Sept. 7, 2026

From Pop Punk to Metalcore: Waves in April Debut Album at Rocklahoma

Show Notes
Transcript

On this episode of the Adventures of the Pipeman on W4CY Radio, Pipeman sits down with Waves in April at Rocklahoma. The conversation delves into surviving the brutal festival heat, memorable festival moments, the unique creative process behind their new album "As Above, So Below," and the evolution of their musical style. The band also shares behind-the-scenes stories, thoughts on genre blending, details about working with notable producers, and future plans.

Main Topics Covered

Rocklahoma festival experiences: heat, crowds, and wild moments
The physical toll of performing in extreme weather
Makeup and costumes in tough conditions
The release of Waves in April’s debut full-length album, "As Above, So Below"
Collaborating with producers from Disturbed, Blue October, and Left 4 Dead
The band’s genre journey from pop punk to metalcore and beyond
Spoken word tracks and breaking norms in songwriting
The culture and community of Rocklahoma
Band merch, social platforms, and upcoming performance aspirations

Key Discussions & StoriesRocklahoma Survival and Stories

The heat at Rocklahoma is extreme, with both performers and audience facing dehydration and exhaustion. One member of Waves in April even passed out post-set, highlighting the importance of on-site medics and cooling resources 02:12.
Festivalgoers’ dedication was evident as crowds braved over 100-degree weather to mosh and support bands 07:03.
The party atmosphere at Rocklahoma is wild, with campgrounds full of makeshift bars, unique bartering (e.g., popcorn for flashing), and late-night revelry 08:03.

Album Release and Creative Process

Waves in April dropped their first full-length album, "As Above, So Below," during Rocklahoma, marking a significant milestone 08:50.
Record production was a collaborative effort involving John Moyer from Disturbed, Matt from Blue October, and Ethan Wade from Left 4 Dead 09:06.
Pipeman and the band reflect on how the album’s songs came together—some written on the spot in the studio, others refined over years 12:04.
The album includes a spoken word track, bringing a novel twist to the metalcore genre 17:27.

Band Evolution and Genre Blending

The band began as a pop punk cover group but organically evolved toward metalcore, with influences that reach into grunge, pop, and classic metal 15:00.
Members emphasize their intent to break away from genre formulas, infusing songs with diverse influences from Aurora and Fleetwood Mac to Slaughter to Prevail 16:50.
The importance of continual evolution is discussed, referencing other artists’ approach to never writing the same song twice 18:31.

Festival Culture & Community

The band celebrates Rocklahoma for spotlighting up-and-coming acts and local talent, with shoutouts to other bands like Chain Saints, who have leveraged the festival to gain traction 13:34.
Humorous and memorable moments include festival tattoos, talk of mosh pits with “fish pits,” and dreams to perform on Shiprocked cruise 22:29.

Notable Quotes

"You’re all worried about your equipment baking... then you're like, wait, I’m baking too."
"I love that a lot of bands now are having these blended genres because I hate genres. There are so many stupid, subgenres, microgenres..." 16:09
"We break norms. I want to like kind of break the norm a little bit and just mess with things." 16:36
"There is one thing that's incredibly different about our album—besides the music—is we have a spoken word track on there, which I feel like isn’t done often.” 17:27
"As you grow, you know, you emerge, evolve... Why do I want to write the same song over and over again? And why would you?" 18:31
"If you want to find each of us individually, it's our names followed by ‘in April.’” 21:30

Resources & Links

Waves in April Website:wavesinapril.net
Find merch, tour dates, album info, and more.
Social Media Handles:
All socials: @wavesinapril
Individual members: [Name]inApril (e.g., DirksinApril, EllainApril, LucasinApril, WillisinApril)
Album: "As Above, So Below" – Streaming and purchase links available via the band’s website.

Additional Mentions

Collaborators: John Moyer (Disturbed), Matt (Blue October), Ethan Wade (Left 4 Dead)
Other festivals and bands referenced: Jump (Van Halen cover band), Slipknot, Metallica, Slayer, Black Veil Brides, Bring Me the Horizon, Chain Saints, Bloodstock, Shiprocked

For updates, merch, and music: visit wavesinapril.net and follow Waves in April on your favorite platforms.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-adventures-of-pipeman--941822/support.

Click Here to Subscribe for PERKS, BONUS Content & FREE GIVEWAYS!

Follow @pipemanradio on all socials & Pipeman Radio Requests & Info at www.linktr.ee/pipemanradio

Stream The Adventures of Pipeman daily & live Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays at 1PM ET on W4CY Radio & Talk 4 TV.

Download, Rate & Review the Podcast at The Adventures of Pipeman, Pipeman Radio, Talk 4 Media, iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & All Podcast Apps.

