Interviews: AS-33

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Alternative Rock band AS-33 from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their INSTAGRAM PROFILE.

1. For readers discovering AS-33 for the first time, how would you describe the band's sound and identity?

I would say we’re an alt rock band that leans into hard rock and metal sometimes! We’re a very energetic and ambitious band, and we like to show that through our music and live performances.

2. What inspired the writing of “Lay With You”, and what message or emotions were you hoping to convey?

Lay With You has a deeper meaning than it appears. When we wrote this song, I was dealing with a lot of self-doubt, and that led me to a point where I was feeling very uncomfortable with myself. So when writing Lay With You, I wanted to express the feeling of being with someone who no longer cares about you and trying to escape them; that person was myself.

3. The song explores themes of vulnerability, connection, and perseverance. How personal was the writing process for this release?

It was a very personal experience. When writing lyrics, I often improvise to the instrumental track and come up with a general idea and melody. After I feel comfortable with it, I spend a few weeks figuring out exactly how I want to phrase things and how I want the song to come across. Lay With You was written the same way.

4. How does “Lay With You” reflect the band's growth compared to your previous material?

A lot of our songs on our upcoming debut album have been written for years despite AS-33 being around for 9 months or so. I have material that I have been crafting for years, and when we formed, I would bring it to my bandmates. We would make it into our own and change it up a little, but Lay With You was written completely as a group. It was the first song we wrote as a three-piece band, and it’s really cool to hear all of our influences throughout the song. 

5. Your music blends emotionally driven songwriting with modern hard rock energy. How do you balance melody and heaviness in your songs?

One of the biggest things for me as a songwriter is creating an instrumental piece and then letting my emotions create the feeling of the song. Take Lay With You for example; the verses are very melodic compared to the chorus, which is very energetic and heavy. I feel it expresses both sides of our sound and our personalities, and that’s something we strive to do. We want our music to be an expression of us as people and not just musicians. 

6. Bands like Chevelle and Three Days Grace are listed as influences. What aspects of their music have inspired AS-33?

We all love the bass and harmonies of Chevelle; Madison (our bassist and backup vocalist) infuses that style into our music a lot. Three Days Grace’s riff-driven guitar work and emotional vocals are a major influence on me (Evan, lead vocals+guitar). Although not listed as influences, Brenden (Drums) loves Pierce The Veil and Sleep Token. He gets a lot of his drumming influence from them. 

7. Can you walk us through the songwriting process? Does one member usually bring in ideas, or is it a collaborative effort?

Ordinarily I will bring a song to the band, and we will craft it from there, but Lay With You was a collaborative effort.

8. What was it like working with producer Will Baker, and how did he help shape the final version of the song?

Man, I can’t say enough positive things about Will. As a producer, he works super closely with us to create the best piece of music possible; he understands our vision and works extremely hard to help us with that. We will continue to work with him on this debut album, and we couldn’t be more excited to see what he does with the rest of our songs. Also wanted to thank Zach Bingham at Jam Room Studio, who we track with; he is also an absolute pleasure to work with. 

9. The artwork often sets the tone before fans even press play. What's the story behind the cover art for “Lay With You”?

The cover art is one of the most fun things about Lay With You. My dad built an actual bed for the cover; we wanted to find a good spot to put it into a lake and stand around it. We found the perfect spot and took a really cool picture for the cover; the only negative about it was going into the lake in jeans! The bed will also be used for a music video, which is in the works currently. 

10. The chemistry between the three members is a big part of your sound. How has your relationship as a band evolved since AS-33 was formed?

Before AS-33, I was in a cover band and so was Brenden; we both were extremely sick of playing other people’s songs. We both felt like we were suffocating creatively, and we found each other online looking for a band. We played for 2 or 3 months without a bassist, then we found Madison through a friend of mine. My friend Cooper is a vocalist, and I went to jam with him and Madison. As soon as I found out Madison played bass, I knew he had to come jam with us. All 3 of us clicked really well from the start. At the end of the day, we’re all just really good friends outside of being in a band together; we hang out all the time outside of shows and rehearsals, and it definitely builds chemistry for our music.

11. What has the response from fans been like since the single was released?

Very, very positive; our following has grown a large amount since the release. We’ve been sending it out to anyone that will listen; it’s been a lot of positive feedback so far.

12. What can audiences expect from an AS-33 live performance?

A lot of energy! We pride ourselves on being entertainers as well as musicians; I love jumping off drums and doing other crazy stuff like that. Every show is meant to be an interactive experience between every single person that comes to see us, we strive to create that. 

13. Are you currently working toward a larger release such as an EP or full-length album?

Yeah! We’re working on our debut album, but before that will most likely be an EP featuring the 3 singles for the album and one more song.

14. What goals has AS-33 set for the future, both creatively and as a touring band?

Right now we’re working on our album as well as trying to prepare for our first real tour. After this tour, we plan to do another Southeast tour in December of this year as well as more tours in the Spring and Summer of 2027!

15. If someone is hearing AS-33 for the first time, why should “Lay With You” be the song that introduces them to the band?

This is definitely our most polished song, and it’s the song that encapsulates our melodic side as well as our heavy side. It really is, in our opinion, the song that will drive our future sound.

16. What do you hope listeners take away after hearing this new single?

I really hope that for 4 minutes, it allows you to forget everything going on around you and grabs your attention. If Lay With You makes you feel something, that is exactly what we’re aiming for.

17. Is there anything else you'd like to share with the readers of Breathing The Core Zine?

We will be touring this October with Out Of Darkness and Sygnal To Noise. If you live in the area and see us playing, come hang out!! We also have another song called Enough that's out everywhere; it was our first single. If you like what you hear, go give it a listen! You can also find us on social media @as33.music! Thank you to Breathing The Core Zine for this opportunity as well!

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