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Interview with Tony - Defects

Interview With Tony Of Defects

Tony - Defects

September 11, 2026

There are plenty of ways to introduce Defects. You could talk about the riffs, the breakdowns, the huge choruses, the relentless energy or the growing momentum surrounding a band who have spent years carving out their own identity. You could talk about Artificial Icons, an album that takes everything Defects have built towards and pushes it further but perhaps the most revealing way to understand Defects is to forget the music for a moment and look at the people behind it. Because beneath the noise, there is something remarkably human at the heart of this band. For Tony, music has never simply been about writing something heavy and stepping onto a stage. It has been a way of confronting things that might otherwise have remained buried, loss, anger, isolation, responsibility, friendship and the realities of growing up. That honesty runs through Artificial Icons, an album Tony describes as carrying a genuine sense of suffering from the period in which it was written. Even when the subject matter changes, there is a weight that remains, tying the record together in ways that go far beyond the individual songs. And yet, for all the darkness that exists within those songs, there is also an unmistakable sense of growth. Tony speaks openly about learning to become a frontman, learning to communicate, learning to stop worrying about what other people think and perhaps most importantly, learning how to keep going when the easier option would have been to walk away. His definition of Defects reflects that perfectly, not a product but a lifestyle, not simply a collection of musicians but a friendship and a shared refusal to stop fighting for something they believe in. That makes Artificial Icons an interesting record to discuss because behind every polished chorus and carefully constructed arrangement sits a story about how the band arrived there. Songs were rewritten, abandoned, resurrected and questioned. Some ideas were deemed too safe, others simply didn’t belong, while tracks such as State of Mind underwent transformations that could have completely changed their final identity. There are stories about Matt Heafy appearing on Signs. There are stories about songs that nearly sounded completely different. There are even stories about arguments over Vocalzone. But perhaps the most important part of this conversation comes right at the end. When asked what he wishes someone would ask him that nobody ever has, Tony doesn’t choose another question about the album, success, songwriting or the future of Defects. He simply says: “Are you okay?” It is a deceptively simple question but after listening to everything that came before it, it feels like the perfect place to begin. We sat down with Tony to talk about Artificial Icons, the realities behind the lyrics, the evolution of Defects, the lessons learned along the way and what it really means to keep going when you’ve already been through more than you ever expected. Q) IF YOU COULD COMPLETELY FORGET EVERYTHING ABOUT MAKING ARTIFICIAL ICONS AND HEAR IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD SURPRISE YOU MOST ABOUT THE ALBUM? A) I think what would surprise me most is how open and directly raw it is. There’s a real sense of suffering on that record because of the time period it was written in. A lot had happened, and you can feel the weight of that outside of what the tracks are actually about. There’s just this weight across the album. And then there are the melodies. They just get stuck in my head. I’m sure if I was hearing it for the first time, I’d have one or two of them going around in my head for ages. Q) THE TITLE ARTIFICIAL ICONS FEELS LIKE IT COULD HAVE QUITE A FEW MEANINGS. WHAT DOES AN “ARTIFICIAL ICON” MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY? A) Artificial Icons basically means that all leaders and all icons are made up. Follow who you choose deserves to be a leader. Follow who you choose deserves to be an icon. Stop following people blindly based on fame, money and power, because you’ll find that most of those people don’t mean shit. Q) WAS THERE A MOMENT DURING THE MAKING OF THIS ALBUM WHERE YOU GENUINELY THOUGHT, “FUCK, I THINK WE’VE MADE SOMETHING SPECIAL HERE”? A) Yeah, for sure. Right from the beginning. We were writing this album back in 2022, and we already had demos. I had Signs halfway done back in 2021. Where Did I Go Wrong? and Artificial Icons, the self-titled track, were very, very special moments. State of Mind as well when we had the chorus of that song, it really felt special. It felt like a step up from Modern Error. It felt like a more refined take on what we’d done before, and we left no stone unturned. Q) WHICH SONG ON ARTIFICIAL ICONS TOOK THE BIGGEST JOURNEY FROM ITS ORIGINAL IDEA TO THE FINISHED VERSION? A) I’d have to say State of Mind, based on the fact that the whole song was rewritten three times from the ground up. We had a heavy version with twin guitars doing this polyrhythmic 4/4 over 3/4 feel, which sounded a little bit like Periphery. It had a different melody, screaming in the verses, and it was originally going to have a feature from somebody else who wasn’t Matt Heafy. It also had three completely different choruses. Then, towards the end of the writing process, when we made the softer version, we decided it was best to go back to the original chorus. I think we got so caught up in what a good song needed to be that we started second-guessing ourselves. Q) IS THERE A SONG ON THE ALBUM THAT YOU THINK PEOPLE MIGHT COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTAND WHEN THEY FIRST HEAR IT? A) Maybe people might misunderstand Afterglow because of the reasoning behind the topic of suicide. When I was younger, I used to say that people who did those kinds of acts were cowardly. I still don’t think it’s right now, but growing up and facing the realities I’ve had to face, I understand it in a way that I didn’t before. I understand how people can get there, and I can understand why somebody might not want to keep reliving a nightmare if that’s what their life feels like in that moment. Afterglow is almost like a direct conversation from that person. It’s about acceptance and understanding that sometimes you may not be able to help. Like I said, it’s not that I agree with it, but as you get older and go through your own realities and challenges, it becomes relatable and understandable. Q) IF YOU HAD TO REMOVE EVERY SONG FROM THE ALBUM EXCEPT ONE AND USE THAT TRACK TO EXPLAIN WHAT DEFECTS ARE ABOUT, WHICH ONE SURVIVES? A) That’s a very hard question, but I’d have to say Where Did I Go Wrong? because I think the problem is that I care too much. Defects is about embracing your imperfections and being there for each other. Defects isn’t a product. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a friendship. And that song was about losing a friend that I really cared about. 7. WHAT’S THE MOST BRUTALLY HONEST THING YOU’VE EVER WRITTEN INTO A DEFECTS SONG? A) I think Gone to Waste and Afterglow. They’re both at the end of the albums, and they both touch on being in a place of no return. Echo Chamber as well, because that talks about growing up in care and the harsh realities I had to face. I’ve always been honest on the lyric page, so yeah. Q) HAS WRITING MUSIC EVER MADE YOU CONFRONT SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT YOU PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO AVOID? A) I think writing music made me confront the fact that, when I was younger, I tried to avoid socialising and being confident. When I started doing music and became a vocalist and guitar player, I had to face that head-on. I had to learn stage presence, learn how to talk to people and also learn how not to care what people thought of me. Those were some of the biggest challenges for me growing up. Q) WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT DEFECTS YOU THINK PEOPLE WHO ONLY KNOW THE MUSIC DON’T ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE BAND? A) I think what people who only know the music might not understand is how much of it comes from real-life situations. Defects is quite a mature, aware