WEBVTT

1
00:00:04.620 --> 00:00:12.220
Hey, you're listening to The Adventure of Pipe Man on

2
00:00:12.279 --> 00:00:13.560
W4CY Radio.

3
00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:22.170
This is Pipe Man here on The Adventure of Pipe Man,

4
00:00:22.230 --> 00:00:23.870
W4CY Radio, and I'm here with.

5
00:00:24.329 --> 00:00:25.469
Waves in April.

6
00:00:25.789 --> 00:00:26.210
Nice.

7
00:00:27.089 --> 00:00:29.629
I wish there were some waves here in Oklahoma, man.

8
00:00:29.649 --> 00:00:31.269
Me too, man. It is toasty.

9
00:00:31.609 --> 00:00:34.170
Oh, I'm telling you. I don't even know how people

10
00:00:34.259 --> 00:00:37.799
deal with this and have no water anywhere. Like, get

11
00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:39.719
me to the water. I live in Florida, but at

12
00:00:39.780 --> 00:00:40.719
least I got the beach.

13
00:00:41.219 --> 00:00:43.579
Yeah, right? That breeze, that beach breeze air?

14
00:00:43.859 --> 00:00:46.280
Yeah, I can go catch some waves and get away

15
00:00:46.340 --> 00:00:46.579
from it.

16
00:00:46.579 --> 00:00:48.920
Catch some waves in, what is it, September?

17
00:00:50.020 --> 00:00:50.259
Yeah.

18
00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:50.820
Waves in September?

19
00:00:51.020 --> 00:00:54.369
Yeah, it's pretty much, it definitely isn't in summer. Not

20
00:00:54.409 --> 00:00:57.289
too much in April. No, it's not in April at all.

21
00:00:58.009 --> 00:01:00.490
So you're here at fucking Rock, Oklahoma. That's badass.

22
00:01:00.530 --> 00:01:00.829
Yes, sir.

23
00:01:01.659 --> 00:01:04.980
So have you guys been here before either to perform

24
00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:05.780
or attend?

25
00:01:06.500 --> 00:01:09.709
Yes, we played here last year, but we were at

26
00:01:09.730 --> 00:01:10.750
the Roadhouse stage.

27
00:01:11.709 --> 00:01:13.670
And did we play on a Friday? I think we

28
00:01:13.689 --> 00:01:14.969
played on the first day of the festival.

29
00:01:15.939 --> 00:01:16.560
Oh, I'm lying.

30
00:01:16.579 --> 00:01:20.230
We played on the second day. But, yeah, and we

31
00:01:20.250 --> 00:01:23.500
played after Van Halen last year.

32
00:01:23.780 --> 00:01:26.680
Oh, yeah, I remember Van Halen. And this year they

33
00:01:26.739 --> 00:01:29.299
had a band called Jump. And I'm like, what happened

34
00:01:29.340 --> 00:01:30.299
to Van Halen?

35
00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:31.739
Did they change the name?

36
00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:33.620
I think it was a different band.

37
00:01:33.819 --> 00:01:34.200
Interesting.

38
00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:36.250
A different Eddie Van Halen cover band.

39
00:01:36.310 --> 00:01:40.670
I think maybe Jump was... No, that was probably a

40
00:01:40.709 --> 00:01:43.849
David Lee Roth band. Yeah. I didn't get to catch

41
00:01:43.890 --> 00:01:47.549
that one, but... I would have liked to compare, because...

42
00:01:47.859 --> 00:01:48.840
Van Halen.

43
00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:49.189
Was pretty good.

44
00:01:49.530 --> 00:01:50.219
They were pretty good.

45
00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:53.959
So, I'd like to find out which was better. I'm

46
00:01:53.980 --> 00:01:56.879
going to have to look up some Instagram stories or something.

47
00:01:56.900 --> 00:01:57.519
Make a playoff.

48
00:01:58.140 --> 00:01:58.719
Exactly.

49
00:01:59.019 --> 00:02:04.939
Who's the better Rock, Oklahoma cover, tribute, Van Halen band?

50
00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:05.299
Yeah.

51
00:02:06.260 --> 00:02:09.319
So, what's it like to play in this fucking heat? Like,

52
00:02:09.379 --> 00:02:11.180
I think this is the hottest day yet.

53
00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:15.240
Yeah, there was a lot of layers to it. The

54
00:02:15.259 --> 00:02:16.020
main thing was.

55
00:02:17.500 --> 00:02:20.159
All of our equipment, it was just so hot on stage.

56
00:02:20.189 --> 00:02:21.530
And we were up there for an hour before we

57
00:02:21.550 --> 00:02:24.090
even played, so, you know, all that's just bacon in

58
00:02:24.110 --> 00:02:26.830
the sun. And then you're all worried about that. You're like, oh,

59
00:02:26.830 --> 00:02:28.610
my God, my equipment's baking. Let me make sure it's not.

