By: Joe Brunker

  I first met David Drejas and his outfit OUTDrejas in 2018. My band, the short-lived, but mighty Dead Harvest. Up until that point, most of our bigger shows were out in the suburbs, but the show that we were slotted on was opening for the guitar legend, Michael Angelo Batio at Chicago's very own Beat Kitchen! I was stoked for the opportunity. When I initially read the flyer, I looked up the other band on the bill, OUTDrejas. I had never heard of them beforehand, but I liked their high energy riffs and tunes. 

  I walked up to David at the show, and he seemed like a really fun and hyper guy! I was excited to see them perform. We played a killer set, and then, David stepped up to bat. I knew they had energetic songs, but I was not expecting the onslaught of passionate performances from the band in front of me. I was blown away by their talent, and thoroughly impressed by David's inclusion and crowd work. Since then, I have watched David and his cohorts achieve more than many others out there. I wanted an interview. David agreed to a phone call! I usually have a large list of questions, but this one, I let him just tell me the overall story of OUTDrejas. Pen in hand, here is what I compiled from this energetic, passionate, and at times hysterical interview!

Joe: 
How long have you been OUTDrejas?
David:
  That’s a hell of a question. I have a spreadsheet with every show we've ever played. So, our first show was on June 21st, 2014. We are now eleven and a half years in! I'd started playing when I was 13, but I was 24 by the time 2014 came around. I had finally felt like I didn’t suck at playing.
   It takes a lot of commitment and gumption to be in a band! I couldn’t find anyone around me to start one. So, I went on Craigslist. I found a metal band that was looking for a bassist. I pretended that I knew how to pluck the bass, when my real skillset was guitar. The band was called Annoinnting of the Sick, because the drummer didn't know how to spell.  
   I really didn't look metal at all. I would wear a fedora, and a legit fucking cape! I cut my pants, and wore a pair of batman socks with small capes attached. I felt, I didn’t look good, but we weren’t really that good. We became known as the band with the goofy bass player. The bandmates were all really good in their own skillsets, but overall, we weren’t tight sonically.
  One day, we got the chance to play MoeJoe's in Joliet, then named the Tree, followed by The Forge. Our first major opener, was for Adelita's Way. I asked to talk with the promoter there. His name was David John. Well, it still is. I asked him if my other band could play for him sometime. He said, "Sure! What's the name?" Only problem, I didn’t actually have another band. So, I came up with a name on the spot! "We are OUTDrejas!" 
  So, I got my buddy, Stuart Graham to help out. I told his violinist self to learn the drums, and help write original parts. Stu's brother, Tristan Graham, who played "shitty punk rock," but I say that in a good way, because that is in a genre in itself. I listen to shitty punk rock. Like the old Green Day, not the new. 
  I was on acoustic guitar for the show, but I really wanted to shred. I would put down the acoustic and would walk across stage to pick up my ax. Our first show, was a battle of the bands. We played with a bunch of metal bands. We were not metal, but somehow managed to come in 2nd place overall! Our prize, being able to open for Puddle of Mudd. The openers of that show, invited us to play House of Blues soon after. That was where the ball started rolling. We don’t really know when we became a band, but it just... happened. 
  We have now had over 20 members. Ther was a time when we had 5 different drummers. We booked one show in Kalamazoo, MI at Papa Pete's. We didn't even have a drummer for that show, but we brought a kit I faith that we would find one. We found a random drummer out there, and asked them to learn our set. They did pretty well!! 

Joe: 
  I noticed you recently played with some bands that I know. How was that show? 
David:
  We actually just played a show with Embers Rise, Trash Pandas, and some father son duo called Power Takeoff! That duo had a really good Spotify presence. They were all pretty great and I loved the mix of different sounds. It’s a bill that you don't expect to mesh, but turned out to be awesome! 