band in terms of the world around us and what we’re writing about. We’re not just a band making music. Defects is a lifestyle, and we’re fighting to exist and make something of ourselves just like everybody else. Q) DO YOU THINK THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TONY WRITING A SONG AND DEFECTS WRITING A SONG? IF SO, WHERE DOES THAT DIFFERENCE HAPPEN? A) Yeah, I think there is a difference between Tony writing a song and Defects writing a song. Especially before, instrumentally, the band might naturally drift towards whatever sounded good and heavy, and then I’d apply the raw vocal and lyrical side depending on whatever situation I was going through at the time. That could completely change the dynamic of the song. Where Did I Go Wrong? is a good example. Without the lyricism and the heaviness I applied vocally, I think you could listen to the instrumental and hear it as a much more mysterious-sounding song. What I bring lyrically can completely change the emotional direction of what the band has written. Q) YOU’VE OBVIOUSLY SPENT A HUGE AMOUNT OF TIME AROUND THESE SONGS. IS THERE ONE MOMENT ON ARTIFICIAL ICONS THAT YOU STILL GET EXCITED ABOUT EVERY TIME YOU HEAR IT? A) Definitely Signs with Matt Heafy. That was insane for us. We never expected one of our idols to end up on one of our tracks, let alone support us in the way that Matt has. Even now, hearing that intro still gets me pumped because I remember how massive that moment felt for us. Q) WAS THERE ANYTHING YOU DELIBERATELY LEFT OFF THIS ALBUM BECAUSE IT FELT TOO SAFE, TOO PREDICTABLE, OR SIMPLY NOT LIKE WHERE DEFECTS SHOULD BE GOING? A) Yeah, there were quite a few tracks that got left behind. We wrote a whole bundle of songs for this album. There was one track that had a much thrashier sound, but it just didn’t sit right on the album. There was pushback from both sides about it, but in my opinion we were trying too hard to make it work when it simply wasn’t working. There were other tracks that leaned a little too far into nu metal, or just didn’t have the right balance for what we wanted the record to be. At the same time, other songs were getting finished much faster and everyone was responding to them more naturally, so those became the priority and the others went on the back burner. Funny enough, something similar happened with Signs. It was originally being pushed for Modern Error back in 2021, and I’m glad it didn’t happen then, because otherwise Matt Heafy probably wouldn’t have ended up on the track. Q) WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION YOU’VE HAD ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN A SUCCESSFUL BAND? A) I think the biggest misconception is that success is all about the people you know. You might know certain people in the industry, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have your band’s best interests at heart. If you genuinely want to make it, you need to become the biggest and best version of yourself and then apply that to your band. Leave no stone unturned and eventually people will listen. People support what they love. Make something people genuinely love. Make something they can connect and relate to, and the support will come. But don’t become the band that survives purely on favours, because people in the industry can see through that very quickly. Q) WHAT’S THE WORST PIECE OF ADVICE ANYONE HAS EVER GIVEN YOU ABOUT MAKING MUSIC? A) Luckily, I’ve never really had someone give me terrible advice specifically about how to make music. But one thing that stuck with me from a conversation I had was the phrase, “Music is subjective.” Obviously that’s true, but I also think it can be used as quite a vague explanation. My theory is that if you put enough commitment into songwriting, research, understanding what works, and properly listening to what you’re creating, you can actually narrow down that window of subjectivity. You’re never going to make something everybody loves, but I do think you can become much better at recognising when something genuinely sounds good and works for your band. Q) IF DEFECTS SUDDENLY HAD TO MAKE AN ALBUM IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT GENRE WITH NO RESTRICTIONS WHATSOEVER, WHAT WOULD YOU SECRETLY WANT TO MAKE? A) We’ve always been quite a genre-bending band anyway, but if I had complete freedom, I’d probably want to make something a bit more rock-oriented with less screaming. Weirdly enough, as I’ve got older, I’ve become less angry. I think part of that is because music was always my therapy, and over time I’ve found myself enjoying singing more and more. So I’d probably lean into rock, but at the same time I secretly love djent and progressive music as well. I’d definitely want some of that influence in there too. Q) WHAT’S THE MOST RIDICULOUS ARGUMENT DEFECTS HAS EVER HAD IN THE STUDIO OR ON THE ROAD? A) There have definitely been a few ridiculous arguments, but one that immediately comes to mind was over a packet of Vocalzone. I’d already cleared it with the person involved that I could take some Vocalzones out of their box. So I did, and somehow I was then faced with absolute wrath for doing exactly what I’d already been told I could do. Everybody heard the argument, and people eventually had to mediate and stop it from becoming something even bigger. So the rule of thumb is: apparently, don’t take someone’s Vocalzone even after they’ve already told you that you can. Q) IF YOU HAD TO SWAP JOBS WITH ANOTHER MEMBER OF DEFECTS FOR ONE SHOW, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE, AND HOW BADLY WOULD IT GO? A) I’d probably swap with Rowan because I love drums. I’ve already played guitar in bands, but I’ve never properly been part of a fully operating band like Defects as the drummer, so I think that would be the most interesting challenge. As for how badly it would go, I actually think I’d do a fairly decent job because whenever I’m given something I have to do, I tend to over-practise it. I’d make sure I was ready. I definitely wouldn’t be as good as Rowan, though. He’s an amazing drummer. Q) WHAT SONG FROM ANOTHER ARTIST DO YOU WISH YOU’D GENUINELY WRITTEN YOURSELF? A) Easy. Iris by Goo Goo Dolls. I genuinely think it has one of the best choruses ever written. There’s something about the way that song builds and the emotion in it that gets me every single time. It can make me feel completely overwhelmed, and I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels that way about it. It’s one of those songs that can genuinely make you stop and think about your life. Q) WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE PERSON WHO STARTED DEFECTS COMPARED TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD SURPRISE YOUR YOUNGER SELF THE MOST? A) I think the two biggest things would be my ability to lead and my ability to not give up. My younger self would probably look at me now and think, “How the hell did you become that person?” I never thought in a million years that I’d have that kind of strength in me, especially when our ex-members walked away. If the younger version of me had been faced with that situation, I honestly think Defects would have been over. The fact that I was able to keep going, take responsibility and lead the band through it is probably what would surprise my younger self the most. Q) FORGET THE ALBUM. FORGET THE BAND. FORGET THE USUAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS. WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT TONY OR DEFECTS THAT NO ONE HAS EVER ASKED YOU THAT YOU WISH THEY WOULD? A) I think, in a weird way, after all the challenges I’ve faced, the thing I wish people would ask is actually really simple: “Are you okay?” I think people look at me as this really strong-minded person who can get through anything, so that question doesn’t really come up very often. I try to be this immovable object that can’t be broken, especially for the people around me, but I’m human just like everyone else. I have my own challenges, I feel things deeply, and sometimes I struggle too. I think people can forget that because of what I try to do for others or what I try to bring to the table. So if there’s one thing I wish people would remember, it’s simply that behind everything, I’m still a human being.

