INTERVIEW w/ TYRANT (EDMONTON THRASH)

I've said it before, I'll say it a million times. Canada produces some of the best Metal bands on the planet. Any style you can think of is represented in a brilliant way all over. With that, a band from the Edmonton Alberta Canada area is finally releasing their first EP, The Existential Reversal, June 15th. I had the opportunity to ask this band some questions about their unique blend of Thrash and Metalcore. ENJOY!


Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview! June 15th brings the release of your brand new EP, The Existential Reversal. How does it feel to finally get this out?
We’re really excited to finally release these tracks to our fans. We’ve spent a lot of time developing our sound over the past couple years and it is fully represented with this EP. It feels good to release some fresh content.

How did The Existential Reversal become the title of this EP?
It definitely took a bit of time to land on a solid name, but half way through the recording process, it just sort of hit us. The EP has a very dark tone to it and conveys themes of the unwilling inevitability of death and the idea of having your life ripped away before you are ready - The Existential Reversal.

What was the songwriting process for this EP?
For this EP Marshall, one of our guitarists, laid the majority of the ground work on guitar and then him and our other guitarist Rob hashed out the finer details, including harmonies and layers to give the tunes that crunchy yet smooth sound. Drum patterns and bass lines were developed during jam sessions. Once a song was put together, our vocalist Brett would write lyrics and vocal patterns and then we would all collaborate in jam to ensure we developed the best song possible. We felt these songs fit really well together as a three track EP.

I really dig the artwork for this EP. How did the artwork come together for this release?
We’re big fans of quality artwork. We love complex and intricate designs both for our merch and EPs. We work primarily with two artists for the majority of our artwork; this particular design being developed by Headsplit Design out of France. We feel that it’s the perfect representation of the thematic undertones of time and death, using subtle details throughout the design.

All three songs fit so perfectly together showing off what you guys are capable of in 2018. How do you feel about the progression of the band up to this date?
We’ve been pushing each other to really up our musical game. We started off as more of a straight ahead thrash metal band with hints of metalcore, but with our current line up we’re not overly concerned with traditional sub genres. We write songs using several different influences and go with what sounds best to us - whatever we think is going to make people say “Fuck Yeah Tyrant!” is what we want to put out. We are excited about the unique sound we’ve created and look forward to defining it further.


Where do you see Tyrant going from here musically?
We want to continue writing music that satisfies us as a band while building off the sound we’ve created on The Existential Reversal. As previously mentioned, we don’t want to limit ourselves to any sub genres as we write new music. We are looking to actively experiment with new ideas and influences to further develop the Tyrant sound.

What is next for Tyrant?
We want to keep our foot on the gas. Now that we’ve released some new material, our goal for the rest of the year is to continue playing shows around Western Canada and put together a national tour. We’ve been keeping our eye on some overseas opportunities, which is something we really want to push for next year.  We’re also in the process of writing a full length record as well as re-recording our old demo Limitations with it’s current live sound. We want to ensure that we can provide our fans with a solid stream of quality content to keep up the momentum.

What should people expect from a Tyrant live set?
People should get ready for some serious energy. We’ve been gaining a reputation in Western Canada for having a chaotic and energetic live performance while upholding our music standards to the fullest. We constantly work on our live performance and feel that it is a big part of our identity as a band. Whether it’s shredding on stage, selling merch, or having a beer in the parking lot, we love playing shows and meeting new fans.

What is the Metal seen like in the Edmonton area compared to the rest of Canada?
For a long time Edmonton’s Metal scene was a top contender in Canada, representing a variety of metal and hardcore bands. Sadly the music scene has taken quite a hit in the past few years with a large number of venue closures - even the venue where we shot the live part of our music video for Spoils Of Decimation burned down about two weeks after the shoot. The city can’t seem to catch a break lately, but Edmonton is resilient and has great people working in the scene. We are hopeful and excited to see it prosper once again.

What do you like to do when you’re not focused on Tyrant?
As a band, we like to hang out together and crush Pina Coladas, put on records, and play board games.

Once again, thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview. I absolutely love The Existential Reversal and I can’t wait to see what you guys embark upon next. Before we are done is there anything else you would like to mention that I hadn’t brought up yet?
Well first off, thank you for the interview and we’re glad you dig the EP! And secondly, as a general PSA: support your local music scene because no one wants that shit to wither away!


Tyrant- The Existential Reversal is out June 15th!

facebook.com/tyrantcanada