Issue 5 | For Today

sailor’s talk magazine ISSUE 5 | DECEMBER 2015

FOR TODAY MYKA RELOCATE | BORN CAGES | PHINEHAS

Capsize’s Enough For Me Available now via

STAFF: CEO // Editory-in-Chief // Art Director: JAKE LAHAH

Contribution Photographers:

ALEXA FRANKOVITCH, BROOKE LONG, CAITLYN WILLARD, JAKE LAHAH, KRIS KOELEWIJN PENELOPE MARTINEZ, RYAN STACEY

Contributing Writers:

ELNA DIEZ, KAMNA TALWAR

CONTACT US: EMAIL: JAKE@SAILORSTALKZINE.COM WEbsitE: SAILORSTALKZINE.COM

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SPECIAL THANKS TO: AMY SCIARRETTO, ATOMSPLITTER PR, FOR TODAY, PHINEHAS, KERRI BRUSCA, CLAIRE REYNOLDS, RAZOR & TIE, BORN CAGES, MYKA RELOCATE, JESEA LEE, HIGH ROAD PUBLICITY, COME WIND, MIKE CUBILLOS, EARSHOT MEDIA, BROADCASTER, NATALIE BISIGNANO, EQUAL VISION RECORDS, HEATHER GRIFFITH, FEARLESS RECORDS, AUSTIN GRISWOLD, SECRET SERVICE PR, BIG PICTURE MEDIA, ALYSSA DEMPSEY, DAYNA GHIRALDI, BIG PICTURE MEDIA, CHRISTINE MORALES, MICHELE STEPHENS, EPITAPH RECORDS TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

6 // Album Reviews 8 // Texas In July Final Show 14 // Come Wind 16 // Broadcaster 18 // Myka Relocate 20 // Born Cages 26 // Phinehas 28 // For Today 40 // Live Gallery

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ALBUM REVIEWS Wage War // Blueprints - Fearless Records Released: November 27th, 2015 Wage War’s Blueprints released on November 27th via Fearless Records, shows off the bands ability to be a dynamic group that incorporates a heavy, in-your-face vibe with a more dramatic flair to your typical metal-core band.

The album opens up with “Hollow” with a slowed down and more dramatic opening giving a mysterious vibe. The beginning chugging drives the listener into the next song “Twenty One” as it speeds. “Twenty One” incorporates some blast beats showing the bands full potential for their dynamic style. Wage War offers some vocals that are sweet and inviting to the rest of the album. This sharp contrast to the heavy instrumental and unclean vocals creates a vibrant sound that is not only appealing to the listener, but attractive to the everyday metal listener.

Blueprints definitely taps into the average metal-core fan by bringing something new and fresh to the stage. Songs like “Alive” and “Deadlocked” give listeners a chance to experience the fast thrill Wage War brings out. “Basic Hate” and “The River” offers killer melodic guitar fills. The melodic nature of these parts allow for the listener to get lost in the intricate ways the song is constructed.

The musical language Wage War uses between the guitars and drums is constructed in a complex manner that breaks the normality of metal-core as a genre. By combining a wide range of vocal ranges, Wage War creates a change of pace within each song offering this nice battle between the furious and the serene.

Overall, the album is driven mainly by the drum component of the album dominates and drives the listener through it while keeping a level of aggression that is fueled by the heavy breakdowns throughout the album. That teetering line between the heavy and serene is what Wage War’s album Blueprints is about. For a band that is putting out their first recorded, it’s evident that this is groundbreaking material that will create a lasting impression and image.

For fans of: August Burns Red, Betraying the Martyrs, Glass Cloud review by Jake Lahah

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Ice Nine Kills // Every Trick In The Book - Fearless Records Released: December 4th, 2015 Ice Nine Kills, Every Trick In The Book was released on December 4th via Fearless Records, proving the bands ability to use theatrics in combination with the metal-core genre. The album itself, cohesively has a narrative feel to it with a heightened sense of horror.

The album opens up with “The Nature of the Beast”. This song introduces the bands theatrical ability opening the song with a monologue type of introduction that builds dramatically. The song quickly shifts to unclean vocals and a much heavier breakdown.

From the start, listeners are hooked on the sound.

Songs like “The People in the Attic” and “Communion of the Cursed” contain these rolling like breakdowns done by the drums that are in sync and intertwined with classical instrumental fills.