Joe:
  Speaking of internet presence; I noticed that you guys have grown quite immensely on YouTube! How did you go about accomplishing that? 
David:
  The secret is Google ads, to be honest! What is cool, is when people see the advertisement, but keep returning to view more. I do like the "one off" views, but always love it more, when people return for more. How it all started? 
  We wanted a music video; so, I reached out to a guy named Peter Dousette. He came and filmed a music video, for a thousand bucks! We had him come down again, and there, I negotiated to see if he gave discounts for a bulk set of videos. I asked him what rate he would give me... for ten music videos.
  He offered a deal. We would pay $2500 up front, and another $2500 when he finished the bulk order. He ended up flaking on fully finishing call of the videos, but he only ended up charging us $2500, and gave us the rest of the raw footage to edit ourselves! He then pulled a "you!" He found a great girl, and moved to Georgia to work in the corporate world. 
  The cool part about getting the raw footage, was that it inspired our now permanent drummer, Jeremy Horvath, go get into video editing! He saw it as just a puzzle piece that needed to fit in with the rest of the pieces. He did the editing on his IPad, and he did it better than Peter. We actually still have two of those music videos left in the can for later! We are still getting mileage out of those videos. 
  Another idea that we have utilized, is recording our live performances. We play Summerfest every year with people who just love music, and set up their own stages. I hired out Mystery Street Recording to track our live performance at the fest. Somehow, a week before we were going to use the talents of Mystery Street, we got the opportunity to open for Counting Crows, in front of an audience of 15,000 people. 
  We decided to use Summerfest as our practice ground for the actual recording at the Counting Crows show! It was incredible being able to have that chance! We finished our set before Counting Crows jumped on, Mystery Street handed us the raw footage, and Jeremy went to work on the editing process!
  We released those videos, and it brought us from 2000 to 3000 followers, like nothing! Our song, "The Promise" came out the best in post production. That video in particular, really helped us to launched our page. We only had to pay pennies in Google ads for a major return! 
  It’s really hard, man! You want to just rock, but end up becoming a glorified advertiser! You have to wear a lot of hats; all while trying to fit shit into a van! We are all having kids, now. It just shows, of you want something enough, you try to make it work!

Joe:
  So, any new albums on the horizon?
David:
  We have a lot going on with that! We originally were going to put out an album, but now, we have this new manager in California. He told us, that we should come out with 3 eps instead. We are going to do an original ep, a cover ep, and an instrumental ep! 
 My guitarist and best friend, Cody LoMonaco drew a picture of a bear in a tuxedo, so we are utilizing the bear in each ep! After that, we may change routes on the bear. We don’t want to over inundate people. 
The first ep will be: 
OUTDrejas From the Start, which we drop on Black Friday.
The second ep to be released in February:
Cover Charge; Songs We Made Our Own with an instrumental version of "Day Man"
Our Third:
No Words Needed; Voice Free Versions
The compilation of all three eps will be out in April!
   We have a lot going on, and I am very excited to release the song "Here To Stay," that I started writing before my first date with my now wife. I finished writing the song on my wedding day! 

Joe:
  There is so much more that I can extract from this interview with David, but I figure I would let you discover the band for yourself. Fall down the rabbit hole that is their YouTube, and you won't be disappointed. They recently attained 40,000 followers. People are truly enjoying the outrageous journey of OUTDrejas! 

By: Joe Brunker

   I lived in Plainfield, Illinois for a large portion of my life. I was living there when I started my first band, Over The Sun in 2014. I had no idea what I was doing, or how we would grow from the burbs. It was really awesome to know that there was another rising rock band that was also from my neck of the woods. It gave me inspiration to jump in, feet first. I would see signs, outside of the old Durbins, that would say, "Marina City Tonight at 7." 

  Being a novice in the scene, I reached out to Marina City on their facebook messenger, and was very surprised to get a quick response. I asked if I could pick their brains on how to navigate a world that I had no understanding of. Lead singer, Ryan Argast, responded quickly and was very encouraging! While we never were table to coordinate our schedules for a meeting, I kept watch of their amassing achievements and rooted the guys on from afar. 

  I watched as they won competitions and created some awesome music along the way. I reached out to Ryan again for an interview on Bell and Company podcast. He was able to come out to the studio and left us with some great wisdom in the interview. While I have made my way down to Georgia, I still root Marina City on! Their growth through adversity has been a major source of encouragement! 

  Comprised of bandmates Ryan Argast, Todor Birindjiev, and Eric Somers-Urrea; they continues to grow their reach and inspire many others. I added them to my list of bands that I would like to interview. I am glad Ryan was table to carve some time out for this interview! Before I get to the questions, I will tell you my favorite song of theirs. My personal favorite from Marina City is definitely the emotional depth that I find from "Better Weather!" Don't just listen to that song, but all of their catalog. You won't regret it. 

