In this interview, Ashes Reign discusses their blend of classic metal influences with a modern edge, the emotional depth behind their single "My Final Plea," and what fans can expect from their live shows.
1. Ashes
Reign brings a fresh twist to metal with influences from bands like Trivium,
Killswitch Engage, and In Flames. Could you tell us more about how these
influences shaped your sound in My Final Plea?
Killswitch
is one of Ryan’s (bassist) primary influences. As for myself I honestly never
got so much into that era of metalcore specifically until much later after I
had already developed my own sort of sound when it came to writing. I think
what has happened is that a lot of my influences were probably the same
influences as the bands you referred to. Megadeth, Dio, Iron Maiden, Priest
etc. The goal was to lean into those influences while still having a modern
metal sound.
2.
Carrion, you’re both the vocalist and lead guitarist. How does wearing these
two hats influence the songwriting and recording process? Does one role ever
take priority over the other?
After I
became the vocalist the guitar playing started to evolve a lot. I had to first
and foremost write for my voice. I realize now that when I wrote in bands and I
was just the guitarist I never did the vocalist any favors lol. I wouldn’t say
one takes priority over the other but I do spend a lot more time working on
developing my vocals than guitar these days.
3. The
single My Final Plea delves into the intense emotions of trying to salvage a
fading relationship. Could you share a bit about the inspiration behind these
lyrics and why this theme resonates with you?
I bounce
between fictional and autobiographical themes mostly in this band. When I took
over vocals initially I simply had to feel and believe in what I was vocalizing
and the only way to do that was to get personal. I lacked technique and
understanding so what ended up being tracked was simply pure emotional takes.
The only way I can find to do that is to speak from the heart and personal
experiences so that’s what this songs stems from. The words and thoughts
expressed in this song are words and thoughts I’ve had in my life.
4. With
My Final Plea releasing just before your upcoming tour, how do you anticipate
this song connecting with live audiences? Are there any elements you’re
particularly excited to bring to the stage?
We think
it’s going to be a highlight of the shows. It has been very well received and
it is an extremely fun song to play live.
5. Ashes
Reign prides itself on balancing classic metal roots with a modern edge. What
are some of the classic metal qualities you hold onto, and how do you bring a
modern twist to them?
Traditional
metal for me was always guitar driven and given that I was primarily a
guitarist for many of the years before stepping into the vocal role in Ashes I
simply retained that. We will always have more interesting guitar parts coupled
with solos and harmonies. This is why this will always be a 2 guitar band. I
occasionally tap into some traditional clean vocal stylings and falsetto of
classic metal bands but balance that with the more aggressive vocals that are
popular in today’s metal. It’s always fun bouncing around and I enjoy being
able to do what the songs need.
6. Your
music touches on introspection, mythology, and human experiences. Can you share
how you blend these themes into your music and what they represent to you
personally?
I just sort
of do what comes naturally and try not to overthink it much. When we initially
create and refine a song we often have these gut feelings that something is
resonating. We just let that be the guide and if we are digging it we hope
other people will too.
Well -
that’s a hard one. We love modern metal with many bands that are new and
extremely relevant. At the same time we love the classics so when we get into
writing and recording all these influences and inspirations just sort of funnel
out of us. I think we are all pretty proficient with our own instruments in
this band and our identity comes through in our playing. Once you have the
skill down it becomes easier to just let things flow and then all those things
that influence you combine to become this new flavor and your own identity is
just the cherry on top. I wouldn’t say we are out here reinventing anything -
we are just doing what we love and expressing ourselves through it. Because our
identities are so well defined it hopefully comes off as a little more
fresh.
8. The
production on My Final Plea was handled by Chris Dawson, with mastering by Mike
Kalijian. How did their expertise influence the final sound of the track, and
what was the recording experience like working with them?
The team
has been extremely helpful in helping us level up the process. A lot of things
that go into industry standard production are elusive. So it’s great that we
have been mentored through the process. We have definitely gained a lot of
knowledge throughout the process and we feel that all the work the team has
done is surely the best sounding product we have ever had thus far. The demos
up into production actually had an entirely different bridge section as well as
chorus so I’d say it was a pretty big shift that ended up making the song the
best it could be.
9.
You’re set to perform at the LAUNCH Dallas Music Conference, where you’ll open
for Jeris Johnson. What are you most looking forward to about this experience,
and how do you think it will impact the band’s journey?
I’ve known
of Jeris for quite a while. I heard him do an interview years ago with Eyal
Levi on The Unstoppable Recording Machine. I really enjoyed listening to him
and hearing about his love of rock and metal. Listening to his stuff he has
really mastered authentically melding the genre with pop sensibilities and
making really catching songs. It will be really cool to open a show for an
artist that I respect. It must have been a couple of years ago now that I
listened to that podcast and I never thought at that time that my band would
ever have such an opportunity.
10.
Metal and hard rock have always been powerful avenues for expressing raw
emotions. How do you think My Final Plea fits within this tradition, and what
message do you hope listeners take away from the song?
Metal has
always been a place where the misunderstood or struggling could find a sense of
community. Nothing is more metal to me than being brutally honest and putting
my own struggles and failures under the microscope.
The song is
pretty straight forward contextually. Sometimes we are fighting to stay in
relationships that are not making sense. The bad days far outweigh the good but
the hope that we could get things back to good keeps us holding on. I’m not
saying it’s right or wrong but it is something I think a lot, if not most,
people have had to endure. I hope they find some comfort with this track just
knowing they aren’t alone.
11.
Finally, as you head out on tour, what can fans expect from an Ashes Reign live
show, and are there any surprises in store for the My Final Plea performances?
Ryan and I
have a really fantastic touring band at this point with John Soden on drums and
Fernando Landaverde stepping into guitar duties. These guys are from all over
the country now but when we come together we have something special happening
and I think anyone who comes out to a show will see and feel that.
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