Interviews About Albums: Rare Breed - Not Quite The High Life (2025)

In this new interview, we sat down with the British band, Rare Breed, to ask questions about their album "Not Quite The High Life". 

1. What can you say about this new ep?

This ep is a massive change in style from us, going from our old pop punk style to a heavier, more alternative metal sound, and it definitely represents us and where we are at in life a lot better. This ep is like a diary to us, and we use our lyrics to both express our own feelings and to let anyone else who feels the same know they’re not alone.

2. What is the meaning of the EP name?

When the EP is fully complete, the name will be self-dependent/self-destructive. To us, this represents the constant internal struggle between doing what you should do and what you want to. I (Alex) turn 20 soon, and to me, the title reflects that contrast between being too young to have everything in your life sorted and settled down, but too old to not worry about where I’m going and live recklessly.

3. Which one is the composer?

All tracks are written pretty much equally by all of us. There isn’t one just set composer, and our writing is a collaborative process.

3. If you had to pick one song, which would you pick?

Definitely, it would have to be self-destructive. I feel like we have really found our sound with that track, and the lyrics are probably our most honest and personal yet.

4. Is there a special message?

The majority of the tracks on this EP revolve around our own personal struggles, and we want those lyrics to reflect that if any listeners also feel like that, they’re not alone, and we understand them. Drowning shows this best, we think, as many of the verse lyrics were actually written from a poll we did where people anonymously submitted their own insecurities, and we worked the responses into the lyrics.

5. Any lyrics you’d like to share?

Our favourite would probably be “I’m struggling to live, got nothing to give cos I’m self-destructive,” Just because of the way it reflects those days when you’re just desperately holding on and you don’t know how you’ll carry on

6. Which inspirations have been important?

Alex: I’m inspired by bands like Split Chain, Deftones, Alter Bridge, Title Fight, and Knocked Loose.

Patrick:  I’m inspired by architects, Pierce the Veil, and Enter Shikari. We’d love to give a shoutout to Simon and Ben from Newcastle, as they come down to pretty much every Stockton and Newcastle gig we play, and that really inspires us to keep going. In addition, thank you to dead air, we went on tour with them at the start of the year, and that gave us the opportunity we’ve dreamed of for a long time, and gave us the feeling that we really can make something of our music.

15. Anything to add?

Alex: I always say this in every interview, but whatever you think you know about us as a band now, you don’t. We’ve always got new tricks up our sleeves, and we are constantly evolving and reinventing ourselves.