Joe:
  You have been Marina City for quite some time! How long has that been?
Ryan:
  It’s a complicated question to answer because yes we named the band in 2011 but didn’t tell the world until 2012, then experimented a lot in 2019, then lineup changes in 2023 we reinvented ourselves to what we are now. It feels fresh to us while also feeling very comfortable in our own skin.

Joe
  With the compiling years and different bandmates; what has kept you going through it all?
Ryan:
  The love of music is very strong between the three of us. We all make a living through music even outside of the band whether it’s gigging, touring, our producing other projects. Music isn’t a hobby. It’s barely even a job but a lifestyle. It’s as important to us as air is. Also, we’ve grown up together. My daughter knows the guys as her uncles. We all stood in each other’s weddings. Our wives are friends. It’s a family. Even the past members are still around in different capacities.

Joe:
  I noticed you guys have been thriving with Wisconsin fans the last few years. How do you continue to foster the communities of fans that are further away from home?
Ryan:
  We aren’t much of trend chasers. We probably could be a little more hip to the newest thing but we really believe in connecting with people through our music and performances. Our music typically tackles heavy moments in our lives and our live performances gives us an outlet to really express these emotions. If you’re a fan of the band chances are we’ve had a real conversation together. It’s not just us 3 in the band. It’s a whole community. I think when you connect with people through your art, through your performance, and through conversation you can foster a great community wherever you are.

Joe:
  If you could put one moment from your band's musical career into a time capsule, for future generations to see; what moment would that be?
Ryan:
  Of course I’d want the sold out shows, the national anthems, the tv performances, etc but I think it’s more important for people to see the moments that kicked the snot out of us and how we bounced back. We’ve had our car broken into, been stranded in the middle of the Montana mountains, had boomers steal from us, walked away from high profile record deals. Those moments made us the men we are today more than the sold out shows.

Joe:
 How has raising a family changed the way that you navigate the music scene?
Ryan:
It’s not easy to balance so much but I think it’s important that you don’t think of your kid as a burden but as a new friend who can experience the things you love for the first time. My daughter is very young but has already traveled all over the country, seen shows, plays music with us, dances, etc. she absolutely loves what my wife and I love and it’s because we have her part of it. I also think as a parent your “me time” is very limited so you work extra hard in the little time you have to be more productive. I’m learning more and more the goal wasn’t to be famous it was to make and sustain great art. If I wanted to be solely famous I’m sure there is a new prank on TikTok I
could try.

Joe:
  Have you guys ever gotten any comparisons to other artists that you guys just didn’t agree with at all? What artist(s)?
Ryan:
  Through the years it’s been different but recently we’ve gotten Nine Inch Nails meets Fall Out Boy meets Audioslave. That’s been really awesome to hear.

Joe:
  If ever, how do you guys deal with creative differences from within?
Ryan:
  I think we are at a point now where everyone has a role in the band and are the leaders of that role but if I suggested a drum part for Eric even if he’s not into he’ll try it and then collectively the 3 of us will decide if it’s right. We are mature enough now to not fight for our idea just because it’s our idea. We want the idea to be the best for the band. That takes a lot of time. A lot of fights. We had a lot of band pow wow meetings together to get here haha.

Joe:
  Are you going to be singing the national anthem anywhere, soon?
Ryan:
  Nothing on the books now but the best part of my job is that at any moment something exciting can happen. So who knows!

Joe:
  Any new releases, or major event happening soon? Let the fans, new and old know.
Ryan:
We are playing at Rochaus in West Dundee on Dec 21 and then releasing a new EP top of 2026 expect a big announcement soon! 

You heard it from the front man, folks!! Keep your eyes peeled for any new updates from the band! Thank you to Marina City, for the opportunity to spread the word. 

By: Joe Brunker

I first met music video producer, Alex Zarek in a Chicago back alley behind Bottom Lounge. He was setting up for a music with Kevin Singleton and the boys in the former El Famous! Kevin, had put out a post, seeing if anyone wanted to be in their music video for the song, "The Life of Living With Regret." A song that resonates more with me as I've grown older. Our assignment, to go insane in the moshpit; that we did. 

