Ashes of Jupiter / INTERVIEW

1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.

A: We have known each other and/or played together in one way, shape, or form over the last 10 years. We have been together as Ashes of Jupiter since June 2017. We each come from different backgrounds and influences. Jared, our drummer, listens to anything from jazz to djent and it shows in his playing. He’s very technically proficient while still holding a groove down. Tim, our guitarist, has a lot of classic rock influence. Rob, our bass player, has a lot of funk in his sound and style which I think adds a lot to our sound. I think he really uses his style well, especially with what we’re doing. Lastly for me, Adam, the vocalist; my influences vary quite a bit. I like melody and harmony and love to write catchy vocal hooks. Things that stay in your head for a while. 

2. What’s the origin of the band’s name? 

A: Our name actually stems from a story that we are writing musically. Think Firefly meets Star Wars but with much more death and destruction. And instead of screaming and absolute brutality in the songs, our songs tell this story of death through melody. Each album will continue the storyline from different points of view. 

3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there?

 Are there any local bands you could recommend?

A:  We are based out of Albuquerque, NM, and the scene is very diverse. If I were to speculate, I would say that the dominating genres here in our town would be country and rap, as odd as that may sound. The metal scene is picking back up after a bit of a drop off in recent years and the music community seems to improving in terms of bands supporting each other. I’d like to think we have had a small part in that as we love this town and really want to see it thrive. Our favorite local bands are The Despots, Sugar Motor, SuperGiant, and BLINDDRYVE, just to name a few. We like these bands partly because their music is killer, but, perhaps more importantly, they, like us, truly want to see the music scene here thrive and prosper. Additionally, because of this, they are very supportive of what we are doing and we reciprocate the support. 

4. How would you describe your style?

A: We subconsciously try not to conform to a specific style. For one song, we could write a southern rock jam and for another song, we could end up writing a full on screamer. Simply put though, I would describe us as good, old fashioned rock and roll. Down and dirty metal. Old school rock and roll with a modern twist.

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

A:  So far, we have released our debut EP, Celestial Warfare. As referenced above, it is the beginning of the story being told. Our first single “Greed” is the song that sets the tone for what will follow on our next release. 

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

A: We do! The next songs we have will be heavier but also catchier at the same time. We are very excited to get them out to the public!

7. How about shows and touring, have anything planned out?

A: Given that we have the support of a lot of big venues here in Albuquerque, we are typically the “go to” local support for national acts that come through. Our next show is with nationals Gemini Syndrome on July 21st. Touring planning is in the works right now but we are looking at doing a short tour either out to Phoenix or Denver. More to follow on that. 

8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?

A: Our ultimate goal is to make music a livable career. Not to make millions, although that would be nice, but overall, we are just regular guys that love music so much that we want that to be our jobs. We want to make livable incomes and maintain our current personal lifestyles while making music and touring. Our plans include being signed to a reputable label that holds the same moral and ethical views that we do. We want to find a musical family to belong to who we can work with and build connections with. After that, we will let our music dictate our future. 

9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?

A: You can find all of our music and live video on YouTube as well as Spotify and Pandora. If you like us enough to buy our tunes, we are fully distributed on all major digital download platforms and you can order a CD from us on our merch store which can be found on our Facebook page by clicking “Shop Now”!

10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?

A:  We would like them to associate our music with the first time they fell in love with music and to always think of that moment when they hit Play on an Ashes of Jupiter song. We believe music is as much a part of the soul as life itself and we want people to remember that when they listen to us.