Interview with Agabas

Interview with Agabas

Agabas

February 23, 2026

There are bands that chase heaviness and then there are bands that interrogate it. Agabas have carved out their own volatile corner of extreme music with what they unapologetically call Death Jazz. a collision of blast beats, distortion and what one listener perfectly described as “weaponized saxophone.” It’s a sound that doesn’t feel stitched together for novelty, but forced into existence out of necessity. Their album Hard Anger doesn’t unfold like a conventional record. It feels like pressure building in a confined space, obsessive, claustrophobic, emotionally raw and defiantly unromantic. Across its runtime, rage, despair, isolation and even strange moments of vastness blur together into something that resists easy catharsis. There are no triumphant releases here. No mythic escapism. Just extreme emotion pushed to its physical limits. But beneath the distortion and uncompromising weight lies something far more human. Agabas speak about structure and freedom in the same breath, about chaos set in order, about screaming not as performance but as instinct. Their music may sound hostile to the uninitiated, yet for those willing to step inside it, Hard Anger reveals itself as intensely honest, grounded in reality rather than fantasy, driven by feeling rather than image. For this interview, we wanted to go beyond surface level genre talk and unpack what really fuels Agabas: the mindset behind Death Jazz, the physicality of their sound, the tension between anger and exhaustion, and the evolution of a band that refuses to stay still. 1. Hard Anger feels less like a set of songs and more like a sustained mental state. When you were writing it, did you think in terms of individual tracks at all or was it always one long emotional idea that just happened to fracture into pieces? A) The album was actually written in a very fragmented manner, all the songs were written as individual tracks in the course of a year or so. But there is of course something that happens when the band gets together to complete the whole thing. Demos turn into actual songs, ideas turn into sounds, feelings turn into expression. And when a process like this takes place intensively in a little cabin in the course of a week, some sort of consolidation is bound to happen. I think this is where the sound of a “sustained mental state” happens, when all our minds work together to combine a set of song demos into something whole.   2. You describe your sound as Death Jazz, which is a term people will try to decode immediately. What does that phrase mean to you internally before anyone else gets hold of it? A) I once heard someone describe it as “weaponized saxophone”, which I think is the perfect description. Jazz music has always had a heaviness to it, just listen to the stuff people like John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman were doing in the 60’s - it’s super intense. And to us Deathjazz is just our way of channeling this kind of heaviness into another kind of heaviness, the one with breakdowns and blast beats, to create something new. Deathjazz doesn’t have to be anything in particular, doesn't have to be a sound set in stone. All it has to be is a search for a new heavy, whatever that may mean to you. 3. There’s a lot of repetition across the album, but it never feels lazy, it feels obsessive. Is repetition something you use consciously as an emotional tool, or does it emerge naturally during writing? A) Repetition legitimizes! We like weird stuff obviously, but you can never go wrong with a good hook or a good chorus. We try to make our stuff somewhat accessible in terms of song structure, not because we think more people will listen to it then (we wouldn’t be making deathjazz if that was the goal), but because that’s the kind of stuff we like to listen to. Chaos set in order! 4. Many of the track titles hint at humanity, vulnerability, or connection, yet the music itself feels hostile and closed off. Is that contrast deliberate, or is it just an honest reflection of how those ideas feel to you? A) Extreme music is the best way to express extreme emotion. People on the outside often only hear anger, but those of us who love this music know that it is so much more. Anger, happiness, ecstasy, frustration, love, hate. When the distortion is cranked to ten you can say so much more. Our songs are about a lot of different things, but the one thing they have in common is that they are not about anything we feel casually about. 5. The album often refuses to “pay off” in the way extreme music usually does. No big release, no triumphant moment. Was denying catharsis important to what Hard Anger is trying to say? A) I don’t know how deliberate this was, I guess that’s just how we like to write. We like our shit heavy, or at least that’s the direction we wanted for this album, and if there needs some sort of resolution, or “pay off” to soften the blow then it’s not really that heavy anymore. 6. Vocally, nothing feels performative. It sounds more like something breaking than something being delivered. How do you approach vocals as storytelling, physical release, or something closer to documentation? A) Don’t really think that much about it, we write songs about things that are important to us and then we scream the words like AAAAAAHHH. 