  I thought Alex was a really chill guy, and was cool under pressure. I look up to people that can be that way, because having bipolar depression and adhd makes that a bit hard for me to achieve.  I continued to follow Alex as he continued to amaze people behind the lense. His music videos were so high quality and I knew, one day, I would try to have him film one of my band's videos. 

  Alex hadn't forgotten me in the mosh pit and he referred me to Stubhy Pandav of Lucky Boys Confusion when I had commented on one of his posts to act in his solo project, Mr. MS and the Infusions, "Mistakes of Our Fathers."

  Alex kept in touch for any future productions, and I was able to act in one more unreleased project before I was able to invite him for Primal Moon's "Take Off" music video. After filming our video, in the freezing cold; we stayed in touch. I had him on Bell and Company as a guest and I knew, if i ever had a chance to get his name out there; I would. Fast forward to now, and I needed to share his work with the readers of Sound Fury. If you are looking for a generational talent for your music video, I suggest you read this article and check out his creations! 

Joe:
So, what started you on your filmmaking journey? What drew you to music videos as your specific medium?
Alex:
When I was around 12-13 years old, I had started messing around with shooting videos with my mom’s classic Canon Powershot Digital cameras. I was very into skateboarding in those years, and skateboarding goes hand in hand with video for obvious reasons. I’d also started to capture and edit videos around RuneScape which my friends and I played a lot of in those days.

Fast forward a few years - I was interning for a record label in Chicago after my freshman year of college. I had recently changed my college major from psychology to arts technology (now known as creative technologies) at Illinois State University. As someone who had played in bands from an early age and was consumed by the love of music, working at a record label was, of course, a dream come true. But not necessarily in the ways I imagined. The label had an in-house creative team, including two video-centered guys that directed and shot a majority of the music videos for the ‘smaller’ artists on the label. A lot of these videos were shot in and around the office where they had a couple of rooms that were allocated to that type of thing. I was already interested in music videos, but had always imagined a full production crew being necessary to make them happen. But these guys (shoutout to Eric Richter, Dustin Smith, and Brian Raida) worked in small crews to create awesome work in a DIY fashion that was incredibly appealing to me. This is what sparked my initial serious interest in getting into music videos. I’d already been a musician for years, had a lot of preliminary video editing experience, and had just spent a summer witnessing industry professionals using their tools of the trade to create things that really resonated. In the fall of that year, I purchased my first DSLR camera and the rest is history. Over those initial years, I also started to hone skills in photography and design with ambitions to be a multidisciplinary artist within the music industry.

Music videos are an interesting type of filmmaking. One of my favorite things about it is that it’s relatively short-form compared to other types of work. A typical song is between 3 and 5 minutes long, so establishing tone and aesthetics quickly and deliberately is imperative. You can think of it in terms of a movie or TV show, where the colors and atmosphere play to the emotion and tension of a given scene and storyline. With music videos, it’s like that, except there’s usually no dialogue and you only have that 3-5 minute timeframe to get the message across. Sometimes there is a story being told, sometimes it’s just showcasing the artist as a performer. Oftentimes it’s a mixture of both. Once it’s done, it’s done and I can move on to another project that will likely have a much different vibe to it.  

I’ve done full-length documentary work, corporate world stuff, and just about everything else you can imagine but I’ve always preferred shorter-form projects over long-form. With music videos you’re able to establish these worlds more quickly and have more variety in smaller doses. It’s everything I like about creating videos all wrapped into one.

Joe:
You've been able to work with a lot of the top bands, in the scene, today. To what do you attribute that success? Also, who are some of those bands?
Alex:
In large part, I have the Greater Chicagoland Area to thank for the exposure and opportunities I’ve been fortunate enough to have. In the early-to-mid 2010s, pop-punk was blossoming here in a way that was electric and exciting. Bands like Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, Belmont (with whom I associate a lot of my early ’success’) were paving the way for the next wave of pop-punk bands in the area. While I’ve always floated between genres in my work and clients, pop-punk is definitely a scene in which people started to notice my work early on. Being in various bands myself throughout that time, I was right in the middle of what felt like an endless amount of opportunity. The cool thing about these music scenes is that they are usually pretty small in comparison to the mainstream music world and people know each other. They interact with each other, and by default they see what types of media that their contemporaries are putting out. Word of mouth is a powerful thing, and with social media becoming more and more prevalent, a lot of artists were exposed to my work through their friends in other bands.

