SPR (VIMH): Hi guys, congrats on your new album Chasing Apparitions. What is the significance of naming an album “Am I Worth Saving?”.
CA: The name, “Am I Worth Saving?” is taken from a song by Thousand Below, with the lyric being “Am I worth fixing, is all I really have to say.” That line just really hit me when I first listened to that album, & it really made me wonder if I was worth fixing or saving.
SPR (VIMH): What do the lyrics talk about? Which are your major lyrics’ influences?
CA: Our new EP really focuses on a rough time in my life where I was questioning a lot of different aspects of my life. Struggling to cope with my own mortality & the fact that I’m slowly dying. Struggling to understand the concept of religion & what happens after we die. Struggling to figure out if anything we do in life even matters. Things I still struggle with.
SPR (VIMH): Which are those elements that separate your new album from your previous albums?
CA: Our debut EP, “The Hedonist” was a good EP for when it came out in 2016, but nothing about it stood out. Almost every band back then was riding Asking Alexandria’s train, doing breakdowns with synths. Our instrumentals were mediocre at best, just a bunch of kids playing open low notes in different patterns. I really think this new EP separates us from the pack of kids & shows our growth. We’ve gotten better at our craft & we’re not afraid to show it. This EP has more of an “us” vibe, & I can’t wait to expand this on future releases.
SPR (VIMH): How would you characterize “Am I Worth Saving?” and what are your expectations from the new album?
CA: I would say that “Am I Worth Saving?” shows a more mature side to Chasing Apparitions. We’re not young kids playing open breakdowns anymore. We got more technical & we just plain got better at what we do. I expect this EP to outdo “The Hedonist” within the first couples months.
SPR (VIMH): How did the cooperation with Konkrete Studios occur? How’s working with Jonathan Dolese and how much has he helped you on the whole?
CA: I got introduced to Jonathan from Jacob Ortengren shortly after we started writing “Am I Worth Saving?”. He mentioned that Jonathan would be a huge asset for us on the recording aspect as well as writing. Jonathan took the songs from rough demos into this huge sounding EP & absolutely crushed the synth patches & samples. He made, “Am I Worth Saving?” sound larger than life.
SPR (VIMH): How’s the fans’ reactions been to the new songs on your live shows so far?
CA: Sadly due to COVID-19 we haven't been able to play any shows, but the reaction online has been insanely positive. I think everyone was so shocked that we came back from hiatus with such a polished sound.
SPR (VIMH): Do you prefer to be on the road or on the studio writing and recording?
CA: I prefer to be on the road playing shows & touring. I miss being in front of a crowd & seeing them get absolutely hyped & start moshing. I miss being sweaty & talking to kids about which song they liked the most. I miss everything about touring.
SPR (VIMH): How did you come up with the name Chasing Apparitions initially?
CA: Chasing Apparitions was originally something I think I saw on tumblr a long time ago. I can’t remember the post or even exactly what it was about, but I remember seeing it on tumblr somewhere.
SPR (VIMH): How would you describe your music style to someone that hasn’t heard of you before?
CA: Imagine if Born Of Osiris, Fit for a King, & Wage War all had a baby.
SPR (VIMH): Which do you consider to be the best male & female vocalist in metal history?
CA: I don’t know about best, but I really do miss Danny Worsnop’s old vocals. Courtney LaPlante from Spiritbox is currently my favorite female vocalist. She’s insane on Holy Roller.
SPR (VIMH): Which is the record you wish you had written and why?
CA: I wish I had written “New Demons” by I See Stars. When that album dropped I See Stars was my favorite band & I was really into that metalcore mixed with trap vibe. I loved every single aspect of that album & it was everything I wished I could write. That album is one of my favorites to this day.
SPR (VIMH): Were you obliged to give just one album to extraterrestrials that would represent the whole human music, which album would it be and from which band/artist?
CA: Architects, “All Our Gods Have Abandonded Us”. The lyrics from this album really cause you to sit down & actually think about what’s going on & how you perceive certain things in life. The lyrics are top tier.
SPR (VIMH): If you had the chance to travel in time… where would you choose to go? To the past or the future and why?
CA: I would travel to the future. The current state of the world is absolutely insane & times were no better in the past. I feel like the human-race has two options, we either fix ourselves & prosper or we destroy everything around us. I just want to see what the final outcome for the human-race would be.
BIO:
After taking a brief hiatus, Chasing Apparitions is back with a new line-up.
Featuring Josey Stines & Jacob Ortengren on instrumentals with Justin Stubbs on vocals, Chasing Apparitions recorded "Am I Worth Saving?" with Jonathan Dolese at Konkrete Studios.
Throughout "Am I Worth Saving?" Chasing Apparitions brings a breath of fresh air to the genre with hard-hitting riffs & emotional lyrics that make you question your very existence.
Josey Stines
Justin Stubbs
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