Compared to their previous release The Predator Becomes The Prey, you don’t see tracks like this on that album. It shows how the newer album is composed in a way that shows and expands the bands full potential and their inventive and creative use of theatrics. Every Trick In The Book exemplifies a different side of the band with the heightened creativity involved with the integration of classical instrument sounds.

Songs like “Star-Crossed Enemies”, “Tess-Timony” and “Alice” are considered some of the “less heavy” songs on the album. While the songs contain some elements of metal-core breakdowns, the emphasis is on the actual overall mood of the song versus the climatic and crashing relationship between the dramatics and the breakdowns.

The album closes up with “Hell In The Hallways”. This song has a very focused build up in the middle that reaches a height where the band plays their heavy music. This song is filled with drum and guitar backgrounds making a chaotic sounding environment this song exists in. The song ends by fading out slowly closing up the album.

Overall, the album is best defined by the relationship between the theatrics and lead vocalists Spencer Charnas’ vocals with the heavy breakdowns and how they have this dynamic movement throughout the album.

For fans of: Upon This Dawning, Capture the Crown, Crown The Empire review by Jake Lahah TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine

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TEXAS IN JULY // THE FINAL TOUR PHOTO GALLERY BY RYAN STACEY When any band break-up, it’s important to cherish those final and last shows the artist puts on. We will miss Texas In July very much as they wrap up the legacy they had from 2007 to 2015 being a prominent figure in the metal music industry.

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Under the radar, indie-rock group Come Wind have recently released their album Move In Place. With such a unique album, we decided to chat with lead vocalist Aaron Troyer about the band and what’s coming up next.

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What’s the inspiration behind your newest release Move In Place?

There’s a lot of different inspirations that come to mind when thinking about this album. I think I tend to write songs about where I’m at in life rather than always focusing on a specific idea. Doing it that way helps me write lyrics that I always feel passionate about. So I think the inspiration behind these songs simply is life - the highs and lows of the paths we take.

Stylistically, what went behind the scenes with writing this album? How do you guys feel it is different than the rest?

This album is definitely a different approach for us for sure. I think behind the scenes there was a lot of experimenting with how many instruments we could take on in a single song. We actually added a member this time around, going from a four-piece to a five-piece, so that presented us with a lot more options stylistically. I think, though, the thing that really stands out about this album versus the rest is that we really focused on each individual song this time. Nothing was forced, and the goal was always “let’s make this song the best it can be,” with no regard for style, genre, or public reception.

As a band, what was the achievement behind Move In Place? Is there anything you guys specifically set out to do when writing this album? Any sort of personal goal behind the creation of it?

Honestly, I think the main goal was to make a full-length album. Everything we had done to this point had been EPs or smaller, so for a long time we’ve had the desire to do something bigger. I think on a more personal level, the goal of this album is to write music and lyrics that I feel passionate about. Don’t get me wrong, I hope other people can connect to these songs, but I always want to have a sense of purpose singing and playing the songs we write.

What do you want fans to take from the album? Is there any universal or underlying message?

I would say that the theme of this album is growth through change. For each of us, over the past few years, life has changed TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine

drastically in many ways and I personally have learned to cling to the few things that are constant. I know for me unexpected change is really hard to deal with, and I think in a nutshell, this album deals with trying to work through things like that.

What’s the inspiration behind the artwork? Any particular reason behind the album artwork?

Well first off, our album art is a photo by our good friend Matt Day. Matt is an incredible photographer, whom we’ve known for years. After we finished tracking the album, we asked Matt to listen to the album and find some pictures that describe how he felt listening to it. The result was absolutely great. Matt sent us some ideas, but the shot of the house stood out by far.

I think going back to the theme of album, houses are really interesting pieces in each of our lives. No matter how long you live in a certain house, or how much you’ve changed, being in or seeing a house you lived in reminds you of the person you used to be, the times you shared with old friends, and what once was. I can definitely feel that resonate through this album, and I think Matt nailed it.

Was there any personal struggles with writing this album? What goes through your guy’s mind when writing this album?

For me, songwriting always brings certain struggles. When I’m working through something or trying to finish an idea, a lot of times, I end up being super pessimistic - seeing only the flaws. I think especially as a vocalist, you hear more imperfections than anyone else in your own work. That makes it tough, but that’s just part of the art. Working through all that stuff I think made the album what it is, and I think it turned out fantastic!