My clientele started as mostly family and friends, but in a relatively quick manner started to expand into more than that. I was having a blast doing video, photo, and design work for whoever would give me a shot, whether or not they had money to offer.

Shoutout to Kevin Singleton and Stubhy Pandav for connecting me with a lot of key people early on.

Joe:
What have been some of your favorite shoots? What were some of your more taxing shoots? Why?
Alex:
This is one of the most difficult things to answer. At this point, my music video count is somewhere in the realm of 400 videos. Made up of projects in many different genres, this spans over 10 years across the United States with so many great people and memories. Sometimes it’s cool and fun, sometimes it’s heavy and emotional. But the common thread here is that I find myself reminiscing on the ones that felt meaningful. This doesn’t always equal a lot of views or hype, but that doesn’t really matter to me in the end. To be able to be a part of creating things that make people feel something is a blessing, even if it only reaches and affects a small number of people.

The more taxing ones often have to do with weather / temperature. Whether it’s 100+ degrees outside or ten below zero, the show must go on so that the vision can be achieved. Sometimes it’s long days into nights. Typically when you’re working in a DIY fashion, everyone is wearing multiple hats and going above and beyond to make the thing happen. You get stretched across a lot of responsibilities on set when working with a small team (or no team) and it’s a very satisfying (though tiring) feeling. The plane or car ride home after a long weekend of traveling, shooting, decision making, and execution usually feels like bliss and serves as a reminder that even though this is the most fun, fulfilling job I could ever ask for, it does take a lot out of me mentally and physically at times.

I’ll drop links to a shortlist of my favorites with a short description - this will end up being WAY too long if I don’t cut it off somehow (LOL).

Broadside - Bleu - https://youtu.be/bElaJmQ0y04?si=MzmFMIbDMD4CQkB3
- a ballad highlighting an emotional and personal story told by the vocalist
- shot partially in Nashville, TN / partially in Daytona Beach, FL

Overgrow - You’ve Got It All - https://youtu.be/-LczmcMbqlQ?si=1Zlzys3ensgYISJK
- This is probably one of the most ‘aesthetically sound’ projects Brian and I have ever done. This was our first experimentation with projection mapping

With The Punches - Mirage - https://youtu.be/o6A1KMNocq8?si=aioQgerQ6KorP9Bo
- A song that I fell in love with from the moment I first heard it. We crafted a cool narrative revolving around woodworking and personal closure.
- Shot in New Jersey

Nonpoint - Paper Tigers - https://youtu.be/sHUmz1uxM9A?si=ELdBiOlcWXbWvBhw
- Big lights, big energy, iconic band (shout to Brian Olivo for going big on the production)
- Shot in Chicago

Letdown. - Go To Hell - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA967Yr-lHQ
- Shot in Nashville, TN

I Ya Toyah - Caves - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h56QvK4H98E
- Shot completely on green screen and brought to life with Unreal Engine
- Shot in Carpentersville, IL

Many Eyes - Speechless - https://youtu.be/6NVwewAhAv4?si=kDOmirenczIpkRIk
- My team and I did some pretty interesting stuff with this one - shout out to Brian Olivo, TJ Belek, and Paul for helping this one come to life for Keith Buckley’s (formerly of Every Time I Die) new band
- Shot in Cleveland, OH

Belmont - SSX Trickmont - https://youtu.be/fpQz50jVxpA?si=aCIhyXpZT1AGPRn-
(honorable mentions to the classics Hollowed Out and Pushing Daisies)

Joe:
I've noticed that you've filmed a few "series" format music videos. Each video is connected to the theme. What has been your favorite series to film thus far?
Alex:
A good portion of my work ends up being with repeat clients, some of which I’ve done a lot of work with over the span of years. From late 2023 - early 2025, the artist I Ya Toyah and I made 10 music videos together - all of which were vastly different from each other. She was putting an album out in late 2024, and had the goal of creating a music video for all 10 songs. From renting out entire theaters to capturing footage of her dog Benek on green screen to be used in Unreal Engine, the journey we went on for these 10 videos was full of incredible experiences.