60
00:02:28.810 --> 00:02:31.569
And then you're like, wait, I'm baking, too. So we

61
00:02:31.590 --> 00:02:33.389
had a couple people go down. I almost passed out.

62
00:02:33.449 --> 00:02:35.770
Luke actually did pass out after our set.

63
00:02:36.009 --> 00:02:38.389
Oh, shit. Well, at least you waited until after the set.

64
00:02:39.030 --> 00:02:41.569
But it was a sweaty, hot-ass, fun show, so.

65
00:02:42.909 --> 00:02:46.150
And shout out to the medics here on site because

66
00:02:46.330 --> 00:02:47.490
they saved our butts.

67
00:02:48.770 --> 00:02:52.129
They got me in quick. Nice. They got me with water.

68
00:02:52.150 --> 00:02:53.949
I had a cooling vest. It was real nice.

69
00:02:54.830 --> 00:02:58.250
See, that's badass because there were a couple people yesterday

70
00:02:58.270 --> 00:02:59.849
that got taken away in helicopters.

71
00:03:00.229 --> 00:03:00.710
Really?

72
00:03:01.189 --> 00:03:04.069
And I heard there was all but. There were a

73
00:03:04.270 --> 00:03:07.310
bunch of ambulances took people away. I mean, this is

74
00:03:07.370 --> 00:03:10.270
brutal heat. It says on my phone, don't go outside.

75
00:03:10.289 --> 00:03:10.870
Yeah, that's what it says.

76
00:03:11.949 --> 00:03:13.789
But I don't think I'm better off in my tent.

77
00:03:14.270 --> 00:03:17.439
No, but those heat advisories are crazy.

78
00:03:18.219 --> 00:03:20.599
Not only is it hot, but just in this environment,

79
00:03:20.620 --> 00:03:24.360
people are drinking, people are smoking, they're having a good time,

80
00:03:24.460 --> 00:03:27.240
but it catches up with you even faster whenever you're

81
00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:29.340
in 100-degree-plus weather.

82
00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:31.479
I want to know how you even do the makeup

83
00:03:31.539 --> 00:03:33.500
in this heat, and it still looks perfect.

84
00:03:33.620 --> 00:03:35.560
Well, thank you. You know.

85
00:03:36.409 --> 00:03:39.189
I was raised on the YouTube makeup artist, so I

86
00:03:39.229 --> 00:03:43.439
learned a trick or two in my younger years.

87
00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:46.419
To make the makeup last.

88
00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:50.340
Now I'm using FX makeup, so it's meant to stay

89
00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:52.060
through blood, sweat, tears.

90
00:03:52.180 --> 00:03:52.360
This?

91
00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:58.860
Well, all of it's, like, waterproof and stuff, so it's, like,

92
00:03:59.099 --> 00:04:01.060
it's going to stay. It's going to stay until I

93
00:04:01.099 --> 00:04:01.319
take it.

94
00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:01.680
Off pretty much.

95
00:04:01.699 --> 00:04:04.900
That's pretty badass because my hair is not cooperating with this.

96
00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:07.830
The only thing that ever moves is I usually have, like,

97
00:04:07.870 --> 00:04:10.610
a line across my forehead from my hat, but.

98
00:04:11.150 --> 00:04:15.750
I've already, like, had to clean off my forehead twice

99
00:04:15.849 --> 00:04:18.310
today from the red bleeding.

100
00:04:18.649 --> 00:04:21.069
Yeah, it's, like, it doesn't run, but whenever I start

101
00:04:21.089 --> 00:04:22.329
to sweat, if I go to, like.

102
00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:24.899
dab the sweat off my fingers are white and I'm

103
00:04:24.939 --> 00:04:26.259
like oh yay.

104
00:04:26.339 --> 00:04:29.060
Yeah right and what were you gonna say before I

105
00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:31.839
so rudely interrupted with the makeup question.

106
00:04:31.959 --> 00:04:34.649
Say what oh uh I can't remember but I didn't think.

107
00:04:34.610 --> 00:04:36.370
I didn't think so but I thought it'd be funny

108
00:04:36.389 --> 00:04:38.949
to get back to it no it was hot.

109
00:04:38.610 --> 00:04:40.430
I had I had black neck paint on before this

110
00:04:40.470 --> 00:04:41.910
mine all ran off because I just used a little

111
00:04:41.949 --> 00:04:45.189
spray but I I was I I don't really like

112
00:04:45.810 --> 00:04:49.129
like we we like dressing up on stage and having

113
00:04:49.149 --> 00:04:52.620
like a theatrical presence and everything yeah and um This

114
00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:53.990
was the first show that I was like, I gotta

115
00:04:54.029 --> 00:04:55.069
take this shit off, man.