What can we expect new from the band over the next couple months and into 2016?

Hopefully a lot! We’d like to get back out on the road soon, and start playing these songs live! I think 2016 will be a busy year! interview by Jake Lahah photo provided

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BROADC So you guys released a new EP titled Spin last month? What’s this EP about? Any inspiration behind it?

No concept really, just a collection of new songs. One song is about people in music (or really any hobby or job) taking themselves too seriously. Another one is about getting hooked on touring. Then there’s a couple lovey-dovey pop songs. All inspired by life and stuff.

Do you guys feel like the album translates something unique about your personalities?

Not personally as individuals, but hopefully something unique can be found about the band. We’re definitely not re-inventing the wheel here, but I think we try to write songs that can help someone feel better after a shitty day at work. Or maybe put on a mixtape (mix CD? Spotify mix?) for someone they care about. Hopefully we hit on something special in the process, if not... oh well, we’re having fun and are happy if anyone’s listening.

This album definitely has a sort of happy-punk vibe? Was that something you set out to achieve?

That was definitely a bit of a conscious thing. To me, our last LP had a few darker songs on it. Definitely wanted to make this new EP a little more lighthearted and upbeat.

With the creation of this album, what did you guys focus on the most? Was there a specific element or role when creating it?

The one thing we kept in mind with this one, recording-wise, was “less is more”. I don’t think our songs are ever particularly complicated, but the last LP also had a lot of layers.

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CASTER Multiple guitars, piano, tons of backing vocals. Tried to take a barer boned approach this time.

Was there any struggles associated with the creation of this album? If so, what were they?

Nope, was a fun one! We recorded with our friend Phil in a basement on Long Island.

Close to home, recorded the music live together. I never really completely finish writing lyrics till we start recording, so that’s always a pain in the ass piecing together between takes, but overall, was definitely a stress-free and laid-back process.

How do you guys compose lyrics? What’s one of the deciding factors for what is said and what isn’t said in a song?

I usually write them, partially at practice and partially on my own. There’s no deciding factors really. Tom and Vito keep me in-check if a line doesn’t flow right, or resembles another song or something, but that’s about it. Try to not sound like a dummy. Whether we’re successful at accomplishing that or not is another story.

Anything else you’d like fans to know about the album?

We had fun making this EP and hope anyone who listens enjoys it. Come say hi at a show! interview by Jake Lahah photo provided (Andrew Wells) TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine

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For many emerging bands out there in the scene, their sophomore album is a test to see how the artist develops. Myka Relocate’s sophomore The Young Souls is more than that.

Myka Relocate started off in 2010 in Houston, Texas.

The group released their first album Lies To Light The Way in 2013 via Artery Recordings crafting themselves to one of those budding bands in the metal-core scene.

They started touring opening for various headlining bands such as Attila, Capture The Crown, and The Word Alive. Myka Relocate played music from their first release as an introduction and statement to who they are while reaching a new fan base. The album contains electronic breakdowns that are present and upfront defining themselves as an experimental metal-core band. In 2015, the band released their sophomore album The Young Souls which challenged their capabilities as musicians.

The Young Souls is such an inventive and creative album pushing the boundaries of metal-core. The album introduces new elements of pop that are infused well with traditional and new age metal breakdowns. Songs like “Bring You Home” and “Nerve” are constructed outside the box bringing a new sound that includes rougher, unclean and more pop sounding vocals. The whole album itself is created with delicacy with intricate electronic fills that contribute to dynamic sound this group has to offer.

Myka Relocate just finished up the “Hate Me Tour” headlined by Escape the Fate. The band opened up their set with “Cold Hearts” impressing fans with new material. Their set included some of their latest songs like “Bring You Home” and “New Again” integrated with some of their older songs from their previous release. This is a fresh image the band is presenting to the audience. Compared to their older songs, Myka Relocate created a vibrant and energetic set in the way that they have progressed from older to newer releases and how it is translated. The drama is heightened by their intense fillers that contribute to

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the overall mood of their show creating a continuous and coherent set that shows the advancement of the band as a whole.

Was The Young Souls a major success?

