#thelabelgroup

"This was a reimagined version of  "The End of Heartache" originally performed by Killswitch Engage. With everything going on in 2020 performing this song just seemed appropriate. We collaborated with this amazing piano player named Sean Townsend. He actually has a Youtube channel called Chillswitch Engage and does nothing but piano versions of Killswitch songs. This song is different than what you would expect from us but that was the plan. We really wanted to show that we are not a one dimensional band. We hope the version of this song can help anyone in pain heal. No matter what it is, it's been a tough year for us all, so hold fast. If you can't find the light make a F....n blowtorch!" - Mark Wolfe of Unveil The Strength. *Rob Kukla Producer, Henrik Udd Mix/ Master, Alan Sasha Laskow Programming

STRATA: What is the music scene like in your area? 

John Eason - Right now it's hurting pretty bad, a lot of artist have had to go home and a lot of Venues have had to shut down. STRATA: Your own current project, discuss the process your music went through as you built each layer. From beginning to the end of it. 

John Eason - This project was really that just came to be very organically. Mike Kuhl came to a write with Zach Henard and me with a pretty cool idea and we all just kinds poured our outrage about the disrespect we've scene towards our Flag and Our Country into this song. We let it sit for about a year and this really just seemed like a time that this song was needed in our Country. 

STRATA: Who all did you work with on this current project? 

John Eason - I co wrote this with Mike Kuhl and Zach Henard two killer writers in Nashville, and Shawn Pody was our producer.

STRATA: Do you have a process you go through prior to writing, playing, and even performing?  

John Eason - Hmm, not really as far as writing we just kinda show up and toss around ideas until something blows our skirt up. As Far a playing and performing its just the adrenalin that starts pumping I always get it right before I go onstage. STRATA: What artists, in particular, you are drawn to (alive or deceased) that you listen to  

John Eason - Johnny Cash has always been a hero, I grew up on Lynyrd Skynyrd and Southern Rock and it's always spoke to me and felt right. STRATA: Can your music personally be open to change in the world of artistic exploration? In Other Words... how comfortable are you as an artist exploring other types of music and creating projects that might be totally different than what you are creating now? 

John Eason - I think we all change overtime and evolve, im open to other things as long as I remain true to me. I don't ever want to change to be fit in a box or to sell something I don't believe in.

STRATA: What is next for you musically?

John Eason - Right now it's a Album my first one and I could not be more excited to share these songs with everyone.

At STRATA MUZAK we are all about the layers that come with music and art.

STRATA: What artists, in particular, you are drawn to (alive or deceased) that you listen to for particular moods? Such as happy/sad/contemplative/etc... Explain why you might listen to one artist for a particular mood.

Jesse DeGroot (guitar): I’m drawn to basically anything that’s well written; and I listen to music almost constantly.

Mellow moods tends to be acoustic /mellow rock like El Creepo!, Murder by Death, White Buffalo, Noah Gundersen.

Any other mood could range from Pantera, Alice In Chains, Dillinger Escape plan. You name it.

STRATA: Do you have a process you go through prior to writing, playing, and even performing and your own current project, discuss the process your music went through as you built each layer. From beginning to the end of it. 

Jesse: Our basic process is I present a demo to the guys; a tough skeleton of a song and we work through it. Matt gets an idea of how he wants finial drums, Tyler and I work through bass lines and then Jewell writes his lyrics and melodies. We do a full demo with vocals. Make our final adjustments (extend/reduce sections/final structuring) and then go back and do final drums, bass, guitar, and vocals.

Merch and art design is the most difficult part. We’ve learned through the years we get our best results by retaining an artist early on in the process and giving them demos of all the material and letting them go nuts. Patrick Lamond who did our last EP “Nihilist” was hands down favorite working experience. We gave him the tracks and he came back with what you see on the release. Home run right off the bat.

STRATA: Can your music personally be open to change in the world of artistic exploration? In Other Words... how comfortable are you as an artist exploring other types of music and creating projects that might be totally different than what you are creating now?

Jesse: I’m all for that. I don’t expect any artist to continue to put out the same record over and over. We don’t even like 2 songs on the same release having too similar a vibe. Every song should be its own journey.

STRATA: Are you open to change your style, genre even, and how you approach what you create every time you enter a studio? Or do you find once you have a formula in place do you find it best to stay with what you know? Many times artists will change how they approach their songwriting and even their recording staff/producers

Jesse: Absolutely. Whatever works for the project. My favorite thing about our band is there are no limits. Nothing comes up in the studio and gets stricken down without at least giving it a try.