Another recent one would be the 4 videos (#4 is currently being wrapped) that we made for dying in designer’s latest record, LimeWire. We established the art direction and aesthetic of the whole cycle before we shot anything, and carrying that out across videos, short form content, photo shoots, designs, and more made for a very cohesive body of work.

As a more direct answer to your question, I have done several projects over the years that were more episodic in nature where a narrative storyline carried over between several music videos. Most of these are from years ago, but it definitely makes you think in different ways in terms of storytelling. Usually we’re trying to cram everything into one 3-5 minute long thing, but when you have more time to work with, it opens up more options for how that story can be told.

Joe:
Any new music videos to keep our eyes peeled for?
Alex:
They’ll be out by the time this interview goes out! :P

Joe:
Do you have any advice for future generations of filmmakers to follow as they get started in their journeys / careers?
Alex:
This answer is more geared toward people looking to make a living out of this type of work.

Do as much work as you can to figure out what you do and don’t like. Try things that you’re unsure about. Worry less about money and more about being a part of impactful, meaningful projects. Don’t let becoming ‘full-time’ or ‘making a living’ off of your work be your only measure of success - it’s 100% doable to make this work alongside another primary job or career especially at the beginning.

Go the extra mile, be kind, and handle each project with care. Remember, when people hire you, they are entrusting you to help bring their vision to life. Musicians are generally very passionate about what they do, and will have that same drive when bringing someone in to work on the visual aspects for them. As a filmmaker, cinematographer, editor, etc., this is a very special role to be in, because you are helping craft the visual identity of something that someone else poured their heart and soul into.

Be versatile! This is one of the most important aspects of this. You don’t necessarily have to be proficient across a bunch of different mediums, but in the video/photo world, being able to bounce between the two has proven to be one of the most valuable things in my experience. A lot of cameras have the ability to capture high quality imagery through both video and photo, and being able to provide services in both separates you from some of the people who focus on just one area of work. The more value you bring to the table, the more likely someone will be to bring you in to do different types of projects. It can definitely be easier for an artist to work with one person on multiple things rather than having to hire out a handful of different people to each contribute their pieces to the puzzle.

Don’t forget to have fun.

By: Joe Brunker 

I can not exactly pinpoint when I met the members of the band known as Embers Rise. I believe the first bandmate I met, was drummer Cory Nicolin. I know he has been in many bands before helping to form Embers Rise. I had played with his former phenomenal jam band, Fuzzlove at Tonic Room, in Chicago, with my former project, Over The Sun. I just can't remember and I am racking my brain over it. The one thing I always remembered about Cory, was how talented he is in almost any genre of drumming!

  I believe I started following singer and lead guitarist, Ethan Barkman on Facebook. I saw a massive drive in him. As a former front man; I definitely follow anyone that I can gleen inspiration from. I follow the motivated, driven, and authentic performers, because if you don't bring a performance with your music, I tend to find the music forgettable. People don't go to a show to watch a bunch of stoic statues. They go to be ignited by the lyricism and overall energy of the show. I saw that in Ethan and was hopeful to play a show with him one day. 
  My hopes became reality when Cory reached out to have Primal Moon play on a bill with them at Alibi in Wonderlake, IL. That was also where I was able to meet the bassist, Rick Duncan. When I saw them perform, I saw passion oozing from every pore. Every strum, drum hit, and movement came from a well performed place of magnetic energy. I knew with their drive and dedication to the building phase of their band, they would go far. 

  We played another show, or two with them, but I never stopped following their journey. I loved the growth they had and watching their release radar! Every song, a banger! I also watched them on tour and watched their love for glizzies grow. For the older generations; a glizzy is a hot dog. I knew when I started writing for Sound Fury; I had to interview them one day. I am thankful they responded. Before I get into the interview, I always try to talk of my favorite tune with each band. I truly think Victim, their team up with Lines of Loyalty is a damn catchy tune! Give that song, and their whole discography a listen. You won't regret it! 

Joe:
I have seen you guys in multiple collectives in the music scene before. How did Embers Rise.... arise?? 
Embers:
Embers Rise was founded by Ethan after the fallout of his old band Opshional,  meeting Cory on Facebook after he was a part of Chicago area based bands such Fuzz Love, Polysci, and Forsworn. Rick was added to the lineup later joining after we met him playing in his previous band Let Fate Decide, out of Rockford .

