From the midst of the Midwest comes the four-piece band, Aviatik. However, this isn’t just your average rock back from some basement in Ohio. The Akron natives have created a deeply layered, well thought out, and vibrantly narrated story out of their recently released full-length, Reconstruction/Deconstruction.
The conceptual album tells the story of “The Pilot” a young man living through a totalitarian regime. Revolution ensues, with this young man unwillingly made its leader, and Reconstruction/Deconstruction tells the tale of his plight. Detailing the effects of corruption and the complications within relationships, Aviatik blow many fellow local bands out of the water with the meticulous detail put into this albums story.
For a project so heavily focused on an epic tale, the music of Aviatik is surprisingly light, managing to come across as hooky as the next band, doing double duty as a serious project and an album you can rock out to.
Dual vocals lend themselves to some great harmonies, which, when paired with the chugging bass and gritty riffs of the band, creates a sound not too far off from noted inspirations such as The Dear Hunter and Muse.
Slower tracks like “Back of My Hand” implement sonorous strings and melodic piano, while the latter half of the dual-disc album offers a number of acoustic alternatives to the heavier numbers played earlier. Its in these acoustic versions that we find the slight whine of Aviatik’s front man more well suited, coming across in the same vein as pop-punk bands of the early 2000’s. When this voice is paired with the heavier style of some of the tracks from Reconstruction/Deconstruction however, it can feel a little flat lined; not really contributing to the epic builds of the
music, but more or less just resting upon it. Nonetheless, Aviatik is a band that will certainly appeal to a certain kind of music fan, and most likely will manage to pull in some crossover fans from the world of pop-punk with its stripped down songs.
Michael Watson, Alex Herman, Kevin Gerity, and Michael Hausknect were kind enough to answer some questions for use via email, talking shop about the album, what the band has been up to, and what some of their biggest influences are.
Reviewsic: Can you give us a quick recap of what the band has been up to as of late?
Aviatik: We’ve been very busy over the past few months – we’re just finishing up a 7-state tour in support of this new album, which has taken us to so many places that we’ve never been before – we’ve had the opportunity to meet so many awesome people out on the road! We’re also getting ready to shoot our first music video, for the song “Hail, Hail (The Bride’s In Jail)” early next month, and our summer regional tour schedule is filling up quickly!
Reviewsic: If you could book a tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Michael: Thrice – they’re such genuine musicians, put on a great live show, and have been a great inspiration to me.
Kevin: Mr. Bungle – Because experimental funk metal is awesome.
Louis: Type O. Negative. Just because.
Reviewsic: What are your top three musical influences?
Aviatik: Muse, The Dear Hunter, The Who
Reviewsic: Is there any instrument you don’t play, but wish you did?
Aviatik: Collective answer: Didgeridoo!
Reviewsic: What are the last albums or bands you listened to?
Alex: Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon
Kevin: Technotronic – Pump Up the Jam
Louis: Jay-Z – The Blue Print 3
Michael: 28 Days Later Original Soundtrack
Reviewsic: If you could work with one person in the music industry (musician, label, producer etc), who would it be and why?
Aviatik: Butch Vig. He’s worked on so many great projects – Nevermind by Nirvana, Siamese Dream by the Smashing Pumpkins. He just recently produced the new Against Me album, and we would love to have the opportunity to work with him!
Reviewsic: Who was the first band/musician you saw live?
Alex: Pantera & Anthrax
Kevin: Incubus
Louis: Kiss
Michael: Brian Setzer Orchestra
Reviewsic: Who are three of your favorite local bands?
Aviatik: Dreamada, Dear Holden, Maid Myriad
Reviewsic: What’s the backstory on how the band came to be what it is today?
Aviatik: The band originally started in May 2003, in the wake of the break up of Michael McFarland’s old band, Sneakthief. The next 2 years were a long succession of lineup changes (including 7 bassists!) before Alex Herman & his childhood friend Louis Hausknecht joined the group. The band gained and lost a few members during the next several years as they built a strong local following, but the group really solidified in February of 2009 when they added Kevin Gerity on lead guitar and backing vocals. Since then, it’s been a whirlwind – releasing a dual-disc album, opening for acts like Powerman 5000, Madina Lake & Stroke 9, and finally breaking out of the North East Ohio music scene for a 7-state tour!
Reviewsic: Tell us about Reconstruction/Deconstruction- is there a particular concept behind it? What was the process of making the album like?
Aviatik: The album tells the story of The Pilot, a young man living in an early 20th-century totalitarian regime ruled over by a fascist group knows as the Truthseekers. His disenfranchisement becomes the catalyst for a revolution, of which he is the unwilling figurehead. Though the revolution is successful, The Pilot’s best friend – the behind-the-scenes driving force of the uprising – has him assassinated in order to seize the reigns of power, and the cycle of corruption begins anew. The downfall of these lofty ideals is witnessed by a young boy, who vows to continue the fight for freedom. 
Reviewsic: How would you compare yourselves as musicians with this release as opposed to when you first began playing together?
Aviatik: The studio really helped focus us and bring us together as a group – it pointed out our strengths and weaknesses, and we really grew through the whole process. Our goal was to create an album that we’d be able to do justice to live, and we’re proud of the fact that we can.
Reviewsic: What are some of your favorite cities/venues to play?
Aviatik: The I-Rock Nightclub in Detroit is a pretty awesome place (anywhere with a signed Corey Feldman guitar is automatically badass!) We’ve also had a blast playing in New Castle, PA – they throw these rock shows in an abandoned schoolhouse, which are always sweet.
Reviewsic: What are the best and worst band moments so far in your career?
Aviatik: One of the best moments we’ve had was right when we started this tour – the first date was at a place called Porter’s Tap in Hammond, Indiana, just over the border from Chicago – a little hole in the wall with no actual stage (we were playing in the corner of the room!) but the place was packed and everyone there was incredible – especially Geri, who runs the place! The worst moment was probably one of our first out-of-town shows, at Howard’s in Bowling Green, Ohio – it just happened to fall on the night of one of the biggest blizzards Ohio’s seen in years! What should have been a 2 hour trip took us about 4 & 1/2 hours of white-knuckle driving. We were run off the road multiple times, passed tons of flipped semis (including one car-carrier which had strewn new cars all over the road!
Reviewsic: Individually, how did you get your starts in music?
Alex: My parents made me take piano lessons when I was younger. I didn’t do very well with that. I got my first bass in 8th grade, and Louis & I played a talent show with our friends Steven & Scott. Louis: I started taking guitar lessons in the 4th grade, started playing drums in the school band the next year. I played in a little band with Alex for a while, and didn’t do anything serious after that until I joined Aviatik. Kevin: I also had a piano lesson experience, I only had 2 lessons and the teacher tried teaching me these weird indian songs. My next musical experience was when I tried playing trombone in the 5th grade, but I sucked at that – I couldn’t blow hard enough. The following year, I started playing guitar, and after a month I realized playing guitar was awesome – it’s been jazzy ever since.
Michael: I started taking piano lessons at age 6, and had 12 years of classical training – I actually never listened to rock music until I was about 15, when my sister played me Bad Religion & the Police & changed my life.
Reviewsic: What are three words you’d use to describe your music to someone who’s never heard it?
Aviatik: Guerrilla Progressive Alternative
Reviewsic: What are your plans for your music in the next year?
Aviatik: Our main planning is to keep doing what we’re doing – playing in new towns, meeting new people, and spreading our music across the country!
Tags: Album Review, Interview, Local Music, New Release, Tour, Upcoming Shows
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