116
00:04:55.189 --> 00:04:56.170
Well, that's what I'm saying.

117
00:04:56.209 --> 00:04:59.810
Like, we were eating before, and I was, like, saying

118
00:04:59.829 --> 00:05:02.069
to somebody, I'm like, yeah, if I was fucking war

119
00:05:02.129 --> 00:05:04.529
in this weather, I would not come out in costumes.

120
00:05:05.769 --> 00:05:08.069
I don't even get the people outside that don't have

121
00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:11.600
to do it. They're in the bananas and this and that. Like,

122
00:05:11.899 --> 00:05:14.240
I'm cool with all that, but damn.

123
00:05:14.259 --> 00:05:16.579
I'm thinking back to Slipknot 1999, too. Like, when they

124
00:05:16.600 --> 00:05:21.149
were playing, like, Ozzfest at, like, 3 p.m. here, even in, like, uh,

125
00:05:22.209 --> 00:05:25.149
like south Texas where we're from like I remember I

126
00:05:25.170 --> 00:05:26.629
don't remember that because I wasn't born yet but like

127
00:05:27.149 --> 00:05:29.670
it was just just like I feel like we get

128
00:05:29.689 --> 00:05:31.649
to feel a little bit of their pain but nowhere

129
00:05:31.730 --> 00:05:35.389
near because they're in fucking masks rubber latex masks I'm

130
00:05:35.430 --> 00:05:37.769
worried about president on Sunday dude oh.

131
00:05:37.829 --> 00:05:39.480
Oh but the but the sun will be down when

132
00:05:39.500 --> 00:05:41.220
they play so that's the difference.

133
00:05:40.980 --> 00:05:49.420
It was still hot with the sun down never mind.

134
00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:51.439
Why is president playing at four Yeah, that's crazy. That's

135
00:05:51.459 --> 00:05:52.079
another conversation.

136
00:05:52.100 --> 00:05:53.139
Because Slayer's playing.

137
00:05:53.160 --> 00:05:54.360
True.

138
00:05:54.379 --> 00:05:56.740
You know, Slayer trumps everybody here.

139
00:05:56.779 --> 00:05:57.040
Yeah.

140
00:05:58.120 --> 00:06:00.500
And it is wild that Slayer's playing. Like, that's my

141
00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:04.439
favorite all-time ever band. I was at their first show ever. Nice, man.

142
00:06:04.680 --> 00:06:08.160
And I was like, when I saw Slayer, I'm like, really?

143
00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:09.019
At Rock, Lahoma?

144
00:06:09.050 --> 00:06:11.740
Yeah. I was really excited about it, but I was like, wow,

145
00:06:11.939 --> 00:06:14.540
I would never expect Slayer at Rock, Oklahoma.

146
00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:17.420
Well, I mean, I saw a couple years ago Avenged

147
00:06:17.459 --> 00:06:19.000
Sevenfold was at Rock, Oklahoma.

148
00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:20.120
That I could see.

149
00:06:20.259 --> 00:06:21.110
Oh, my gosh.

150
00:06:21.410 --> 00:06:24.069
That I could see, but Slayer's a little different level

151
00:06:24.110 --> 00:06:24.750
than Avenged.

152
00:06:24.949 --> 00:06:27.089
Slayer's like getting Metallica. Like, that's pretty crazy.

153
00:06:27.509 --> 00:06:31.449
Well, I mean, even the type of music, you know? Like,

154
00:06:31.470 --> 00:06:36.579
you know, even Metallica would fit more in Rock, Oklahoma,

155
00:06:36.620 --> 00:06:37.660
I think, than Slayer.

156
00:06:39.870 --> 00:06:40.509
Exactly.

157
00:06:40.589 --> 00:06:43.029
Is that the gen after Deep Purple?

158
00:06:43.069 --> 00:06:43.470
Oh, sorry.

159
00:06:43.490 --> 00:06:48.269
All right. They're having their own interview over here.

160
00:06:48.290 --> 00:06:51.029
But, yeah, no, Slayer rips. I'm excited to see him tomorrow.

161
00:06:51.209 --> 00:06:53.069
I've never seen him, which I'm really stoked.

162
00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:54.439
Don't try. Don't try. Do.

163
00:06:54.860 --> 00:06:55.060
Yeah.

164
00:06:55.300 --> 00:06:55.899
You must.

165
00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:56.439
I must.

166
00:06:57.579 --> 00:06:58.579
It will be incredible.

167
00:06:58.939 --> 00:06:59.259
Yeah, man.