Joe:
What inspired the name?
name?
Embers:
Back when Ethan was doing roadie work for another band; the band and crew had a small party, and Ethan and the bass player of that band came up with the name Embers Rise whilst sitting around the camp fire at the party.

Joe:
Bandmates tend to fulfill multiple roles; on and off stage. What roles do you guys divy up between yourselves, if anyone?
Embers:
Ethan is the band manager and currently booking agent for the band, managing social media and otherwise along with booking and strategy, along with being the main songwriter and producer. Rick manages merch and also takes on the large majority of driving and finding the best spots to stop for sleeping, routing gig to gig, along with contributing bass parts. Cory writes the drums and contributes background vocals, and harsh vocals to the song.

Joe:
What has been the most rewarding part of touring?
Embers:
Getting to explore the entire country, especially as we have been able to get out of the Midwest this year. Also, being able to reach fans across the country. It's always rewarding when we will be out in Texas, or somewhere insanely far and people say they came out to see us!

Joe:
On the other end of that same pendulum; what has been the most taxing part of touring?
Embers:
Most definitely driving! it's long, its tiring, it never stops, and sucks! Them, when it does stop, we usually end up sleeping in the van. That's a close second. It's not easy living in a vehicle with three guys.

Joe:
You guys really loved your hot dog stands on the tour. What were your top 3, and where are they? 
Embers:
1.) Fatdogs - gas station chain in Nebraska (quality and GIRTH are top notch) 
2.) 7/11 (Some of the best all beet hot dogs and are always consistent) 
3.) Walmart (Good all beef Nathan's famous hotdogs, very consistent and only $1.50)

Joe:
What venue was the most hospitable to you while on the road?
Embers:
Whit Wort Brewing in Gibbon, MN. A small independent venue in the middle of kinda nowhere Minnesota; let us sleep in the green rooms and gave us cots, and air mattresses. It's a super amazing place, amazing drinks, and a real hidden gem of a venue. I'd say that's the definition of hospitality!

Joe:
I know it is hard to pick favorites, but I've got to ask; what are your individual favorite songs to play from your catalog?
Embers: 
Ethan - Far From Lonely 
Rick - Hurricane 
Cory - Dreams 

Joe:
 Any new releases, events, or tours coving up soon??
Embers: 
Definitely new music coming in the new year, very soon. We just released a new single have more on the way and a record towards the end of next year. With that we will have plenty of touring in the spring/summer/fall next year! 

You heard it from the interview, folks. The creative Embers are truly rising with these guys! Keep a lookout for when  they tour through your state. Follow them, listen to them, and feel the passion from their music! I am hoping to see them soon. They are coming down near me in Georgia, with legendary band, Shallow Side! So, if you read this and see me there, don't say, "hi," because I don't want you to interrupt me jamming in the crow! 

By: Joe Brunker

​       I first met guitarist, Alex Haas in a door-to-door sales job. We sold windows, siding, and doors. On our way to canvas neighborhoods, we'd all talk about everything under the sun. One of the main topics we revolved around, was music. I would talk with Alex about marketing tactics, good venues, and some of our influences. After we both left the job; we kept in touch on social media. I always kept an eye out for any new musical projects or ventures from Alex and my other coworkers. I remember when I started to read about Alex's latest project, Aight Bet. 
    All I could think after reading their name, that they were genius for using such a popular and relevant phrase. At that time, I'm pretty sure I used the phrase in my daily vernacular. I decided to give them a listen and my eardrums were pleasantly surprised. I heard a flawless fusion of rap and metal. While other bands have experimented in that realm and genre; Aight Bet perfects it. When I co-hosted a radio show in Chicago; I tried to get the band on for an interview. Unfortunately, we had conflicting schedules and miscommunication on the show's part, but I knew that my next chance that I had to shine a light on a band; it would be them. Thankfully, Sound Fury Magazine gave me that opportunity.
    Aight Bet consists of five members. MOEYCYRUS on vox, Alex Uridel on vox as well, Alex Haas on guitar, Mike Robz on guitar, and Les Foy on drums. Together, they create a powerhouse of sound that isn't quite comparable. They are true "Hoodcore." I had the awesome opportunity of being able to hear from front man, MOEYCYRUS on a few questions that were on my mind. I am thankful for the chance to show these guys off. Without further ado, let's get into the interview. I know it's what you're all hear for. I am just long winded. 