7. There’s a strong sense of emotional fatigue running through the record, especially in the second half. Do you see Hard Anger as an angry album, or as an album about what comes after anger? A) Angry album!! The world is going to shit and we are failing to do anything about it! We need to stop killing each other and start loving each other more. 8. Tracks like “Mørke Daga” and “På åpent hav” feel isolating rather than aggressive. Do you think isolation is more central to this album than rage? A) The only central theme on the album is extreme emotion. Sometimes that’s anger, sometimes it’s despair, and sometimes it’s the crushing weight of it all, and sometimes, like in the case of “På åpent hav” it’s the mightyness of the sea. 9. Jazz is often associated with freedom and improvisation, yet Hard Anger feels rigid and trapped. How do you balance structure and freedom within the Death Jazz idea? A) To be free it is necessary to have structure. In jazz, structure comes in the form of chord changes, rhythmic patterns and a certain melodic language, while freedom comes in the form of improvisation and unpredictability within the framework of that structure. In metal, structure looks like verses and choruses, breakdowns and blast beats, the timbre of a distorted downtuned guitar, dissonant and eerie sounds and so on and so forth. Our freedom within this framework is the freedom to blend it with different styles, play around with expectations, and improvisation. All sax solos on the album are improvised, and they sound different every time they’re played live.
 10. A lot of extreme music thrives on mythology, imagery, or distance from reality. Hard Anger feels grounded and unromantic. Was it important for this album to stay emotionally honest rather than symbolic? A) It’s important for us to write about things that we feel strongly about. There’s nothing wrong with writing about dragons and vikings, we just don’t feel very strongly about it.
 11. Do you remember a moment during recording or writing where you realised, “This album is becoming something heavier than we expected”? A) Our sound has definitely gotten heavier and heavier over time. It’s been a lot of fun seeing how far we can push that side of us. The saxophone is a truly aggressive sounding instrument, and it takes a lot physically to push it to that level of distortion which really adds to the primal feel of it. That development has been intentional and something we’ve wanted to do. But for the next one maybe we’ll explore a different side of things, something more beautiful and melodic. Who knows. Whatever feels right. 12. The production feels intentionally exposed almost uncomfortable. Were there moments where you considered cleaning it up, and consciously chose not to? A) We’ve just really been digging the super distorted sounds lately, there’s so much vibe in it. I think there’s a Decapitator on pretty much every track in the mix. Again, this may change in the future, but right now it’s what we’re fucking with, so that’s what we go for. 13. “Kill” is one of the most unsettling tracks on the record, not because it’s fast or brutal, but because it feels compulsive. What headspace were you in when that track came together? A) This track was written by Oskar and Johan in about an hour while enjoying some morning coffee and a cinnamon bun, not really much more to it. The sax parts came to be during the studio recording, as well as the lyrics and vocals. We don’t really have a magical process in terms of songwriting, we just try to write as much as possible, and what sticks sticks. The end result will inevitably have a little bit of all of us in it, and for this song in particular that little bit of us was compulsiveness I suppose. 14. The album ends with “The Wizard”, which feels more like a disappearance than a conclusion. Did you always know that track would close the album, or did it earn that place over time? A) The Wizard was never supposed to be on the album. When we first released Hard Anger last year it was a 10-track album, but then Mascot Records reached out to us and wanted to sign us. After we signed with them, the first thing they wanted to do was re-release Hard Anger as a deluxe version, so we dug up two tracks that didn’t end up on the original release (Mørke daga and KILL), and by this time we had also recorded our cover of The Wizard ( this happened a couple of months after the Hard Anger sessions), and we figured it would be a nice addition to the deluxe version. 15. When people finish listening to Hard Anger, what do you not want them to take away from it? A) We want people to take away whatever they take away from it. Music is a highly individual experience, and if the thing we make feels like a completely different thing to the person listening than what it felt like to us then that is the truth of their experience. An album can mean a thousand different things to a thousand different people, and I think that’s the beauty of it.
 16. Does performing this material live change your relationship with it or does it reinforce the same emotional weight? A) It’s definitely different! On a studio mix you get to rely on a lot of things to give ultimate impact to the music; a controlled recording environment, mixing tricks, post production, creative cuts and edits. But in the chaos of a live performance everything changes. You’re moving around a lot so the playing gets way more difficult, and often arrangement changes are done to make a song fit the live format better. In this sense it can often feel like you’re playing a completely different song than the one from the album. 
 17. Looking back now, do you see Hard Anger as a snapshot of who Agabas were at a specific moment, or as something that still feels painfully current? A) Definitely a snapshot. We’re always evolving. Or at least we’re trying to. Hard Anger is who we were two summers ago when we recorded it. Hopefully we’re somebody else by the next one. 18. If Death Jazz continues to evolve for Agabas, do you see it becoming more abstract, more confrontational, or more introspective, or do you actively avoid thinking that far ahead? A) That’s the best part, we don’t know yet!

