What does emotional heavy metal sound like?
Well, believe it or not, it's kind of folky, but mainly acoustic. It's mostly sad, but strangely fanciful and supremely intense. At least that's how Marivel Luna and Jesse Simms, the duo comprising local outfit, Revizor, describe it.
The pair have been quietly crafting somber, brooding melodies for the better part of seven years, but if you are yet to catch them in the local circuit, you'll have a fine chance to do so tonight when they join The Riveras, Steff Koeppen and the Articles, and Former Friends of Young Americans at Long Wong's in Tempe.
Up on the Sun: How did you guys hook up?
Marivel Luna: Jesse was already playing solo stuff and playing piano for other musicians around downtown Phoenix when a friend of ours introduced us. She knew that I sang and he played guitar, so she thought we would be a good match. We were introduced and we started playing.
What are some of your musical influences?
Luna: Blonde Redhead, Elliott Smith, Grand Daddy, Portishead ... Simms: Anybody sad. Luna: [Laughs] Yeah, we like dramatic music.
What's the driving force behind the band?
Luna: I don't see fortune in the future, but I've been involved with music my whole life. It's just a part of me ... it's kind of like breathing. When I stop playing it's kind of sad. We enjoy being able to share something with everyone, especially something that we're passionate about.
How do you guys describe your sound to strangers?
Luna: [Giggles shyly] We always get really giggly and shy when someone asks us what our music sounds like. It's a loaded question, but I guess it's an intense, acoustic, melodic rock sound. It gets folky at times, but I wouldn't call us a folk group.
Luna: We work together, but Jesse does most of the writing. He's got a way with the words, so I trust in him.
What are your live shows like?
Luna: They are very intimate, but also intense. I guess that comes from the way Jesse plays his guitar and also when I really start to wail. It's definitely more introspective. We hope it forces you to sit down and listen rather than just have it playing in the background.
Do you guys have any new music in the works?
Luna: We have tons of new songs that we've been working on since the Great Equalizer. We're really focusing on trying to find a bass player or a drummer to add so that we can start playing more like a formal band, but we'll hopefully have a new album by next summer.
Revizor plays at 9 p.m. tonight at Long Wong's in Tempe.
