Interviews: Afterlife
1. The Pain That Shapes Us sounds like a deeply personal record for Afterlife. Was there a particular moment during the writing process when you realized this album was going to be more vulnerable and honest than anything you'd done before?
100%
Prior to the initial writing sessions, we knew that we wanted to lay all the cards out on the table for this new album, hold nothing back in the topics we wanted to discuss, and be as honest and vulnerable as we could with the songs and we’re very proud of the final product!
2. The album explores how painful experiences can ultimately shape who we become. How did you balance being emotionally honest with still creating music that feels powerful and accessible to your audience?
I love this question!
So I feel that there’s this special duality within this band on and off stage that also translates to the music, you know?
I’m quite reserved off stage, but on stage / while performing I have this sort of personality and identity that takes over me, and I always wanted to see if that could be incorporated into the band's writing process and recorded music.
I think the most important thing that we realized in the studio was to trust the emotions and the feelings we felt while writing and recording the songs, and we did our best to not doubt how the songs made us feel and to really channel that into the energy you’ll feel while listening to them.
3. “Empty” has been described as the most vulnerable song on the album. What can you tell us about the story or emotions behind the song, and was it difficult to open up that much through your music?
Our approach to Empty was to try and create a song that was something we’ve never done before, and that was a song that was entirely all singing.
And what better way to do that than to write it about a deeply personal relationship that ended horribly, right? Haha.
We’re no strangers to the emotional honesty that is showcased within the band, but for this song we wanted to keep it as real and honest as possible, strip back all of the tricks and really let the vocals and the instrumentals speak for themselves.
Difficult to write, but we couldn't be any happier with how the song came out!
4. You worked with Zach Jones and Austin Coupe on the record. What did each producer bring to the creative process, and how did their approaches help shape the final sound of The Pain That Shapes Us?
It was an incredible time working with both of those producers!
Zach Jones has been working with the band since the very beginning, and we really feel that he truly understands what Afterlife is all about and what we’re always trying to accomplish.
Bringing Austin Coupe into the fold was an exciting experience as well, and he really brought a whole new perspective to the band, which we felt was the most important part of the new album.
There’s a ton of experimenting throughout the album, and I don't think it would be possible without both of them pushing us to try new things.
5. Your music draws from influences such as Slipknot, Linkin Park, and Papa Roach, while still having a distinct Afterlife identity. How have those influences evolved as the band has developed over the years?
I would like to think we’ve really leaned into our own identity on this new album.
While those influences remain present, I think our sound on TPTSU’s is truly our own.
I’ve always admired how those bands were able to be absolutely unhinged in aggression, honesty, and their emotional direction while still being the most memorable songs to hear.
I wouldn't be who I am today without those bands, so I’m thankful that they still fire me up and influence me to write the music that we do.
6. The album has already been introduced through “A Thousand Warnings,” “Bad Habits,” and “Empty.” How did you decide which songs to release first, and what do these three tracks reveal about the album as a whole?
I love that we got to kick things off with those songs!
I really feel that they showcase everything that the band does best without giving away too much of what the rest of the album sounds like.
Bad Habits was the first released single, and we truly felt that it showcased Afterlife in the best ways and a truly elevated sound that we’ve been building for years.
All three are a perfect spectrum of how far we’re really pushing the sound of the band.
7. Afterlife has performed at major festivals such as Welcome To Rockville, Louder Than Life, Inkcarceration, Shiprocked, and Blue Ridge Rock Festival. What is it about playing a huge festival crowd that feels different from performing in a smaller, more intimate venue?
It’s just an entirely different beast, honestly.
The scale of these festivals and crowds is second to none; it enables the band to be in front of so many new fans, and it’s truly such an adrenaline rush to perform at them.
There’s just such a supportive and communal energy to the crowds that you don’t really experience in smaller venue shows.
But we LOVE the intimacy that you’ll experience at those, meeting people at the merch table, talking with them at the barricade after the performance; it’s a very special feeling at them.
8. You've shared stages with bands including Ice Nine Kills, Crown The Empire, Bury Tomorrow, From Ashes To New, and Pop Evil. Is there a particular band or artist you've toured or performed with who has had a significant impact on Afterlife?
Honestly, they all have had a positive impact on us.
Every band has something to teach another; all of those bands have been touring much longer than we have, so we’ve learned a lot from just being on the road with them.
We look at everything as a learning experience, and that’s how we feel that you keep growing, taking notes on how things are done and how you can implement that into your show/band.
9. Afterlife has been together with its current lineup since 2017. What do you think has allowed the band to remain creatively connected and continue evolving together over nearly a decade?
First and foremost, we’ve been friends for much longer, and that’s a bond that I feel is incredibly hard to break or dissolve.
Yes, there are good and bad days, but as a band and a family, we learn how to navigate that.
We’re there for each other, and that’s our biggest strength.
10. Looking beyond the release of The Pain That Shapes Us, what do you hope listeners take away from this album, particularly those who may be going through some of the same struggles and experiences that inspired it?
I know it sounds “cliche,” but I want the listener to confidently know that they’re not the only person who feels the way they do, that there are others out there like myself who struggle and experience what it’s like to be a human and that these feelings and experiences make us who we are.
When listening back to the album after it was finished, it came across as very communal to me, like this album is bigger than just me and the band, it’s very much for our fans and anyone experiencing what it’s like to be human and i really cannot wait for you guys to hear the album in full.
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