Interview with Black Reuss

Interview with Black Reuss

Black Reuss

February 15, 2026

There’s something about Black Reuss that never feels surface level. It isn’t just heavy for the sake of heaviness, and it certainly isn’t darkness dressed up as aesthetic. Beneath the weight of the riffs and the intensity that defined Death, there’s intention, calculated, personal and at times uncomfortably honest. Black Reuss has always carried an aura of isolation and control, blending crushing instrumentation with a sense of introspection that feels almost claustrophobic in the best possible way. It’s a project that doesn’t just release music, it builds a presence. Following the impact of Death, we wanted to go deeper. Not just into the album itself, but into the mind behind it. The philosophy. The persona. The evolution. Because with Black Reuss, the music feels like only part of the story. So we stepped beyond the obvious questions and into the core of what makes this project tick. This is Black Reuss, unfiltered. 1. Death feels like a transformation record rather than just a dark one. Was there a specific personal shift that acted as the catalyst for this album? A) There wasn’t a specific personal shift that triggered this album. Death was always part of the tetralogy from the very beginning. The four chapters were defined early on and this record represents the final stage of that life flow. Each album reflects a different state within that progression, and Death completes it. The sense of transformation isn’t the result of a sudden change in my life, it’s the natural conclusion of a concept that was structured from the start.   2. The album carries a strong sense of internal confrontation. When writing, do you see yourself as the protagonist, the antagonist, or the observer of your own story? A) With the previous albums, I could speak much more directly from my own experience. Those chapters were rooted in personal processes I had lived through. Death was different. I don’t have real experience with death itself, so the writing wasn’t about confronting something inside me in the same way. Instead, I approached it more as an observer exploring different interpretations of death. The songs reflect various perspectives, suspension, dissolution, continuation and peace rather than a personal conflict. It was less about inner confrontation and more about examining a subject from different angles without claiming to understand it fully.   3. If Death were experienced as a physical space instead of a record, what would it look and feel like? A) It would feel wide and quiet. Not dramatic or threatening, but vast and open. I imagine a space where movement slows down, maybe a shoreline where a river meets the sea. The horizon would be blurred, and the air heavy but calm. It wouldn’t feel like fear or chaos. More like suspension and absorption. A place where definitions dissolve and sound travels slowly. A space that allows stillness rather than demanding reaction.   4. There’s a tension throughout the album between destruction and rebirth. Do you believe growth always requires collapse first? A) I would rather say growth requires letting go and acceptance. As long as you don’t see and accept something, you can’t grow. You have to recognize the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Only when that gap becomes clear and you accept it, can growth begin. Collapse can be challenging. It doesn’t automatically lead to transformation. Collapse can also mean an end. You might not always stand up again. But if you do manage to stand up after a collapse, and if you understand how it happened, then it can become a turning point. You can learn from mistakes but only if you survive them. Sometimes mistakes can be final. So growth isn’t guaranteed by destruction. It depends on awareness, acceptance, and the ability to rise again.   5. How do you know when a song is emotionally honest versus when it’s just aesthetically “dark”? A) For me, emotional honesty feels grounded and calm. When something is just aesthetically dark, it often feels exaggerated or forced. If I notice that I’m trying to create an effect instead of expressing something real, that’s usually a sign it’s not honest. An honest song doesn’t need to convince anyone. It doesn’t need dramatic gestures or extreme language. It simply exists. If I can listen back to it and it feels natural, not theatrical then I know it’s emotionally true.   6. Many artists romanticise darkness. How do you prevent that line from being crossed in your own work? A) I don’t think romanticising darkness is necessarily wrong. It depends on how you approach it. Take melancholy, for example I have an affection for that mood. It can be reflective, calm, even beautiful in its own way. It doesn’t always mean suffering. Of course, sadness can hurt, but that’s not what I’m trying to glorify. I’m not interested in celebrating pain or turning it into spectacle. What interests me is atmosphere, the quiet weight of certain emotional states. So for me, the line isn’t about avoiding darkness. It’s about avoiding exaggeration. As long as the mood feels honest and grounded, it doesn’t become romanticised in a superficial way. It simply becomes part of the emotional landscape.   7. Was there a moment during the writing of this album where you felt genuinely uncomfortable with how exposed the material was? A) Not in the same way as with previous albums. Since Deathdeals with interpretations rather than personal experiences, it didn’t feel as directly exposed. It was more conceptual than confessional. The discomfort came more from the subject itself from trying to approach something that can’t truly be known. That uncertainty was challenging, but not in a vulnerable or autobiographical sense.   8. Your vocal delivery feels restrained rather than explosive. Is that a conscious choice to internalise the chaos rather than dramatise it? A) Yes, it’s a conscious choice but not only conceptual. I believe everyone should find their strength and stay with it. I’m not a shouter, simply because I can’t do it. It’s not my natural ability. I never considered myself a great singer in a technical sense. For me, it’s not about vocal performance, it’s about transporting the message in a way that feels honest and comfortable. Restraint works better for that. Intensity doesn’t always need to be loud. Sometimes it becomes stronger when it stays contained. 9. If someone misinterprets Death entirely, does that frustrate you or do you believe once the music is out, it no longer belongs to you? A) It doesn’t frustrate me. Once the music is released, it belongs to the listener as much as it belongs to me. Interpretation is personal, and I don’t expect people to experience it the same way I experienced writing it. Especially with an album like Death, which is built around different interpretations of the same theme, there isn’t one “correct” meaning.   10. The concept of “death” can mean ego death, emotional death, identity death. Which version resonates most strongly with you personally? A) To be honest, none of them specifically. Writing this album was never about making a personal statement about what death means. The intention was to bring different interpretations of death to the table rather than choosing one perspective. If I had to select one from those mentioned, it would probably be identity death, the idea that parts of who you are can dissolve over time. But even that is just one possible angle.   11. Do you feel lighter or heavier after completing an album like this? A) Lighter. Finishing Death and with it the entire tetralogy felt like releasing something I had been carrying for years. The concept was clear from the beginning, and bringing it to completion created a sense of closure. It feels like space has opened up.   12. When you revisit these songs months or years from now, do you think they’ll feel like documentation of who you were or reminders of who you don’t want to become again? A) They will feel like documentation. Each album captures a specific stage within the concept and within a certain time of my life. I don’t see them as warnings or something I want to distance myself from. They belong to the journey.   13. Was there a particular sound or sonic texture on this record that symbolised something very specific for you? A) Yes, sustained tones and decay were very important. The way certain sounds fade slowly into silence symbolises dissolution. It’s not about abrupt endings, but about gradual disappearance. The space between sounds carries meaning.   14. If this album had ended in pure despair instead of quiet acceptance, would that have felt more honest or just easier? A) It would have been easier. Despair is dramatic and clear. But quiet acceptance felt more honest. Ending in chaos would have been more obvious, but less true to the concept. Acceptance reflects completion.   15. Looking forward, do you see the next chapter of Black Reuss continuing this introspective path, or does transformation also mean shedding this skin entirely? A) Black Reuss will continue, but not within another long conceptual cycle like the tetralogy. Finishing Death closed that structure and created freedom. The introspective element will likely remain, because that’s part of how I write. But transformation also means allowing change. The next chapter won’t shed the skin entirely, it will grow from it. The core remains atmosphere and reflection, but the form can evolve. allowing change. The next chapter won’t shed the skin entirely, it will grow from it. The core remains atmosphere and reflection, but the form can evolve.