Theadvancement between Myka Relocate’s freshman to sophomore album is a surfacing transition of the band showing their true potential. With a new sound that focuses largely on the relationship between the heavy vocals and breakdowns with the more somber and eccentric electronic fills, the album is more collected and direct with their sound versus their previous release. With this new album they keep the integrity and persona of their first album while introducing a more mature and advanced artistic sound. This is definitely a major success for the band considering many young artists lose fans when there is a major shift in the style and tone of newer works.

Myka Relocate makes that transition successfully by creating the evolution from Lies to Light the Way to The Young Souls.

With Myka Relocate hitting number sixteen on Billboard’s list of Hard Rock artists, it’s safe to say that Myka Relocate’s The Young Souls has made an impression on the standards of metal-core within the industry and with that notion, they are one of the top emerging artists of 2015.

photo by Sarah Hess story by Jake Lahah

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Being a do-it-yourself band is an art form of it’s own. It’s takes a lot of hard work and dedication as you accomplish each stepping stone growing yourself as an artist. We spoke with Born Cages lead singer Vlad Holiday about what it is like being one of the smaller bands in the industry, what it’s like being one of the different band on Vans Warped Tour, and their overall writing process for their music.

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Give us little information on the band. Where did you guys meet, and how did you guys become a band?

We met through the local music scene, through different bands, and through different studios – stuff like that. We’ve been a band in this incarnation since last CMJ Festival. It’s been exactly a year. We actually just played CMJ Tuesday. We’ve had some other members and stuff since October of 2011. So it’s been a little bit.

CMJ a cool festival?

Yeah, it’s cool. It’s hectic. It doesn’t feel as much as an event as South by Southwest is because it’s New York City and it’s always that crazy outside. But yeah, it’s really fun. We only got to play one show this year and it was very last minute because we had this tour coming up.

Were you guys always playing this indie-electronic type of group? Were there any side projects? What influenced you to go this direction?

Well, this band has always been that. We come from other bands also. It’s hard to classify music but I was in somewhat of a rock band that had sort of a poppyness to it which also had guitar solos. In that regard it’s actually the same as Born Cages.

Taking a look a year back, would you ever expect this project to be where it is now? If so, why? Is it surprising?

I mean yeah. We’ve always, since day one, had really big ambitions. Not with just this band but everything I have done as a musician. It’s nice though. Recently, we’ve been seeing a lot more success than we have in the past. We’re definitely one of those bands that doesn’t get things handed to us. We’ve done a lot of shows where there was nobody there. We’ve done a lot of touring knocking on people’s doors trying to work with them. It’s finally all getting a little easier. It’s very rewarding. And sometimes I get surprised that we were playing in front of people.

Do you think it’s a learning process that all musicians go through until they find their niche?

Yeah, I don’t think all musicians go through it. Some of them get lucky and skip a few steps. But I think when you do have to grind it out it builds your character and you definitely find out who you want to be more specifically. When I started this band in 2011, I didn’t SAILOR’S TALK | 22

know exactly what I wanted to be. I mean you learn things. You learn who you want to be and it’s like growing up or finding out who you are. Actually, our first record we just released is a lot about that. That’s kind of the overlying theme of the album.

Talking about this newest record or in general, where do you draw influences from and what type of texts are you inspired by? This could be music, movies, literature, anything.

Literally, everything though. There’s some things I gravitate more towards when I’m inspired. Everything really sucking through my eyes or ears are influential to me or the rest of the band really. I watch a lot of movies. I listen to and like a lot of different types of music. Everything that I’ve kind of listened to over the years developed into what my taste is now which is hard to pin point. It’s hard to say what influences you because everything influences you in a positive or negative way. Sometimes you hear a band and are like “Wow, definitely don’t want to write music like that!”

You find yourself through living.

You guys are somewhat of a smaller band. Tell us what are some of the struggles of being a smaller band versus some of the larger bands you may have seen on Warped Tour this summer.

Financial struggles would be the main one. We’re getting better at that. It’s like the main one because sometimes it sucks when you are driving a very long time to play for not a lot of people. We just played a show in Connecticut that was a small weird venue for us. We were asked to do it. It almost had a high school town show feel to it. It was really nice because they had brought some people that really wanted to see us and they had a great time and we had a great time together. Small shows it’s a lot more intimate and you can really react with the people that like your band. It’s really rewarding to do that sometimes.

Give us some insight on how it was like playing warped tour. What was it like?