168
00:07:00.019 --> 00:07:02.079
I don't think I could be in a mosh pit, though,

169
00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:02.860
in this heat, though.

170
00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:04.819
I asked for one, and I felt so bad immediately.

171
00:07:05.300 --> 00:07:07.120
It was just like instinct. I was like, y'all open

172
00:07:07.139 --> 00:07:10.540
the pit, and they did, man. Y'all's people here for Oklahoma,

173
00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:12.519
they are so dedicated and so loyal.

174
00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:14.699
To the craft. That is what's cool about Oklahoma.

175
00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:16.240
It was so sick. Like, we had a big crowd.

176
00:07:16.259 --> 00:07:18.420
I was like, man, if it was this type of

177
00:07:18.459 --> 00:07:20.379
heat and I was attending, I would be way back

178
00:07:20.420 --> 00:07:21.259
in the shade hanging out.

179
00:07:21.860 --> 00:07:22.060
Right?

180
00:07:22.139 --> 00:07:25.120
They were awesome, man. Like, I was so happy seeing

181
00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:26.500
all their happy faces. It was so sick.

182
00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:29.839
I mosh at almost every festival. And the other day

183
00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:33.399
I was looking and I was like, not in this heat,

184
00:07:33.750 --> 00:07:34.269
not now.

185
00:07:34.569 --> 00:07:36.889
It was like the first day. I'm like, I'm not

186
00:07:36.930 --> 00:07:38.350
ruining myself for Slayer.

187
00:07:40.490 --> 00:07:43.589
I was just going to say, like, the energy that

188
00:07:43.610 --> 00:07:47.009
you get from the crowd is crazy, even on stage, because, like,

189
00:07:47.050 --> 00:07:48.040
we feed off of it.

190
00:07:48.050 --> 00:07:48.470
Yeah, of course.

191
00:07:48.490 --> 00:07:51.930
Like, we're a very high-energy band. But whenever they're going hard,

192
00:07:52.290 --> 00:07:54.589
it's still hot. It's crazy to see. It's like, no way.

193
00:07:54.670 --> 00:07:55.649
Right? Exactly.

194
00:07:55.670 --> 00:07:59.550
Especially these festivals are partying all night long in the campground.

195
00:07:59.629 --> 00:08:02.069
They're on those camps. We drove out on the golf

196
00:08:02.089 --> 00:08:03.889
cart and just, like, saw it all yesterday. It was

197
00:08:03.910 --> 00:08:04.430
so cool, dude.

198
00:08:04.730 --> 00:08:05.589
It's wild, right?

199
00:08:05.629 --> 00:08:06.790
They have, like, little bars set up.

200
00:08:07.209 --> 00:08:07.610
It's dope.

201
00:08:07.629 --> 00:08:08.360
All over.

202
00:08:08.540 --> 00:08:09.240
It's so sick.

203
00:08:09.540 --> 00:08:11.660
All over. And you can get.

204
00:08:11.740 --> 00:08:12.620
Like $ 2 beer too? Like what?

205
00:08:13.899 --> 00:08:16.959
My favorite was the free popcorn if you show your boobs.

206
00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:18.040
Yeah, that was a thing.

207
00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:21.810
So yeah, that's a thing for everything. But popcorn, I

208
00:08:21.850 --> 00:08:24.129
can't believe people are doing for popcorn. Because they're like

209
00:08:24.170 --> 00:08:25.870
giving away shots for boobs.

210
00:08:25.889 --> 00:08:30.790
Yeah, right. And buttholes. And even beads. Like Mardi Gras beads.

211
00:08:31.069 --> 00:08:33.490
You'd be amazed how many people out.

212
00:08:33.389 --> 00:08:37.690
There will show their boobs or butthole just to get beads. Yeah.

213
00:08:38.629 --> 00:08:40.909
I can't say that I'm one of them. But, you know.

214
00:08:41.090 --> 00:08:41.610
Yeah, I mean.

215
00:08:41.629 --> 00:08:42.509
I thought it was pretty funny.

216
00:08:42.590 --> 00:08:45.269
It's just beads. I'll probably find one on the ground.

217
00:08:45.289 --> 00:08:46.710
Yeah.

218
00:08:47.429 --> 00:08:49.029
So one thing that's really special we're doing, we're dropping

219
00:08:49.049 --> 00:08:49.769
an album tonight.

220
00:08:50.190 --> 00:08:50.649
Whoa.

221
00:08:50.690 --> 00:08:52.450
Celebrating that we're at Rocklahoma.

222
00:08:52.789 --> 00:08:53.529
I love that.

223
00:08:53.570 --> 00:08:53.830
Yeah.

224
00:08:54.009 --> 00:08:55.129
Tell me more about that.