Interview with Dreamlord

Interview with Dreamlord

Dreamlord

February 12, 2026

Some bands chase trends. Others build worlds. Dreamlord very much sit in the latter category. There’s a weight to what they do not just in volume or aggression but in atmosphere, intent and the sense that every note serves something larger than itself. Their sound doesn’t simply hit, it looms. It lingers. It pulls you into a space that feels deliberately constructed rather than casually assembled. With that in mind, we wanted to step beyond the usual surface level questions and dig into the foundations, the mindset, the creative philosophy, and the vision that drives Dreamlord forward. This isn’t about quick promo answers. It’s about understanding the architecture behind the noise. So here’s what went down when P&L Tunes sat down with Dreamlord. 1. The name Dreamlord carries a strong sense of control and surrender at the same time. What does it actually represent to you as a band? 
A) For us, Dreamlord is about that space between control and letting go. It’s about entering a mindset where you stop overthinking and let emotion take over, but without losing awareness. It reflects how we approach music and life in general, trusting instinct while still staying present. 2. Your music feels rooted in atmosphere rather than immediacy. Do you think patience is something modern listeners still have or are you deliberately challenging that? 
A) We’re not trying to challenge anyone. This is just how we naturally write. We like music that takes its time, builds tension, and slowly pulls you in. We know attention spans are shorter these days, but we believe there are still listeners who enjoy sinking into an album and letting it unfold. 3. When you’re writing, are you trying to guide the listener somewhere specific, or are you more interested in letting them get lost?
 A) We don’t aim for a specific destination. We focus more on creating a mood and letting people experience it in their own way. Everyone connects to music differently, and we like leaving space for personal interpretation. 4. How much of Dreamlord is built on instinct versus deliberate planning and structure?
 A) Most ideas start from pure instinct, usually a riff, groove, or atmosphere that just feels right. From there, we shape and structure things more carefully. It’s a mix of spontaneity and discipline. 5. There’s a weight to your sound that doesn’t rely purely on heaviness. Where do you think that weight really comes from?
 A) A lot of it comes from emotion, tension, and dynamics rather than just distortion or speed. Sometimes slower, darker passages can hit harder than the fastest or heaviest riffs if the feeling is right. 6. Do you see Dreamlord as an escape, a confrontation, or something that sits uncomfortably between the two? 
A) Probably somewhere in between. It can be an escape from everyday noise, but it can also bring out emotions and thoughts you might usually avoid. That balance feels honest to us. 7. How important is visual identity to you, and does it develop alongside the music or after the fact? 
A) Visual identity is very important. It usually develops alongside the music, not after. As the songs take shape, the visual ideas start forming naturally, and everything grows together. 8. When a track is finished, how do you personally decide that it’s “complete” rather than just abandoned at the right moment?
 A) At some point, you just feel that the song doesn’t need anything more. If adding or removing parts starts making it worse instead of better, that’s when you know it’s done. 9. Does repetition in your music serve a hypnotic purpose, or is it more about reinforcing emotion? 
A) It’s both. Repetition helps create a trance-like feel, but it also strengthens the emotion and tension inside a track. 10. Have you ever written something that felt too revealing and if so, did that change how you approached the final version?
 A) Yes, and in those cases, we usually try to keep the emotion but present it in a way that feels more universal. The feeling stays honest, but it becomes easier for others to relate to. 11. How do you balance cohesion with the need to evolve, especially when listeners start attaching expectations to your sound?
 A) We respect our sound, but we don’t want to repeat ourselves. Evolution happens naturally as our influences and experiences change. We try to move forward without losing our identity. 12. Do you think darkness in music needs to be explained, or should it simply be felt?
 A) It should mostly be felt. Overexplaining can take away its power. Music works best when it hits you emotionally, not intellectually. 13. What role does physical space play in your writing, rehearsal rooms, studios, isolation, volume?
 A) It plays a big role. Loud rehearsal rooms bring out raw energy, while quiet isolation helps with atmosphere and details. Different spaces push the music in different directions. 14. When listeners say your music feels “immersive,” what do you hope they’re actually experiencing internally?
 A) We hope they feel fully absorbed, like they can disconnect from everything else for a while and just live inside the music. 15. Looking ahead, what excites you more: refining what Dreamlord already is, or dismantling it and rebuilding something unfamiliar? 
A) Honestly, the mix of both. We like developing our sound, but we’re also excited by the idea of pushing into new territory and surprising ourselves.

