How has the response to the Juggernaut albums been?
It’s been going really well. That’s something that’s really cool for us because when we’re writing records, we’re not writing for other people or thinking “What’s this person going to like? We should write for this type of audience.” We normally just write for ourselves and the response to the record has been awesome so we’re just going to keep doing that.
Why did you do it as a double album? What was the inspiration behind that?
Well first off, with how much music it is, it won’t fit onto one disc so we had to split them up. Aside from that, everything on the record is based on this story, this whole narrative that happens throughout the record.
So it’s like a concept album?
It’s a concept album through and through. On both records, it’s like one half and the other half. They both go together. We didn’t want to sell it short in any way. We could have chopped pieces here and there to make it fit, but we didn’t want to sell any of our artistic side short.
What exactly is a Juggernaut? I don’t even know what that is.
I think it just means something massive or big.
I probably could have Googled it, but you know. [Laughs] I saw y'all back in 2010 or 2011 with Deftones. I don’t even remember what city it was, I went to so many shows that year!
That was a fun tour.
Whichever tour that was… Mobile, that’s where it was! I wanted to come see you in Birmingham a few weeks ago, but it was finals week and I couldn’t get there.
Aw, that’s a bummer. Are you going to get to see us play today?
Yes! I usually try to shoot all the bands I interview.
Awesome. I’ll be wearing a pink kitten shirt on stage today so make sure you get some good shots of that!
That’s so cool! I started the first part about the tour with Deftones to ask how have you evolved as musicians and how has your sound evolved since then, if it’s evolved at all?
It has, but it’s been like a subconscious thing. It’s a thing where we set out a goal to make every record that we write sound a little bit different. Not in any certain style, it’s just like “let’s do something different this time!” We kinda just go with it, it’s not like we’re thinking about it too much, but I think there is a clear evolution between every record for sure.
I’m going to show my ignorance for a second, but what’s the name of the album with the red and black cover?
Periphery II? Is that the one?
I think so. I have that album in my car.
Yeah, that was more of a like a songwritey, like every song has its own kinda thing record. On Juggernaut, it’s like every song is working together.
I love albums like that. Some of the best albums are concept albums. So in your mind, what do you think makes you stand out as a band?
I think it’s the clear progressive aspect that we have as a band. We can write catchy songs that I guess could be played on the radio, but at the same time-
“Alpha” is pretty damn catchy! I’m not even going to lie.
It’s a catchy track, but what a lot of people don’t realize is in that song, the time signature is like in ⅞ mostly. I can’t remember the last time a song that was in ⅞ was played on the radio. It was probably like a Led Zeppelin song or something.
What do you think about the current state of music?
I think, like how I was talking about earlier that we write for ourselves, I think more people should do that. I think that’s the way it used to be in the 70s, 80’s, and the early 90’s, ya know? A lot of the biggest artists of all time, that’s how they wrote. I feel like a lot of people nowadays are putting themselves into this cookie cutter mold and writing music for other people to get ahead or make more money and things like that. I think it’s tasteless to be honest. It’s art, so it should be treated as art.
Is there anything else you wanna add?
For anyone that hasn’t picked up our Juggernaut double disc record yet, go pick it up!
Why did you do it as a double album? What was the inspiration behind that?
Well first off, with how much music it is, it won’t fit onto one disc so we had to split them up. Aside from that, everything on the record is based on this story, this whole narrative that happens throughout the record.
So it’s like a concept album?
It’s a concept album through and through. On both records, it’s like one half and the other half. They both go together. We didn’t want to sell it short in any way. We could have chopped pieces here and there to make it fit, but we didn’t want to sell any of our artistic side short.
What exactly is a Juggernaut? I don’t even know what that is.
I think it just means something massive or big.
I probably could have Googled it, but you know. [Laughs] I saw y'all back in 2010 or 2011 with Deftones. I don’t even remember what city it was, I went to so many shows that year!
That was a fun tour.
Whichever tour that was… Mobile, that’s where it was! I wanted to come see you in Birmingham a few weeks ago, but it was finals week and I couldn’t get there.
Aw, that’s a bummer. Are you going to get to see us play today?
Yes! I usually try to shoot all the bands I interview.
Awesome. I’ll be wearing a pink kitten shirt on stage today so make sure you get some good shots of that!
That’s so cool! I started the first part about the tour with Deftones to ask how have you evolved as musicians and how has your sound evolved since then, if it’s evolved at all?
It has, but it’s been like a subconscious thing. It’s a thing where we set out a goal to make every record that we write sound a little bit different. Not in any certain style, it’s just like “let’s do something different this time!” We kinda just go with it, it’s not like we’re thinking about it too much, but I think there is a clear evolution between every record for sure.
I’m going to show my ignorance for a second, but what’s the name of the album with the red and black cover?
Periphery II? Is that the one?
I think so. I have that album in my car.
Yeah, that was more of a like a songwritey, like every song has its own kinda thing record. On Juggernaut, it’s like every song is working together.
I love albums like that. Some of the best albums are concept albums. So in your mind, what do you think makes you stand out as a band?
I think it’s the clear progressive aspect that we have as a band. We can write catchy songs that I guess could be played on the radio, but at the same time-
“Alpha” is pretty damn catchy! I’m not even going to lie.
It’s a catchy track, but what a lot of people don’t realize is in that song, the time signature is like in ⅞ mostly. I can’t remember the last time a song that was in ⅞ was played on the radio. It was probably like a Led Zeppelin song or something.
What do you think about the current state of music?
I think, like how I was talking about earlier that we write for ourselves, I think more people should do that. I think that’s the way it used to be in the 70s, 80’s, and the early 90’s, ya know? A lot of the biggest artists of all time, that’s how they wrote. I feel like a lot of people nowadays are putting themselves into this cookie cutter mold and writing music for other people to get ahead or make more money and things like that. I think it’s tasteless to be honest. It’s art, so it should be treated as art.
Is there anything else you wanna add?
For anyone that hasn’t picked up our Juggernaut double disc record yet, go pick it up!