225
00:08:55.149 --> 00:08:56.820
Yeah, it's our very first full length. Oh my God, sorry.

226
00:08:57.250 --> 00:08:59.549
It's our very first full-length album. It's called As Above,

227
00:08:59.570 --> 00:09:02.049
So Below. We recorded it about a year ago with

228
00:09:02.070 --> 00:09:04.769
some really cool people. Do you know Disturbed, right?

229
00:09:05.909 --> 00:09:06.370
Of course.

230
00:09:06.389 --> 00:09:09.330
Yeah, John Moyer, their bass player. He produced the record.

231
00:09:09.370 --> 00:09:14.129
So did Matt from Blue October and Ethan Wade from

232
00:09:14.190 --> 00:09:16.029
a band called Left 4 Dead who fucking ripped.

233
00:09:16.090 --> 00:09:16.409
Nice.

234
00:09:17.250 --> 00:09:17.629
Yeah, man.

235
00:09:18.049 --> 00:09:24.429
How'd that all happen? How'd you get all those collabs? Well, we're... Oh, shit. Sorry.

236
00:09:25.029 --> 00:09:26.210
You're not hot anymore.

237
00:09:27.110 --> 00:09:30.120
So, for anybody that didn't know, I just, like, knocked

238
00:09:30.169 --> 00:09:31.399
over my glass of water.

239
00:09:31.419 --> 00:09:31.500
Yeah.

240
00:09:31.740 --> 00:09:34.779
Squirted it right on Elton. You know what happens.

241
00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:36.379
She looked very hot, so.

242
00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:38.559
But, yeah.

243
00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:39.980
Back to the record.

244
00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:40.440
Yeah, yeah.

245
00:09:40.620 --> 00:09:42.490
Yeah, that's it.

246
00:09:43.340 --> 00:09:47.659
So, you asked, like, how that collaboration came about. So,

247
00:09:47.740 --> 00:09:52.000
we've known Matt Noveske for a minute because he's, like,

248
00:09:53.210 --> 00:09:56.980
He's recorded close to everything with the boys. And uh

249
00:09:57.720 --> 00:09:59.779
he works in a studio out of Austin called The

250
00:09:59.940 --> 00:10:02.860
Orb which is a great place and so we've known

251
00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:05.179
him for a minute and so he was obviously one

252
00:10:05.220 --> 00:10:06.679
of the ones that we were going to go with

253
00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:10.220
because he gives such great feedback in real time when

254
00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:13.509
you're recording and it he pushes me as a vocalist

255
00:10:13.549 --> 00:10:16.360
to do what I didn't know I was possible of

256
00:10:16.740 --> 00:10:17.940
in the moment, so it's great.

257
00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:23.240
But a couple... When was this? I can't remember. At

258
00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:24.519
some point, either.

259
00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:29.090
Was it that show at Sam's? When was that? Yeah,

260
00:10:29.110 --> 00:10:31.279
that was at Sam's. I know, but when was it?

261
00:10:31.629 --> 00:10:34.669
December. It was like in December of 2024.

262
00:10:34.669 --> 00:10:38.429
Yeah, so in December of 2024, we played a show

263
00:10:39.029 --> 00:10:41.809
in San Antonio, and it was being hosted by John Moyer.

264
00:10:41.830 --> 00:10:42.009
He was.

265
00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:48.179
introducing everybody as they got on stage, and he talked

266
00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:50.919
to us after and was like, man, y'all are killer.

267
00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:52.539
I'd love to help you out and be a part

268
00:10:52.580 --> 00:10:55.279
of whatever you're doing in the future. And so we

269
00:10:55.379 --> 00:10:57.570
asked him when it came time for us to record

270
00:10:57.610 --> 00:10:59.679
if he would be one of the producers, and he

271
00:10:59.730 --> 00:11:00.159
said yes.

272
00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:01.590
So that's him.

273
00:11:01.610 --> 00:11:02.309
Nice.

274
00:11:02.450 --> 00:11:05.970
And then Ethan Wade, he's just one of our homies. Like,

275
00:11:06.009 --> 00:11:08.399
we've played with his band Left 4 Dead before, and...

276
00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:12.679
He had recorded a few things for us before we

277
00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:16.720
went in to record the full-length album. And so he's

278
00:11:16.759 --> 00:11:22.399
our riff master. Whenever we're having a brain farty day

279
00:11:22.570 --> 00:11:26.009
where we can't come up with anything, he's like, let

280
00:11:26.049 --> 00:11:26.450
me try.

281
00:11:26.870 --> 00:11:28.750
And he comes up with some crazy stuff.

282
00:11:30.370 --> 00:11:31.509
Shout out to the Breakdown King.