Interview with Homebase

Interview with Homebase

Homebase

January 16, 2026

Homebase have been steadily carving out their own space, favouring atmosphere and intention over noise and excess. Their latest single captures that approach perfectly, leaning into mood, restraint, and a quiet confidence that feels deliberate rather than accidental. Rather than chasing trends, the band seem focused on saying exactly what needs to be said and nothing more, allowing the music to carry its weight naturally. We caught up with Homebase to talk about the thinking behind the new release, their current creative headspace, and how this track fits into the wider picture of their sound. From process and perspective to instinct and identity, the band open up on what’s driving them forward right now. Q: What does the latest single represent in terms of where the band are creatively right now, rather than where you’ve been? A: Curly: This single is definitely a representation of growth. Especially when it comes to where we came from as a band a year and a half ago. This single definitely comes from a place of “just send it” and reminds us not to hold back when it comes to writing something really cool sounding. The title “nuff said” it’s self is a statement to ourselves saying, “ok no more talking, it’s time to just write, no holding back anymore, no more restraints” which has allowed us to creatively expand on chords, leads, and really cool instrumental and vocal parts that we would have never thought of before. Q: How intentional was the restraint in this release, and was it ever tempting to push the track further than it needed to go? A: Curly: Just like any new band, we were so excited to just put stuff out immediately and as soon as possible. We even uploaded some demos onto SoundCloud just to get something out. But then we had a conversation about it and realized it would be way smarter to wait until we had something professional and polished.We wanted to release something that we would be proud of and would listen to ourselves as if it were one of our favorite bands. Q: What conversations were happening within the band while this song was coming together, and how did they shape the final version? A: Curly: It was a mix of just regular music stuff and personal conversations about our past experiences. The things we talked about not only gave us a sense of relief, but gave us the ability to be accepting and open to each other’s ideas. This allowed us to just bounce off each other and free flow between ideas, to best serve the song and make it as hard hitting as possible. Q: In what ways does this single challenge or reinforce the sound people associate with Homebase? A: Curly: In different ways this new song both challenges and reinforces the ideas and sounds that homebase produces. Not only does it align perfectly within the pop punk aspect that bold introduced, it also confronts new fields of riffs, sounds, and different genre styles we never thought we could blend together. Q: How early did you know what kind of mood you wanted this track to sit in, and what helped you stay committed to that direction? A: Curly: It took nearly a year for us to fully realize where the mood of the song was going to sit. The song was written in 2024 and had a completely different meaning. Feelings about overwhelming tasks quickly shifted into feelings of inadequacy based off shared traumas within the band. This is primarily what fueled our dedication to the writing of this song. Q: What part of the writing or recording process for this song took the longest to get right, and why was it worth the patience? A: Tony: Constructing the lyrics was probably the longest we took to get right. I mean we had s few setbacks for the instrumentals but over time, we had a rhythm going for what we wanted it to sound like. It’s okay to throw in a few metaphors here and there but keeping the flow of a story going was the hardest part. The emotional aspect was something we put a lot of thought into and was worth every second to figure out. Q: Do you see this single more as a statement, a snapshot, or a stepping stone and what makes it that for you? A: Tony: We definitely see it as a stepping stone in what we want to accomplish in our writing, so to speak. We always had an idea of how we wanted to present ourselves through our music but this was the first time we actually saw a spark in that. There are a crazy amount of influences that are crammed into this one single and it might be obvious to some people, but to others it might be something meaningful. We’re very stoked to see what else we can present based on the excitement we had for this one song. Q: How does this release reflect your current approach to songwriting compared to previous material? A: Tony: We think it’s safe to say that this song is miles away from the songwriting we had before. Not to say that our songwriting was bad before we started Homebase but it was never really set in stone for us. We were kind of stuck in that 2000’s pop punk phase where most of our songs stemmed from influences like blink 182 and All Time Low. At a certain point, that ‘punk kid’ lifestyle we put in our lyrics tended to lose touch with us personally and it was time we needed a change of direction. We became more honest, more self aware, and more open to change. Not just as young adults but as musicians as well and we think this song kept that energy we loved while also expressing the nature of emotional turmoil Q: Was there a moment during production where the song almost went in a completely different direction? A: Tony: There were a few moments of concern about that idea but we were kind of open to it as well. Going to the studio was not only an awesome experience but it also put our ego to the test. Most bands have this problem where they’ll get so invested in their own demos that when other ideas come up for remastering, denial starts to settle in and nothing really gets done. We had a problem like that in the past but we accepted the possibility of a few changes here and there. Honestly, looking back at it, the most amount of changes we made was adding lyrics and changing guitar tones. Q: What role did instinct play in finishing this track, compared to careful planning or revision? A: Tony: There was a moment where the breakdown of the song never had any lyrics. It was literally just gonna end the same way just with no singing. At first, we didn’t mind it but over time, it was clear that it was pretty empty. Out of nowhere, our singer just compiled a bunch of lyrics on a piece of paper we found in the studio. Just before we wanted to wrap up, we asked Rob, our producer, if we could test out the lyrics during the breakdown. It was done in such short notice to where we thought it was just going to be a waste of time, but now we find that it’s debatably the most memorable part of the song. Q: How important was authenticity when shaping this single, and were there any compromises you refused to make? A: Matt: Writing this song was pretty frustrating to make. Rather than just finishing quickly, the genuineness was more valuable to us of-course. At first there was the idea of making a sick, heavy, head bobbing type of song that we were excited to play around with. And as the song continued to form, we began to focus on the message behind it all. We refused to do a lot of things we each had ideas for. Some ideas involved maybe cutting some lyrics short, or causing a break in the song instrumentally somewhere. We needed the lyrics to be perfect and sit in the right pocket. We knew exactly where things were meant to go, and we refused to have it anything less than that. We even had moments where things may have sounded pretty dang cool. But we agreed some aspects had to have been cut for the greater picture. Q: What do you think this track reveals about the band that listeners might not hear on a first listen? A: Matt: I think what the track reveals about our band is that we have this urge to take the sound further than anticipated, and to show how much care we take to make sure It marks exactly what we’d want to hear in a song within this genre. It may not be apparent during the first listen. But man, the more you listen to the song, you really get to hear the sound continue to move forward. We’re a band about progression. I hope this song and many others in the near future continue to highlight this aspect about ourselves. Q: How do you decide when a song is saying enough without overexplaining itself? A: Matt: I think it’s gotta be the emotion you get when you’re really diving into the lyrics. It’s open ended just enough for you to maybe relate to a line or two. (Hopefully maybe the whole song) And it’s not overbearing by cramming tongue twisting phrases with wording. This may also seem vague, but its the type of feeling you get when writing a song, you kinda know when theres a need to keep adding on, or when to stop because it sits just right. Not just contextually, but emotionally. Q: What kind of response do you hope this single sparks? not just emotionally, but in how people talk about your music? A: Matt: I really hope that the song gets people saying, “Yo did you hear that new song Homebase pushed out? That shit is TUFF!” I hope people recognize and feel the energy we put into this song, and are able to relay that to those who may also appreciate the sound. Id want people to talk about the cool breakdowns, the high screaming vocals, and how we got our audience to go on this cool musical journey within the song itself. Q: Looking at this release in the wider context of your catalogue, where does it sit in terms of growth and confidence? A: Matt: Nuff Said represents a pivotal point of growth for the band. Looking back at Bold, we challenged and butted-heads to truly define what encompasses the 'Homebase' sound. We were far more intentional and questioned every part. Instead of rushing, we trusted our instincts to aim higher. As a result, it highlighted our commitment to grow and evolve our sound into something we are still comprehending in this moment. Personally, it challenged myself to go further with my vocals. I was finally able to put out a higher range. Something I had been fighting to achieve for years now, and it's as if this song unlocked that skill for me. Rather than playing it safe, we leaned into it. Having the confidence to try something completely new to us, and to hear it within the mix made us realize we’re onto something crazy.