It was our first time and we were scared to go into it because we thought we’d get labeled as a Warped Tour band some how or understand our like and what we were doing. There weren’t a lot of bands like us for sure. In retrospect it was all great. We definitely made fans. Everybody was really nice even from the smallest bands to the biggest bands. It was different and a cool thing though.

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To me you guys have a very distinct sound. Was this an accomplishment you were or certain sound you were going for? And did you guys go into writing knowing you wanted to sound like this or was it something that kind of naturally come out?

Yeah, I think it was natural. I don’t think it was like, “Alright, we need to write a song like this because we are trying to fit in.” It was never like that and it will never be like that. The sound evolved naturally.

How important is it to keep an open relationship with your music peers and fans as well as other bands and other friends out there on the tour?

What do you mean by open relationship?

Just like being able to communicate with each other well, things like that.

So important. Well, with the fans it’s different because they are the reason we are here and we are doing it. We also owe a lot to them. It’s also really fun talking to them. I love all the people that like our band I feel like I can SAILOR’S TALK | 24

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have a good conversation with because we’re like minded, as with anybody that listens to similar types of music.

Also being in a band you have to be friends with your band. It’s so important to do that.

What is the overall message you want to display to your fans? Is there actually really a message or is it more of an impulse where you want fans to just come out and have fun type of thing?

There’s definitely message behind the songs and the live show we want them to come and have a great time.

The most like general representation of our songs is to just kind of describe different human emotions whether they are bad or good and to write about it as you feel it. We want people to hopefully relate to it and to look at things in a more positive way. I think that’s the main goal. When people come up and say that your song helped them get through a real tough time and that they can really relate, that’s kind of the best reward for doing it all.

photos and interview by Jake Lahah

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P H I N E H A S

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Between a new album, non-stop touring, and plans to swim with great white sharks, Daniel Gailey, Sean McCulloch, Bryce Kelly, and Lee Humarian of Phinehas have had a lot on their plate recently.

As openers for For Today’s “Wake” Album Release Tour, the four piece metal band from hailing La Mirada, California cannot truly take claim to the Golden State as their home.

“We’re just on airplanes all the time, leading up to where we’re going,” stated guitarist Dan Gailey.

The band has has hit just about every major point in the US, covering 29 cities in just over a month.

“Every show is a little different,” said Gailey. “We’re getting a lot of exposure on this tour, a lot of people don’t know who we are. The kids that come to shows, there’s almost two different groups – kids who just enjoy watching us and the kids who mosh and stuff.

And most of the time when we play, they’ll mosh for a second and then they’ll just kind of look up at us and be like “what’s happening?” We just play really fast, and it’s just a little different. Overall I think it’s been great; people have been incredibly kind to us.”

“It depends on the area too,” added Kelly. “There are different areas of the country that have different types of kids. Where it’s like the south, like Texas area, kids are just stoked and it doesn’t matter what it is. But then before you hit the actual coast, people just like specific things, and if it’s not what they like they just kind of hang out; they’re there. It’s really weird, you can almost kind of predict what the day is going to be like just by where you are.”

But regardless of where they are in the country, the guys have definitely been building up a serious fan base.

“This tour has been a lot of making new fans,” said McCulloch. “People who have heard our name, or maybe heard a song or two but have never heard us live and so, in touring with this package, it’s cool. I feel like we’ve sold a butt-ton of CDs which is great because I feel like that’s what anyone who has heard a band for the first time or seen a band live for the first time, that’s what they’re going to end up buying as opposed to a shirt. I feel like we’ve been making a lot of new fans, and it’s very encouraging.”

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“It seems like people are really digging the new stuff,” he continued, “and I mean I know all of us are really really excited about it. This is the first album with Dan in the band, and I feel like he brought a really cool technical, and groovy element to an already shredding template. So I feel like a lot of people are digging it.”

As the Wake tour ends, the band has just a few weeks before they head back out on the road – this this time to Europe for the Christmas Rock Night festival.

While they will only be there for a few days, Phinehas hopes to do an extended European tour in 2016.

“I’ve been waiting for a while to get over there,” McCulloch commented. “Europe loves metal – as far as on the spectrum of metal-core, we lean a little more towards metal. We have a pretty decent following over there, so people have been waiting for a while. We’re trying to get over there so hang out with them.”

But as Kelly responded, “it’s a selfish motivation, because who doesn’t want to go to Europe?”

