interview: EPEX continues to grow with their very own unique music style
EPEX returns with their sixth EP, Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 2. ‘Can We Surrender?’, the final chapter of their Bipolar album series, which began with EPEX’s debut in 2021. While Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 2. ‘Can We Surrender?’ details the dark and uneasy realities that boys face when they reach the end of their limits, it wraps up the emotions of adolescent anxiety and first love that were narrated through Prelude of Anxiety and Prelude of Love series. In the recent interview with global media outlets, EPEX shares more about the EP and also about the team’s growth.
A-MIN (left), KEUM (right)
"FULL METAL JACKET" is a very hard-hitting, rock-heavy track and it is way different from past EPEX's title tracks. Talk to us about the preparation that EPEX did for this comeback. Are there any artists as a point of inspiration, or for reference when preparing for this particular comeback?
KEUM: I'm confident that all the members have evolved while preparing for this comeback. I believe various aspects such as our performance, mindset, and other artistic elements like visuals have improved. As for the musical direction of the group, we didn't necessarily have a specific role model. Instead, we discussed the idea of becoming someone else's role model rather than setting someone as our own role model.
Could you share with us the most memorable moment from the album preparation process for "Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 2. ‘Can We Surrender?’"?
YEWANG: I still remember the first time I heard the song while we were preparing for this album. The choreography was incredibly intense, and it left us all a bit stunned.
A-MIN: This was the first time we worked with backup dancers for our performance, and the practice sessions with them were a new experience for us. It's a memorable moment for me.
AYDEN (left), MU (right)
"Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 2. ‘Can We Surrender?’" contains four new songs, with all different stories and genres. Which song does each of you feel the most relatable, memorable or meaningful to you personally?
JEFF: I think the most memorable track from this album is the most intense one, the title track, "FULL METAL JACKET".
A-MIN: The track "Hit the Wall" resonates with me the most because everyone encounters their limitations at some point in their lives.
KEUM: Expanding on what A-MIN mentioned, the song "Hit the Wall" discusses the perceived limits we may have, which may not actually be true. This message can provide solace to some and encourage everyone to persevere and continue moving forward.
Your latest album, "Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 2. ‘Can We Surrender?’" sold over 240,000 copies in one week based on the Hanteo Chart data, which is your highest since debut. What are your thoughts on this?
KEUM: By looking at the numbers, it's clear that we've made significant progress and improvement, which fills us with pride. Thanks to our fans and other people who have sent a lot of love to this album, we're able to show our improvements and share our music with even more people.
BAEKSEUNG (left), WISH (right)
We have been hearing a lot of good things about EPEX. From your own point of view, what is your biggest strength or charms, individually and also as a group?
KEUM: Our visuals!
BAEKSEUNG: I personally believe it's the friendly atmosphere we create as a team and the unique music style and performance that only EPEX can deliver.
MU: I'm convinced that the charms we possess as a group are unique to us and cannot be found in any other.
What aspect of your music do you want people to focus on?
YEWANG: Since we infuse our own stories into our music, I hope people pay attention to the song lyrics. Additionally, as artists who create music tailored to our age group, I hope people pay close attention to our singing and dancing style.
To someone that is new to EPEX, what is one song that you recommend them to listen to?
WISH: I recommend the song "SUNSHOWER." It's a track with a pleasing sound and a public appeal, making it a song that sounds great right from the first listen.
AYDEN: I agree with WISH. "SUNSHOWER" is a fantastic song to get to know EPEX for the first time. Then I would love for them to try listening to other songs, and realize that EPEX is capable of many different things.
JEFF (left), YEWANG (right)
Each part of the Bipolar album series showcases different sides of your artistry. Can you talk about the evolution of your music and how it aligns with the main concept of this series?
A-MIN: Throughout the release of six EPs, we explored various genres, allowing us to gain experience across a diverse array of musical styles. This process has helped us clarify the genres we want to delve deeper into in the future.
BAEKSEUNG: Additionally, as we delved into various genres across these EPs, I believe we were able to consolidate all those experiences into this final EP. The title track, "FULL METAL JACKET," is a highly intense song that fuses together all the genres and experiences we encountered in our previous EPs.
WISH: Our individual skills have definitely improved, and I can confidently say that the content of our lyrics has become more detailed and comprehensive. Initially, our lyrics might have been a bit too abstract, but over time, we've sharpened the message we aim to convey through our music, making it clearer.
AYDEN: With the enhancement of our individual skills, we've naturally become more adept at expressing our emotions. Additionally, as all of our songs are enjoyable to listen to, we've also developed better ways to express them.
Is there any EPEX song that you haven't got a chance to perform on stage and would like to perform one day?
BAEKSEUNG: We're currently gearing up for something special. We'll be performing on stage with FANTASTICS to the song "PEPPERMINT YUM" for an event called D.LEAGUE so please stay tuned for that exciting performance!
A-MIN: From our songs, we would love to perform the third track of this album, titled "Hit the Wall." It's an intense song, and we're eager to create choreography and deliver a performance for our fans as soon as possible.
Thank you C9 Entertainment and Helix Publicity for the invitation.
Watch EPEX ‘FULL METAL JACKET’ MV here!
*photos courtesy of C9 Entertainment
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