Interview with Michael Felker - Convictions

Interview with Michael Felker of Convictions

Michael Felker - Convictions

December 5, 2025

For years, Convictions have existed in the space where grief, faith, and survival collide. Their music does not just speak about pain, it sits with it, carries it, and refuses to let listeners face it alone. At the center of that weight is vocalist Michael Felker, whose writing and delivery have become a lifeline for fans navigating loss, doubt, and the slow work of healing. Rather than treating vulnerability as a moment or a marketing angle, Felker approaches it as a responsibility. His lyrics feel less like performances and more like conversations sometimes with himself, sometimes with the listener, and sometimes with stories entrusted to him by others. As Convictions continue to grow within the metalcore landscape, their purpose remains rooted in something deeper than visibility, creating space for honesty, belief, and survival in places where those things are often hardest to find. In this interview, Michael Felker reflects on turning personal pain into communal healing, protecting his mental space while writing heavy material, and why certain words like “You deserve to survive” carry more weight than he ever anticipated 1. You have always had this way of turning personal pain into something communal and healing. Do you remember the first time you realized music could actually carry someone else through their grief? A) When I was younger, I mostly wrote about myself, and it was not until I started working on I Wont Survive that I realized people were connecting with our music on a deeper level. That was the first time I saw our songs carry someone else through their grief instead of just being an outlet for my own. 2. Convictions deal with extremely heavy emotional and spiritual themes. How do you personally protect your mental space while still being honest and vulnerable in the writing process? A) When I am performing, a certain part of my mind has to turn off. I still feel the emotion of the song, but it becomes more muted because I am focused on technique and execution. The best way to describe it is like playing a video game and fighting the final boss. You are focused on landing every strike and finishing the mission, not on how overwhelming the moment might be. That focus protects my mental space while still allowing the honesty to come through. 3. Your vocal delivery often feels like a conversation with yourself. When you are recording or writing, do you picture someone specific in your head, or is it more like you are working through your own inner dialogue? A) It really depends on the song. Different songs come from different perspectives. I made a lot of progress in my writing when I started interviewing people and approaching their stories with empathy. Understanding their experiences helped me step into different roles. Sometimes I am talking to myself, and other times I am speaking from the viewpoint of someone whose story I have taken time to understand. 4. There is a very cinematic quality in how Convictions build atmosphere. Are there non-musical influences such as films, art, or personal rituals that shape how you approach a track’s emotional tone? A) The cinematic tone fits our band naturally, but a lot of that influence comes from outside of music. Film, storytelling, and scripture all shape how I build emotional tone. Movies especially inspire me. The pacing, the tension, and the way scenes are constructed all influence how I approach our songs. 5. A lot of fans say they found Convictions during the darkest moments of their lives. Has there ever been a fan story that changed the way you view your own music? A) Not long ago, I met a fan at one of our shows who immediately stood out to me. He kept his distance, and something about his presence felt different. After the set, he told me that he and one of his close friends had bonded over our music while they were both in a mental health facility. He also shared that his friend, who had passed away, was buried in one of our band shirts. I think about that often. It changed the way I view what our music can mean to someone. 6. Some of your lyrics feel like open letters. When you are writing something incredibly personal, how do you decide what stays private and what becomes part of a record? A) If I am writing about someone else, I always give them the option to decide what stays in the song and what remains private. Whether I am interviewing them or simply having a conversation, they have the freedom to choose what they are comfortable sharing. Most of the people whose stories I have written about have been very open and helpful in the process. 7. Your vocal style has this raw, tearing edge to it. Is that a conscious technique, or is it more about tapping into a head space where the emotion dictates the sound? A) I have been exploring different techniques, including some influenced by deathcore, but at my core I always lean toward that raw and punchy sound that sits right at the front of the mix. I want it to feel primal, like tapping into something deeper than technique alone. Even as I grow, I try to hold on to the instinctive way I screamed when I was a kid first learning how to do this. There is something honest in that approach that I do not want to lose. 8. Convictions’ songs often feel like emotional snapshots. If someone asked you to describe where you are right now compared to when you wrote your last release, what has changed for you personally? A) For this next record, I am pushing myself to write differently. Instead of leaning as heavily into storytelling, I am building songs around broader themes and ideas that can reach many people, both spiritually and secularly. It has been challenging to step away from deep metaphors and poetic analogies. I am focusing more on face value, real life, conversational lines. Those lines are hard to find, but I think they will connect with a wider audience. 9. There is a lot of honesty in your breakdowns, almost like emotional punctuation. Do those moments come last in the writing process, or do you build songs around them? A) Those big taglines or intense moments usually show up at the most random and inconvenient times, like sitting at a red light, in the shower, during a workout, or even in the middle of a set. They just appear in my mind out of nowhere. Many times I have written an entire song around one line that came to me in a moment like that. 10. Faith is obviously part of the band’s identity, but never in a preachy way. How do you walk that balance of expressing belief without feeling like you are forcing it on listeners? A) That can be a challenge because we face criticism for being too preachy or not preachy enough. At the heart of it, I want to write songs that are honest and bear convictions. Pun intended. 11. Touring can be both exhausting and therapeutic. Is there a specific town or venue where you have felt an unexpected emotional breakthrough on stage? A) A big one that comes to mind was a show we played somewhere in the deep south in a swamp area. We were performing in what was essentially a satanic biker bar with statues and imagery everywhere. It was intense, but they were incredibly kind to us. At the end of the night, one of the biker guys came up to us in tears and said he wanted to move closer to Jesus. As dark as that place felt, it made me realize we were exactly where we needed to be. It was powerful. 12. When you look at the current metalcore landscape, what do you feel Convictions contributes that is not being talked about enough? A) I feel like we are finally starting to inch our way toward the center of the larger metalcore world, but we still have a long way to go. This past year has been huge for us. We have grown a lot, built an amazing team, and played incredible festivals like DWP events, Incarceration, Louder Than Life, and Aftershock. Being welcomed into the larger metal community has been overwhelming in a great way. Even with that progress, I still feel like there is much more ahead of us, and I am excited for what is next. 13. Is there a lyric of yours that hit you harder after it was released, something you did not fully understand the weight of at the time? A) In our song The Price of Grace, the line “You deserve to survive” has almost become a mission statement. Fans have it tattooed, they wear it on shirts, and they shout it back at us at shows. We never expected that kind of response in the studio, but we knew it was an important song. Seeing how that line has impacted people has been incredibly encouraging. 14. What is a question you wish interviewers asked you about your music, but never do? A) I wish people asked more about the technical side, like vocal technique and lyrical decision making. Those are the things I work on behind the scenes every day, but they rarely come up. Interviews usually focus on the big moments and accomplishments, which are great, but I would love to talk more about the craft itself. 15. If you could play one Convictions song to a version of yourself from five years ago, which would it be, and what do you think that past version of you would hear in it? A) I would choose Metanoia. I wrote it about a childhood bully who pushed me to want to become a frontman and do something meaningful with my life. Reconnecting with him years later and seeing how much he has changed, and how his faith has grown, was powerful. He helped me shape the song, and I am proud of everything about it, from the vocal performance to the direction. It feels like my new cornerstone.

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