Sheffield Music: Modern Error to appear at Sheffield's The Foundry in December

For twin brothers and creative foils Zak and Kel Pinchin, the understanding of polarity is a lifetime in the making, on their band Modern Error’s debut album ‘Victim Of A Modern Age’ it is both a powerful provocation and the heart of a central question about the way in which we live our lives. But what is this ‘polarity’ that they speak of?

They describe it as “a truth that is universally acknowledged: life is about balance. The duality of light and shade; the interior and the exterior; the social and the personal. Thesis, anthesis and, perhaps, eventual synthesis”.

“We’ve always had this idea about Modern Error, this desire to make a statement through the band about how we view the state of the world,” says the vocalist Zak.

To that end ‘… Modern Age’ is a profoundly conceptual record, one divided into mirroring halves; each executed with an ambition and precision that so often eludes bands many albums deep into their careers, let alone those producing their first significant body of work.

In its first act, the 14 track LP is almost dizzying in scope. The soaring choruses of songs like ‘Error Of The World’ and ‘A Vital Sign’ vibrate with lush, widescreen power – though never at the expense of intriguingly picked melodic choices or bone-rattling guitar breaks. These are songs unabashedly designed to fill the biggest rooms one could possibly imagine.

“It’s very emotionally led in the first half,” explains Zak. “There’s a saying we have,” continues multi-instrumentalist Kel; “If you’ve got an idea, roll with it straight away. Why wait and say ‘This could be good for album two or three’. What’s the point? Let’s do it now!”

The twin brothers speak about the project and what they intended to bring aurally with many references to existentialism, effects of the digital age and it’s destructive elements, all underscored by a kaleidoscope of synthesizers, industrial drums and distorted vocals. Influences for this project range from the likes of Depeche Mode and Boy Harsher to Drab Majesty. This is not your a-typical guitar-led project.

“To be frank, I’m bored of just a guitar, bass and drum kit!” laughs Kel. “A lot of people seem to think that’s all you can do! But there’s a whole world of sound out there to harness. Why would you restrict yourself? There’s so many examples of records that give you the one thing that band does and do the same thing 10 times, we never wanted to do that.”

It’s clear they want to do something different, deliver a totally otherworld experience, one that looks at current society, worldwide political affairs and the very threat of a nuclear age. Very deep stuff… and if the reflections on life within a gilded cage, Web 2.0, social media separatism and existential modern-day dilemmas, intrigue you… well, this could very well be a band you should see.

Modern Error will be performing at The Foundry Sheffield on Sunday, December 12, 2021. You can get tickets here.

Their debut Album ‘Victim Of A Modern Age’ will be released on January 21, 2022.