Thorn Haven’s Never Present Was Never Meant to Be Easy
Punk Head: You describe Never Present as a very personal record for Steve. At what point did the songs stop feeling like private reflections and start feeling ready to share with strangers?
Thorn Haven: Never. It still feels weird to me, but the way that it was received and how much people appreciated the authenticity and related to the subject matter made it much easier for me.
Punk Head: The word “saudade” carries a sense of longing for something absent, lost, or unreachable. How does that idea run through the album beyond simple nostalgia?
Thorn Haven: Many ways. The subject matter deals with losing friends to their own battles, lost time due to being stuck in survival mode, addiction, and strained relationships that can never be mended. Nostalgia and a sense of loss are strong themes in the album and the reflections that come with that.
Punk Head: Working largely in-house gave you a great deal of creative control. How did that shape the honesty of the record compared to a more traditional studio process?
Thorn Haven: It was everything. There isn’t a moment on the record we wish we could have back. We said everything we wanted to say, and it’s a complete, honest piece of work that we are satisfied with.
Punk Head: The title I’m Gonna Be Sick is impossible to ignore. What made that song the right choice for a music video?
Thorn Haven: We just think it’s a good song. We like the eerie, heavy vibe and subject matter of the song. The music video came out pretty rad as well.
Punk Head: Throughout the album there is a push and pull between wanting connection and feeling isolated from it. Do you see that as the central conflict of Never Present?
Thorn Haven: Kind of, I don’t think this album was longing for connection. It was just an honest account of my experiences in life. Whether it resonated with anybody else besides myself (Steve) wasn’t something I was ever worried about.
Punk Head: If someone discovers Never Present years from now with no context about the band, what do you hope they understand about where Thorn Haven was emotionally and creatively when this record was made?
Thorn Haven: We weren’t a band yet, just a few friends who loved music and had a lot of ideas. We were hungry to get our creative thoughts out there and show the world what we had in mind. Life was moving fast for us, and things weren’t always going great behind the curtains, but we channeled it all into the record and feel like we left the scene with something that will hopefully be remembered for a long time.