“We also have the new goal after meeting with our manager a couple weeks ago,” Kelly added. Dan told him the story about how his other band went to south Africa and went diving with great white sharks, and now it is his sole mission is to get us to south Africa so he can go with us and go diving with great white sharks. It is his only motivation – he just wants to be in the water with a great white shark.”

Beyond heading overseas, the guys are hoping to make it to Warped Tour this coming summer as well. But until then, they are planning to take it easy.

“We’ve been touring nonstop this year, there’s a lot of tours where I’ll be home for maybe 10 days before going back out again.”

And with a year of recording, touring, and planning, a break is well deserved before they come back strong again next year.

What will they do?

“I mean, I’ve got a lot of video games to play, as far as the band I don’t know.” photos, interview, and story by Alexa Frankovitch

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With the rise of contemporary music and art in today’s society, themes and messages about philosophy, religion, science, and ethics are something that are taken into consideration as a creative personnel. No one does this better than For Today. Being noted as a band with absolutely killer break downs and the introduction of their newest album, the band has started the embark on their newest journey with their most recent release Wake and how it relates to their personal views and show style.

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“I say we do rock paper scissors to see who loses the shirt,” David said as we stood looking back and forth between three of the four band members who all happened to be wearing plaid that day. They looked intently at one another until finally, Brandon modestly left the room and came back quiet and flannel-less.

We sat down on the leather sectional in the middle of the dark red living room located just above the former-church-turned-concert-hall. With the members of Fit for a King writing songs and eating pizza in the next room, we began chatting about the current tour.

“It’s going great,” stated guitarist Ryan Leitru. “We are out with a bunch of friends, we’ve toured with all of them several times now so everyone knows each other and I think everyone’s kind of been doing a good job of just – it’s been going very smoothly, which is always cool. It’s been good. The shows have been great, and we’ve been selling out a lot of dates. And for a tour on a record release I think that’s a good sign that people are excited, so that makes us excited.”

Made up of members Mattie Montgomery, Ryan Leitru, Brandon Leitru, and David Puckett, For Today, the Christian metal-core band from Sioux City, Iowa headlined a month long tour to promote their newest album, Wake.

“It seems like people really like it,” commented lead vocalist Mattie Montgomery. “Overall, you usually will have people say “I like the old stuff better” or “I don’t like this” or whatever – people will always find something to complain about. But it seems like those people are less vocal on this album, which is good. We’ve been getting a pretty overwhelmingly positive response, which is great.”

After it’s release on October 2nd, the album not only topped the Billboard charts, but also received rave reviews from multiple publications as well as fans across the board. But while positive, many commented on the change of sound in comparison to past albums.

“I mean, what’s different about it is that we decided to do some things that were a little riskier for us.,” said Leitru. “We did a song on the record called “Bitter Roots” that’s pretty much a chill song up until the last maybe 15 or 20 percent of the song, which SAILOR’S TALK | 32

is kind of a different thing for us. The song has a lot more dynamics, and there’s a lot more dynamics in the music in general. There’s more effects and ambience and things like that happening. There’s more texture on the record, which is kind of different.

Even lyrically, we kind of went in a different direction than we have in the past, and it’s less literal. There’s much more metaphor and more ways to say things that we’ve said a lot, so it feels a little different on the vocal tip as well. Overall, we tried to do some things we haven’t done before; took some chances we haven’t been comfortable taking in the past, and it’s quite unique because of that.”

But with a new rhythm guitarist as well as being signed to a new label, Nuclear Blast Records, the change was foreseeable, and seemingly for the better.

“Oh, without a doubt,” Montgomery commented when asked if this was the band’s best album to date.

“It’s our favorite,” Leitru added. “Typically, most bands we tour with end up always wanting to play the new stuff, and we’ve never been that band.

We’ve always wanted to play the stuff that goes over well with everyone live, that’s what makes it fun. Part of playing this music that we all like is that it’s a sort of connectivity between the band and the fans, so we have always leaned towards playing the songs everyone knows. And with this record, for the first time, I just wish we could play all of these songs because I think they’re all cool. It’s good to come out of the studio feeling that way, wanting to play new songs and not really know which ones to pick and choose because we like them all. We want to play all of them, but we have to supplement some.

We finally understand what all those other bands are complaining about, but it’s nice to feel that way.”

