Spite House interview with Max Lajoie (Guitar and Vocals)

Desertion draws inspiration from ‘90s punk greats like Seaweed, Knapsack, or Dear You-era Jawbreaker, and filtering them through a punchy modern lens to create visceral post-hardcore that's sure to inspire stage dives and catharsis in equal measure. "10 Days" follows earlier singles "Stale Change" and "Desert" (which drew attention from Stereogum, BrooklynVegan, and more), and the hard-hitting track and its accompanying delves deeper into the intense themes of Desertion.

Vocalist/guitarist Max Lajoie discussed the song and video, saying:
"'10 Days' about the time I spent by my mom’s side in the hospital after we learned she had cancer. She was gone 10 days after her diagnosis. The song captures what I felt for leaving her behind years earlier, for all the things I couldn’t do, for not being able to stop time. It’s about holding her hand as she passed and feeling like I was both present and absent, both there and not enough. It’s a reflection on how fast everything can unravel, and how love, even when it feels too late, is all we really have to give. The video drifts through an imagined version of the days that kept unfolding while I was gone—painting, cooking, waiting behind a fragile mask. It’s about coming back too late, and trying to say sorry through the fragments of what was left behind."

Desertion explores grief with uncommon vulnerability as Lajoie depicts the immense pain and complicated emotions around the unexpected passings of both his parents. “When I was 17, my dad passed away from suicide,” he says. “Then ten years later my mom called me to tell me she had cancer, and ten days later she passed..Desertion is more about how these tragedies have informed so much of my life–it’s about trying to look them in the eye and reassess them as an adult. I want to move past them but I also want to take some kind of lesson from them.” The stakes feel high with such painful and challenging subject matter, and Desertion holds nothing back musically or lyrically. This is 29 minutes of ultra-urgent music that's sure to leave an impression long after it's over.

I got to sit down with vocalist and guitarist Max Lajoie where we talked about the recording process for the bands album, 'Desertion', getting his thoughts on Deftones new album and what the music scene is like in Quebec, Canada.

With great stories, chats and banter this is not one to be missed.

Avalible on all streaming platforms.

Check out Spite House here: https://www.instagram.com/spitehouseband/?hl=en
Track played: 'Desert', ©️ all rights reserved Spite House

Edited by Richie Duhig of The Metal Cell Podcast.
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