https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084179002216
From: Arizona
Sounds like: Hard Rock
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound?
Cry The Enemy started in the fall of 2019 when guitarist Fred V. and bassist Reuben T. had the idea of forming a hard rock band to explore another creative musical outlet while still playing in their local cover band. They were joined by drummer Chris C. and vocalist Courtney C. and the band began writing original material and finding its direction.
Courtney was with the band for about a year and contributed the lyrics for Ride To Hell and Fire & Desire before stepping away for personal reasons. After searching for a new vocalist, the band connected with Jeff S. through a mutual friend. Jeff was playing solo acoustic gigs at the time, and after a few rehearsals it felt like a good fit. From there, the lineup settled in and the songwriting process really started to gain momentum.
As for our sound, it developed pretty naturally. All of us have been playing music for 20+ years, and while our individual influences vary, we share a lot of the same roots in hard rock and alternative rock from the '90s and 2000s. Rather than trying to fit into a particular style, we focused on writing songs that felt honest to us.
Most songs started with a riff, groove, or basic idea from Fred or Reuben. We'd bring those ideas into rehearsal and work through them together, with everyone contributing suggestions on arrangements, melodies, and song structure. Jeff wrote the lyrics for most of the album and also brought in the initial guitar idea that became Blow My Mind. Over time, all of those different influences and perspectives blended together into the sound that became Cry The Enemy.
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
We hope people will find a connection with the lyrics based on their own personal experiences, and take a moment to really listen to the intricacies and nuances of the music. We feel each of the songs on the album are unique since the initial ideas were created and/or developed from different writing styles, but still managed to coalesce into songs that maintain the hard rock essence.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
Our sound could be described as modern hard rock, but it still contains some influences from the 90's and 00's. For example, a few songs have main riffs or intros that were actually written about 25 years ago and are finally seeing the light of day. Overall, we feel our songs and sound probably resonate more with seasoned rockers, but still have the modern vibe to entertain the younger hard rock generations.
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
Shinedown, Alter Bridge, and Chevelle.
5. What's your thoughts on AI generated music?
While AI generated music is considered a form of art, it is a bit concerning to those of us who have worked so hard to create original music. Cry The Enemy spent nearly 4 years writing and rehearsing our songs to finally produce our debut album. AI generated music can essentially be created quickly with little to no human influence and sound really amazing, but in the end it is still an artificial product. While it will not be going away, AI generated music should be clearly labeled or identified separately from human created music.
6. What’s your take on the current state of Hard Rock?
We think hard rock is alive and well. There are a lot of great bands out there, and today's technology gives artists opportunities to reach fans or listeners that would have been unimaginable 20 years ago. Streaming platforms and social media have made it easier than ever for people to discover new music. At the same time, it's always great to walk into a packed venue or see photos and videos from festivals and concerts that remind you how passionate the rock community still is. Hard rock is a bit like an old leather jacket, every few years somebody says it's out of style, but somehow it always finds its way back into the spotlight. The fans never really leave, and neither does the music.
7. What’s the current local music scene like there in Arizona?
Arizona is not really known for having a big local music scene, but there are actually a lot of bands and musical artists playing daily around the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. However, it seems that a lot of the music scene, in general, is spread out or isolated to certain bars/clubs around the metro areas. For fans that like to support multiple local rock bands, they often have to choose who they can support on any given weekend and what part of the city they want to travel to since there is not really a centralized rock scene.
8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists?
There are definitely conversations to be had about streaming royalties. The reality is that streaming revenue alone isn't enough to keep the lights on for most artists. But let's be honest, nobody picks up a guitar, sits behind a drum kit, or starts writing songs because they dream of earning fractions of a penny per play.
The coolest part of streaming is that someone halfway across the world can stumble onto a song at 2 a.m., throw it on a playlist, and suddenly become a fan. Twenty years ago, that probably never would have happened. You had to find the CD, hear it on the radio, or catch the band live. Now music can find people wherever they are. Seeing someone connect with something you created is worth a lot more than the few cents that showed up because they hit the play button.
9. What’s next for Cry The Enemy?
Since the release of our debut album we have been working to promote it on streaming services and through traditional CD sales. Moving forward we would like to start playing out more with other original bands, but have also started to look at online and social media networking to help share our music outside of Arizona. We would also like to continue building up a fan base and our social media platforms to further share our music.
10. Any shoutouts?
Cry The Enemy would like to give a shout out to From The Depths Entertainment for reaching out and partnering with us to help promote the band; to Byron Filson at Villan Recording for helping us create a great sounding album; playlist curators and social media collaborators who have taken the time to write a review and/or share our music on their platforms; to our fans who have supported us from the beginning and new fans who are just discovering us; and to EVERYONE who has bought a CD, downloaded the album, streamed a song, watched our music video, bought a t-shirt, or followed us on social media - Thank You all!
