S: We kinda wanted to have a lot darker sound. We wanted a more atmospheric record and that’s why we chose the producer we did. We wanted to experiment with different feelings in songs. The riffs aren’t as rock and roll as before. There are more chords. We just wanted a different feel throughout.    

J: The album has some very interesting album art, is there a story to be found behind the design?

S: The whole album is essentially about the fall of man. Which is encompassed in the apple and the Garden of Eden. It’s about the fall of man and all our faults as a human race.     

J:You’re now four albums in and for any heavy act, that’s something to be proud of. How do you keep things fresh and keep focused on the band?

S: We’re all close friends and have a lot of fun together. We just have fun and goof around a lot. All of us share a dream to do this and that closeness helps us continue.    

J: Another element of the industry keeping many bands from surviving is simply financial. Now you guy have been on a label for awhile now, but if you could give advice for bands trying to keep it together money wise, what would it be?

S: Honestly, I guess that one of the best things to remember is to invest in something that will make you money. Designs for shirts and such will yield income. Deciding what merch will sell is key to survival. That’s all business though and I try to not think about it as other members of the band are better at it than I.    

J: You caught mixed views from people when the story came about losing a member due to his religious differences with the band. Did you think you’d ever have the response from the situation that you did?

S: We knew it was going to be kind of an upset. IT was a shock to us and a bummer, but we realize that we did what we needed to do. We kind of figured it would cause some drama in the scene, but I think people will get over it.     

J: Are you still in contact with him?

S: Yea, we’ve talked and hung out since then. We all still love him as a person. We’re still working on our relationship with him. It was definitely something that hurt our relationship, but in no ways ended it.     

J: Now that most festivals have died off, it’s that time of year when bands head out on smaller tours. What are your fall plans?

S: We get to go back to Australia with Scary Kids Scaring Kids. Then after that, we’ll be playing a festival in Germany which will be followed by our 2nd 12 days of Christmas tour.     

J: I know in the summer, killing the day before shows may be easier due to friendly weather, but I’m sure there’s more cabin fever in the cold air. How do you spend your free time on the road in the winter?

S: We’ve actually been home over the summer, so we’re relearning how to kill time. Been doing a lot of reading and like, we’re wondering a mall and such. We all do different things. Our iPhones have a game called Cuberunner that steals a lot of time.    

J: Politics are everywhere have you guys taken any stances on this election?

S: Not as a band. We usually stay out of politics as a band. Our main focus is ministry and telling people what we believe. We try to stay focused on that.     

J: Random: What fictional character would you like to be and why?

S: There’s a show called “The OC.” I would want to be Seth Cohen. The dude is hilarious and he dates Summer Roberts who is a babe.    

J: We don’t believe in final questions. We prefer closing statements. The podium is yours:

S: I actually said this from stage last night. There are a lot of things in the scene that are hateful and violent and there are a lot of close minded people. I just hope to change that and make people learn to love each other and just enjoy music. As a Christian, we want to share the love of God and your brother and I think that’s one of the most important things that can be said right now. 

*Written By: James Shotwell*