Interview The Boundless

The Boundless is back with their latest single, "As Angels Fly." In this exclusive interview, we delve into the emotions and inspirations behind the track, the creative process, and what’s next for the project.

1. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest single, "As Angels Fly"? What emotions and experiences does it convey?

The song came to me at random, almost. I was feeling melancholic, doodling in the E major scale, and the progression sort of came to me. I knew from the get-go I wanted it to be powerful, I wanted it to soar, it had that something that I knew needed to reach a higher plateau. I think I accomplished it. The way I see the song, the overall structure is supposed to be a dying person's POV, rising to the skies, the final heartbeats. My solos are the grief and heartache you feel when losing someone dear. I poured a lot of my own feelings into those solo sections; since I'm not a singer, I need my voice to be heard somehow.
2. As a solo project, you handle all the instruments and programming yourself. How do you approach creating a song from start to finish?

It usually starts with a random idea. A riff that I liked while I was jamming, a beat. It kind of takes form from there, and as the song evolves I start experimenting. Maybe a synth here, a solo there, a harmony section there, a breakdown. There are exceptions to the rule, though. The first single, Hate Machine, that was one of the songs I knew how I wanted to sound from start to finish. And I had a song in my last project, Short Term Silence, called Fear. That one came to me in a dream and when I woke up, I got to laying it down.
3. You’ve mentioned a wide range of influences, from Marty Friedman to Hans Zimmer. How do these influences manifest in your music?

I try to take a bit from every influence I have, but Marty, I'd say, is the guy who influences me the most. Listen to his solo records, they rock! He's got a way of conveying words with just his guitar that I can only hope to achieve on my own. For this song, listen to the "heavy" part. There are strings under the guitars, sort of to give it this epic feeling. That part's influenced by the film composers like Elfman or Zimmer, though I'm nowhere near as smart as them!

4. How did the disbanding of your previous project shape the music you're making now with The Boundless?

Well, I was angry. My buddy had left me to pursue other musical ventures that didn't really include me, and I was angry at that. Hate Machine's a product of that hate, if I gotta be honest with you. But it was also the motivator I needed. I'm thinking, he's making moves, why shouldn't I? Because I can't sing? And yeah, I took my time grieving, but then I started writing music. Used some STS rejects and reformed them into something else, created new songs inspired by an ever-expanding musical taste, and here I am. I can't tell you exactly when, but I can confidently tell you that right now, The Boundless is a product of sheer love for the art. I've thrown my negative feelings into the music I've already put out, and all is well.

5. What challenges did you face during the production of your music, especially being a one-person project?

So many. You don't have someone to criticize you, to veto ideas or suggest things. You're the main man, and you have to become two different people: the artist and the critic. Somebody said that art is never finished, and the same applies to the plethora of songs I've yet to release. I always want to add that little extra, add more belts and whistles. And since I don't work on a schedule, songs get delayed because I'm never satisfied. Hate Machine was supposed to be released way earlier had it not been for my need to push it a little further!
6. Your discography was deleted at one point. How did you handle that situation, and what impact did it have on you?

At the time it was gut-wrenching. Imagine checking up on your work only to realize it completely disappeared. If not for the fact I was royally pissed off when that happened, I almost called it quits. But thankfully, my distributor's support center restored the songs and nothing was permanently lost. I can laugh at it now, but at the time it was painful.
7. You mentioned that self-criticism is important. How do you balance self-criticism with maintaining confidence in your work?

It's a fine line to walk, that's for sure. When a take is no good, I'm able to spot it, maybe not right away but I can hear it eventually and I have to redo it. There's a whole song that I thought was going to be a banger, and after some time away from it and relistening to it next to the ones I've already released, I realized it wasn't good at all and started it over from scratch. Essentially, the music I put out gets released because my inner critic likes it. People may think it's the biggest piece of garbage to ever be put out, but to me it's perfect. A song is not complete until I can confidently say "yeah, this is the one".
8. How has the process of creating and releasing music during the pandemic influenced your creative output?

The pandemic was rough. In 2020, I was still in Short Term Silence, plus I was in a cover band. The Boundless didn't exist then, but I learned a lot about writing music during that time. When you write an album with someone and your only means of communication is through chat, and you can make it good enough to put out for the world to hear, I think you learn everything you can ever learn about music writing. And then having to work on my own, it really gave me the chance to take those experiences and really apply them unto myself. Think about it this way: I talk to myself a lot when I'm writing music. I love to argue with myself!

9. Can you describe the role of Julian Tcach in the production of your music? How did his mixing and mastering contribute to the final sound?

You can hear it for yourself. Julian is a Godsend, I gotta be honest with you. I ran across him by mere chance, he posted on a Facebook group that he did mixing and mastering work, and I shot him a message. He's the one mixing and mastering all my songs, and I'm extremely happy with the amazing sound he gets out of my unpolished tracks. Maybe I'll publish the rough mixes one day, just so you can hear the way he elevated my songs. He's awesome.
10. What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from "As Angels Fly"?

If anything, I want the listeners to think of the person they've lost. A grandparent, a mother, a father, maybe a sibling or even a pet, and to remember them fondly. Yes, this song is definitely a tear-jerker, but I want people to relate it to their own angels in the sky and think that things will be okay, that those people are in peace, and they love us. Their memories will never die as long as we keep them with us. Our angels are flying in the sky, and it's up to us to carry on with their legacies.
11. If you could collaborate with any of your musical influences, who would it be and why?

Marty. It's my ultimate dream. The Boundless x Marty Friedman! Imagine! But I would also love to feature John Cooper of Skillet on a song if given the chance. He's got a killer voice. Give me a chance, John!
12. What’s next for The Boundless? Do you have any upcoming projects or plans you'd like to share with your fans?

There's a new single coming up! I like to think of it as the emo brother of Angels, it's very gothic, and pretty heavy too if I do say so myself. After that, I gotta release the album, right? Plus I'm planning on recording some more playthroughs, maybe having a photoshoot... and if the universe wills it, maybe The Boundless will get signed somewhere! That would be great. For now, stay tuned for the next single!