283
00:11:32.389 --> 00:11:32.769
Nice.

284
00:11:33.190 --> 00:11:33.470
Yeah.

285
00:11:34.669 --> 00:11:36.309
Yeah, he also just knows.

286
00:11:38.029 --> 00:11:39.690
It's like a comfortable space that we can be like, hey,

287
00:11:39.710 --> 00:11:41.149
I actually don't like that. Can we do that instead?

288
00:11:41.169 --> 00:11:43.000
He's like, okay. And we do it and it's fun.

289
00:11:43.429 --> 00:11:44.980
And yeah, we annoy him a little bit with it because,

290
00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:47.639
you know, we got to just like test the waters

291
00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:51.860
and everything. But he loves us and he just is

292
00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:55.159
there for the whole ride. And no one knows what

293
00:11:55.220 --> 00:11:57.340
we want better than his brain. Like he understands what

294
00:11:57.379 --> 00:11:57.679
we want.

295
00:11:57.740 --> 00:11:58.419
See, that's cool.

296
00:11:58.539 --> 00:11:58.740
Yeah.

297
00:11:58.840 --> 00:11:59.840
You need people like that.

298
00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:03.000
It was a very, very fun experience. I am genuinely

299
00:12:03.019 --> 00:12:04.929
stoked for this record to come out. There's so many

300
00:12:05.009 --> 00:12:08.389
songs that we have just Like, we've had for so long,

301
00:12:08.429 --> 00:12:10.860
we've either had them for years or we've had them

302
00:12:10.899 --> 00:12:15.450
for fucking two months. Like, we wrote, what is it,

303
00:12:15.539 --> 00:12:18.039
As Above and The Gallows, these last two songs on

304
00:12:18.059 --> 00:12:22.600
the record, about, say, in the studio, about, like, how

305
00:12:22.740 --> 00:12:24.940
long ago was that?

306
00:12:26.230 --> 00:12:27.570
For As Above, So Below.

307
00:12:28.769 --> 00:12:31.289
I know my part on the song, I literally wrote

308
00:12:31.330 --> 00:12:34.210
it in real time as we were recording it.

309
00:12:34.210 --> 00:12:36.879
Because I was like, okay. So we just went line

310
00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:38.240
by line, figured it out.

311
00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:39.940
I love that.

312
00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:40.500
Yeah.

313
00:12:41.419 --> 00:12:44.659
Then, like he said, there are other songs that have

314
00:12:44.700 --> 00:12:48.379
been written for four years. And we've just made edits

315
00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:51.539
to over time. But it really varies per song.

316
00:12:52.309 --> 00:12:54.409
We've just been wanting to have this collection of songs

317
00:12:54.509 --> 00:12:56.210
out for so long. And we're so excited that the

318
00:12:56.250 --> 00:12:57.990
world gets to hear it. And we're so stoked that

319
00:12:58.009 --> 00:13:00.009
we get to basically release it here at Rock, Oklahoma.

320
00:13:00.049 --> 00:13:02.169
We get to, like, launch it at them.

321
00:13:02.470 --> 00:13:03.090
That's pretty cool.

322
00:13:03.110 --> 00:13:04.330
That's all I was talking about on stage today. I

323
00:13:04.340 --> 00:13:05.940
was like, we have a new record coming out tonight.

324
00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:07.259
That's so great.

325
00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:10.659
I've been excited for this day for a while. Just

326
00:13:10.700 --> 00:13:13.159
to be able to chill at Rock, Oklahoma, watch, we

327
00:13:13.179 --> 00:13:14.659
get to watch Black Veil Brides in a bit.

328
00:13:15.179 --> 00:13:15.440
Nice.

329
00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:18.769
And then just smoke and listen to the new album. Or, like,

330
00:13:18.789 --> 00:13:20.029
just have the album out now.

331
00:13:20.889 --> 00:13:21.429
There it is.

332
00:13:21.730 --> 00:13:24.049
Well, Rock, Oklahoma is a great place for all that.

333
00:13:24.450 --> 00:13:28.110
I love how Rock, Oklahoma also promotes, like, A lot

334
00:13:28.230 --> 00:13:32.549
of up-and-comer bands, emerging bands, local bands.

335
00:13:32.590 --> 00:13:34.629
You know, it's not just the big bands.

336
00:13:34.809 --> 00:13:37.029
There was a band last year that played, I think,

337
00:13:37.049 --> 00:13:39.230
a day after us. They were called Chain Saints. They

338
00:13:39.250 --> 00:13:39.629
were really cool.

339
00:13:39.769 --> 00:13:41.879
Oh, yeah, I know. And they're blowing up now. They are.

340
00:13:42.250 --> 00:13:46.500
I've interviewed them a few times. I just interviewed them overseas.