But as anyone who was able to snag a ticket to the mostly-sold-out Wake tour will have heard, the set covered a variety of songs, old and new.

“I think we’re still playing a lot of the older songs,” said drummer David Puckett. “We have to really keep ourselves in check to not be like “let’s just play the album front to back, it is the album release tour.”

So we’re very intentional with making sure that our set is very well balanced. But because of how well the album has been received, I know personally there’s been a connectivity with the fans. Looking at the lyrics, they’re very relatable and I can just see TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine

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their reaction to it. There was a girl last night that had a really sad story about a friend passing and I know that when she was in the green room talking to us. Briefly we had a mutual friend who introduced us and she said that the new album had been helping her so much with dealing with that loss, and that’s just amazing for me to hear and experience and whatnot. I think that people are connecting at the same level if not more than with the old songs.”

“We’ve always done a good job with kind of blending new and old,” continued Leitru. “I think we try to make sure we play the songs that we need to play and the songs that people want to hear; because ultimately when anyone goes to see any band, they want to hear the songs that they have loved. So I think you kind of have to keep that mindset. What you would like to do is maybe play all new songs, but what people want to hear is what they love. So you kind of try to do it that way.”

As a Christian metal-core band, there are obviously traces of religion and spirituality laced through their music, as well as in the way that they conduct themselves. And with the hashtag #WHEREISYOURVISION connected

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to their newest album, the band has created a platform for anyone to respond openly to their album Wake, regardless of religion or background.

“I think our faith plays into everything that we do,” said Montgomery. “Everything we have ever done and everything that we do. Not just in terms of just our music or our career, but in terms of our marriages, our finances; everything that we do in life is sort of given purpose or direction by the defining thing of our personalities or our lives. And that is our faith for each of us. This album is I think a lot less presumptuous in terms of thinking that everyone in the world agrees with us or stands where we stand or looks at things the way that we look at things, but I think that this album we really went into it saying, “listen, we understand that there are a lot of people that follow our band that are facing some very serious issues.” Things like addiction or depression or loss, abandonment, rejection, bitterness, or un-forgiveness, and we wanted to write songs that give them the words to express what’s going on; and to hopefully seek hope or freedom from those things.

Jesus said “to seek and save the lost,” and so this album isn’t songs for church people to sing along with. This album, we really went into it saying we want to stand in the corner with people. Whether they’re Christian

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people or atheist people, or republicans or democrats or whatever, we want to stand in the corner and face some of these giants together. And that’s kind of where these songs were born from. You know, acknowledging that these are real issues that people in our scene are facing and for a lot of us, are issues that we have faced or are still facing in some senses. And so we wrote this album really wanting to help, to give some hope to people who are thinking they have to face some issues alone. The heart of Jesus is to see people free. Instead of just talking about faith or Christian things, this is talking about human things, and hopefully people will find that there’s really an answer to their human problems, and that is Jesus.”

With the knowledge that a significant portion of their fanbase isn’t necessarily Christian, or even religious, For Today is working to open themselves to anyone who is willing to listen.

“I think where our heart is, is being a polarizing band over the years. We kind of get people who tend to love us or hate us,” stated Leitru. “But I think what we’ve been trying to do, especially on a touring level, is just establishing human connections with people and making relationships with people, going out on Warped Tour and trying to serve people well and love people well. And I think that that’s the best way anyone can build rapport with anyone. To their peers or the people around them, it’s by being real with them and loving people well and serving them well and lowering yourself. I think sometimes a lot of bands in general try to exert themselves over other bands so that they can be known as bigger – they can use other people as a step stool. And I think our heart has always been, and again this is our faith bleeding into it, is that we kind of reverse it and we’d like to serve people well and hopefully that builds credibility in a way that actually matters instead of building our name for our own sake; to try to serve people well because people are valuable. So it’s been more of a relational way of building credibility rather than being concerned with whether or not everyone likes our band or things we’re awesome, it’s just letting people know that we think they’re awesome.”

For Today just finished their headlining tour and be on the lookout to see what’s next for them as 2016 approaches.

For more information on For Today or their newest album Wake, head over to fortodayband.com. photos, interview, cover, and story by Alexa Frankovitch

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“Whether they’re Christian people or atheist people, or republicans or democrats or whatever, we want to stand in the corner and face some of these giants together.”

- Mattie Montgomery

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