have any advice for the new generations that are growing up in the selfie culture / social media age? And how are you dealing with it?
I often crave for a V for Vendetta moment and just blow up the servers but while I know that will probably never happen.. I fear for our generations to come. I am afraid it is isolating our society and dividing us even more creating more depression and need for social acceptance where every time a like and comment is received, a dopamine hit is given and it’s never enough. My advice would be to do as much self care off screen as possible.. go outside.. make meaningful relationships with people in person and most of all connect with yourself. Discover who you are.. who you really are and find beauty within yourself instead of created by a filter that changes your face and brainwashes you to believe you’re not pretty enough. Be you and don’t be afraid of it. Embrace your complexity of beauty and flaws and most importantly UNPLUG!
How has making music during quarantine been?
I truly enjoy making music in quarantine. I have to admit we have a little bit of an easy path in recording as we built our own home studio so it makes writing / recording music much easier and faster. I do miss going to Sphere Studios (where we recorded Little Godz) and just being in that space with our band but we haven’t let quarantine stop us from creating music and recording.
How would you describe your sound and image? What do you want your listeners to leave feeling after hearing and watching your music?
We are a bit of a blend of genres with our sound always exploring what we want to say and how it should sound per song but truthful, thought provoking lyrics will always be in our music along with distorted guitars and low distorted bass. We expand from Dark Pop to Alt leaning rock with our own spit. We want our fans to leave feeling inspired, empowered, and well…like a badass. I always say exactly what is on my mind and learn from self exploration and so I encourage our fans to not run from themselves but embrace who they are and if there are parts they don’t like.. then acknowledge and heal. When we were playing live shows pre Covid, I’d always hope our fans would leave feeling the rush of energy and catharsis because that is exactly what I would feel on stage connecting with all of them.
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photos / courtesy of artist
story / Vogue Giambri