341
00:13:46.820 --> 00:13:47.019
Really?

342
00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:49.100
They've already made it. Where were they at? I'm trying

343
00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:51.639
to think. I think it was Bloodstock.

344
00:13:51.899 --> 00:13:52.279
That's cool.

345
00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:54.179
That they were at. Bloodstock's sick.

346
00:13:54.419 --> 00:13:54.720
Yeah.

347
00:13:54.980 --> 00:13:55.830
That's a really cool one.

348
00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:59.039
Yeah, I love that festival. I want to talk about

349
00:13:59.120 --> 00:13:59.879
his tattoo.

350
00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:02.480
Because I can only see half of it, the whole interview,

351
00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:04.980
but I was thinking it was a heavy metal Spider-Man.

352
00:14:05.620 --> 00:14:08.120
Oh, well, it's Spider-Man kind of like emerging from a spider.

353
00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:12.759
Yeah, it's pretty badass. But you know why I call

354
00:14:12.779 --> 00:14:16.409
it the heavy metal Spider-Man? Because he's got the horns.

355
00:14:16.429 --> 00:14:22.529
Oh, he is, yeah. Exactly. Exactly. See, it wasn't Gene

356
00:14:22.570 --> 00:14:24.529
Simmons that made it up. It was Spider-Man.

357
00:14:26.190 --> 00:14:29.870
Willie just got his first tattoo now that he's an adult.

358
00:14:30.389 --> 00:14:32.070
Yeah, he hasn't even had the hair grow back yet.

359
00:14:32.389 --> 00:14:33.649
Wow, look at that.

360
00:14:33.669 --> 00:14:38.899
He's still bald. You're no longer a virgin. But why'd

361
00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:42.139
they shave both sides? So it looked even? I'm just

362
00:14:42.179 --> 00:14:43.000
busting your chops.

363
00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:47.320
We're shaving all of Willie.

364
00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:47.960
Right?

365
00:14:48.179 --> 00:14:48.740
All of him.

366
00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.610
So tell me about this new album as far as

367
00:14:51.649 --> 00:14:55.230
how it's... How come you're so excited about how is

368
00:14:55.269 --> 00:15:00.009
the music different than what you've been doing up till now?

369
00:15:00.700 --> 00:15:07.240
Well, that's a complicated question with a complicated answer. So,

370
00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:11.279
in terms of how is it different, this band has

371
00:15:11.299 --> 00:15:13.480
been through a lot of change since it started.

372
00:15:14.019 --> 00:15:16.899
It started as a pop-punk band, pop-punk cover band.

373
00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:20.179
Whoa, how do you go from pop-punk to metalcore?

374
00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:20.580
Well.

375
00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:22.940
Yeah, it's crazy. Pretty crazy. That's why I'm saying it's

376
00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:23.899
a complicated answer.

377
00:15:24.659 --> 00:15:25.059
Yes.

378
00:15:26.039 --> 00:15:28.399
We all grew up and found each other and found

379
00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:30.679
that we enjoyed the same kind of music.

380
00:15:30.700 --> 00:15:32.360
And it's where our passion was.

381
00:15:32.539 --> 00:15:36.559
And so as we came together and started writing these songs,

382
00:15:36.620 --> 00:15:40.259
they kind of... I feel like they wrote themselves, honestly. Like,

383
00:15:40.610 --> 00:15:42.179
it would start with a riff and then everything else

384
00:15:42.210 --> 00:15:43.759
would just fall into place. Or it would start with

385
00:15:43.990 --> 00:15:46.769
lyrics and it would all fall into place. But I

386
00:15:46.809 --> 00:15:51.110
feel like it's definitely a cross between, like, classic metalcore...

387
00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:57.049
Early 2000s metalcore. There's also some grunge elements in some songs.

388
00:15:57.110 --> 00:16:01.090
There's some pop elements in some songs.

389
00:16:01.750 --> 00:16:08.139
I feel like it's kind of a hodgepodge of.

390
00:16:08.039 --> 00:16:12.009
All the different stuff we listen to. I think it's cool, though, because...

391
00:16:12.129 --> 00:16:12.850
I love that.

392
00:16:12.750 --> 00:16:15.710
A lot of bands now are having these blended genres,

393
00:16:15.730 --> 00:16:17.309
because fucking I hate genres.

394
00:16:17.870 --> 00:16:18.149
Okay?

395
00:16:18.169 --> 00:16:23.070
There's so many stupid sub-genres, micro-genres. And then, like, even

396
00:16:23.110 --> 00:16:27.529

From Pop Punk to Metalcore: Waves in April Debut Album at Rocklahoma

Listen On

Featured Episodes

Recent Episodes

Support On