Joe: A lot of genres tend to run parallel to one another. How did you all connect and converge the genres so seamlessly?

MOECYRUS: If you're a fan of all kinds of music, you can easily come up with a tasty concoction for the masses!

Joe: I've got to hear the backstory to your band name. How did that come about?

MOECYRUS: Aight Bet was and still is one of those phrases we use today just to either wrap up the conversation like, "Alright... okay. Cool.. Bet," or to let you know that someone is about to get what they deserve. This project expresses it just like that, with vengeance.

Joe: What artists and genres have been the main influences in crafting your sound?

MOECYRUS: As far as rap vocals, it's just a personal skill that's exercised with positive content. I'm not really moved by other artists, because these are my own experiences. When crafting sound, I just try to match the energy of the guitar and hope it sounds somewhere near Tony Iommi's soul.

Joe: People in bands tend to wear a lot of hats behind the scenes. Do you have delegated roles outside of instrumentation and performance?

MOECYRUS: I curate hip hop events and tap into the local Chicago scene every now and then.

Joe: What have been some of your greatest lessons learned from other bands that you have shared the stage with?

MOECYRUS: If you ain't honest with your bandmates about what you truly want, you're just wasting everyone's time. We have a solid gang now. Everyone is outspoken within the band.

Joe: Any new releases, or shows on the horizon? 

MOECYRUS: Michigan Metal Fest was August 23rd, and we also just had our big show at Bottom Lounge in Chicago. We are still riding out the vibe from our album drop in April. 

Joe: What do you think has been your key to consistent growth and success in the music industry? What encouragement would you like to give to the next generation of genre bending artists?

MOECYRUS: Staying consistent. Not letting emotions override temporary bullshit. Not being a diva. Being honest with yourself. I would like to encourage the next generation to invest in what you love and to know that promoting yourself doesn't make you pretentious.

    All in all, the boys in Aight Bet have the sound, the mindset, and the momentum to propel them into super stardom. With their consistently growing audience and hard-hitting songs, they are bound to get you jumping, moshing, and head banging your way into a good day. I hope to experience them in a live performance one day, but until then, I'll continue to rock out to some of my favorite songs of theirs; Don't Be Lyin. Be Lion, and Fish 'N Chips. So, after you're done reading this; I suggest you pop on your streaming service of choice, and go to town on listening to their catalog. They are truly a gem and I'm not lying.... I'm lion!

My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult will be hitting the pavement in October for a fall tour, check out our interview with Groovie Man.

1 - What are you most proud of with TTK at this point in time? 
The Longevity of it. Its not shocking but remarkable for something that wasn't a goal or a dream, but something we did for FUN together to escape from the world…

2 - Who were the bands or artists you grew up blasting that made you want to do this?
I was blasted w/music from birth due to a teenage mom, as i grew up  blasting, Soul, Bubblegum Rock, THEN:  Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper Band, David Bowie, Lou Reed/VU, The Stooges ,T.Rex, Cockney Rebel, to name a few.

3 - What’s the one song you secretly love that fans would never expect you to admit?
Knights in White Satin. TRUE! (in Spanish)

4 - If someone’s never heard TKK music, how would you describe the vibe?
It would depend on the mood/moon. Haha!

5 - What’s been the most unforgettable moment on stage (or on the road) so far?
Tripping one day on tour in 1989. and getting hit by a semi truck, riding in a van, on the interstate in Jersey.

6 - If your band had a signature drink at the bar, what would it be called and what’s in it? 
SNOWHITE BLACKOUT w/morphine

7 - What’s the weirdest or funniest thing someone’s ever shouted at you during a show?
I'm the looking glass you made to see yourself in!!!!! hahaha

8 - If you weren’t playing music, what completely random job could you see yourself doing? 
Any.

9 - Biggest grind of being a band — what’s tested you the most?
Sigh........ lol..........okay. the phrase....The Show Must Go 0n !!!

10 - What should fans be most excited for right now with TTK — new music, crazy live shows, surprises?
I guess that 38 Years gone by is xtra-exciting, Getting ready for a wicked zap through TKK Times. The Many Sound Scenes of our Kult of Devilish Delicate Terror Delights for All to Luv.