{"id":97662,"date":"2024-11-27T14:00:07","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T14:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/?p=97662"},"modified":"2024-11-26T20:44:54","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T20:44:54","slug":"fives-5-reasons-to-care-about-accessibility-in-live-music-by-mallavora","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/fives-5-reasons-to-care-about-accessibility-in-live-music-by-mallavora\/","title":{"rendered":"Fives: 5 Reasons to Care About Accessibility in Live Music by Mallavora"},"content":{"rendered":"

More often than not, personal struggles can lead to art being created, which can then connect with people. Bristol quartet Mallavora<\/strong>, has used their music to pour out their frustrations living with chronic illness and disabilities, as well as against the lack of accessible support in the live music sector. It’s a topic close to the band with vocalist Jessica Douek being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and guitarist Larry Sobieraj having a chronic illness (chronic fatigue and brain fog from long COVID). Along with bassist Ellis James and drummer Jack Pedersen, they’ve become advocates for improved accessibility.<\/p>\n

Having released a smattering of EPs and singles independently, Mallavora<\/strong>‘s status has risen over the past 18 months. From a brief impressionable outing at 2023’s\u00a0<\/a>2000Trees Festival<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>to joining\u00a0Marshall Records<\/strong> after winning Kerrang! Radio’s ‘The Deal’<\/em> competition earlier this year, to releasing their new EP –\u00a0‘Echoes’<\/em>. Produced by\u00a0Skindred<\/strong> guitarist Mikey Demus and mixed by Lewis Johns (Rolo Tomassi, Pupil Slicer, Palm Reader), Mallavora<\/strong>‘s label debut is a sharp 15-minute blast of alt-metal riddled with therapeutic lyricism.<\/p>\n

Douek’s soulful melodies wrap themselves around visceral and thunderous blasts on ‘It’s Not Enough’<\/em>. <\/em>Jessica’s\u00a0Jewish Middle Eastern background hypnotically works its way in during ‘Skin’<\/em>s verses, as her bandmates deliver a stomping metalcore groove, building to a compelling wall of noise. Likewise ‘Vultures’<\/em> arrives with menacing intentions, proving to be a buzzsaw of pure societal angst against being labelled as “different”. The title track gracefully highlights Mallavora<\/strong>‘s melodic side, allowing Douek’s emotional outpouring to take centre stage. As a snapshot of what Mallavora<\/strong> are capable of,\u00a0‘Echoes’<\/em> is the sound of a band to get excited about. More importantly, is the message that Mallavora<\/strong> deliver.\u00a0‘Echoes”<\/em> four songs cover personal topics of alienation, struggle, identity, purpose, and neurodiversity. However as ‘Skin’s <\/em>lyrics suggest (“I am not Broken”<\/em>), this Bristolian four-piece thrives on perseverance.<\/p>\n

In this edition of\u00a0“Fives”<\/em>, Mallavora<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>discuss the importance of access for disabled people within the UK’s live music scene. When you strip it all back,\u00a0Mallavora<\/strong>‘s mission is to make music accessible for all, just as it should be.<\/p>\n