Dear Readers We are pleased to offer you in this article an interview with a band originally from Georgia that combines Heavy Rock/Metal sounds with a Southern twist. We welcome By Way Of Fire.
Hi, it is a pleasure to have you among our pages, how are you?
“Good thank you, appreciate the opportunity.“
The band was formed recently, how did the project and the choice of the name By Way Of Fire come about?
“The origins of the band trace back to 2021 when I began forming the project in my head. I wanted a strong, powerful name. Also, I wanted the name to still make sense if we desire to explore different sounds and genres while maintaining our ethos.“
You offer Heavy Rock and Heavy Metal sounds, how did your passion for these sounds come about?
“Growing up with Metallica, Ozzy, and Soundgarden playing on the radio. Also, I do recall when I heard Alice In Chains āWouldā for the first time and talking to my uncle about how it was the shit. I had to have been 6 or 7 years old.“
What are your sources of inspiration in this regard?
“I drawl a lot from the classics because they stood the test of time. However, I keep a healthy dose of modern flavors and Iām constantly looking for new music. Among the members of the band, we have a lot of common ground with melodic death acts like In Flames, At The Gates, and Carcass.“
Your new EP āInto Oblivionā was released on October, how would you describe this work?
“More cohesive and focused than āJackalsā, the first EP was truly an effort to put something out there and get the ball rolling.“
3 tracks with solid sounds, how does the creative process of your music take place?
“A lot of riffing and taking out the garbage. Eventually, after the fat is trimmed, and a song starts forming, Iāll start putting together a demo in my DAW.“
Also the vocal parts are punchy, what themes do the lyrics deal with?
“Vengeance, delirium, and surmounting the things that hold you back.“
It has been 3 years since the release of your debut EP, how has your sound evolved over time and how does it differ from the precedent?
“‘Jackals’ turned out to be more of a hard rock record. I attribute that to inexperience in creative direction and production. I still like it, but the intent was not as dialed in compared to our approach with āInto Oblivionā. We wrote angrier, heavier songs, and chose a studio known for putting out heavy records. We spent more time in the studio and more time during post production. We wanted a bigger, better sound.“
Yours is an engaging sound, will there be a chance to hear you live in the near future?
“We have a few shows scheduled throughout this summer in our home state of Georgia here in the U.S. Later this fall, we will play a few more shows around the southeast region.“
Do you have any special anecdotes or memories you would like to tell us about your live experiences?
“Not too many, so far once instance of alcohol poisoning during one of sets. We didnāt find out until after our set. Outside of that, any memory with our late drummer Steven Cates is cherished. Without him, who knows where this band would be now.“
The underground scene is full of festivals and live events, how important is it to keep these kinds of events active?
“Festivals and shows bring people together by nature, but when musicians go to shows you meet other musicians. The mixture of creative minds is how we create new art. Shows and festivals are so vital in this regard.“
The U.S. is among the leading exponents as far as heavy music is concerned, how do you see the scene today in your country?
“I canāt speak for the whole country, but in Atlanta we have a pretty strong community of people working together to keep our city heavy.“
How difficult, if at all, is it to succeed nowadays by offering sounds like yours?
“Blue collar musicians are only doing it for the love, because we are not getting rich doing this.“
How do you see this technological input within Rock music?
“Iām a minimalist. Guitar, amp, a few effects, thatās it. Some of the best records in the world were written with less.“
Do you have any other artistic activities or passions outside of music?
“I spent some time in my 20s making independent films with a friend. Eventually I got burned out. These days I contemplate photography, but music is mostly it for me.“
I thank the band for the interview and wish them the best as they continue their artistic career.
“Thank you for having us.“
Purchase their latest EP on Bandcamp: https://bywayoffire.bandcamp.com/album/into-oblivion-2
