Worcester hard rockers State Of Ember recently announced their new EP Broken Horizons will be released on January 11, 2019. The trio take influence from Alter Bridge, InMe and Shinedown and recently performed with Saving Abel. We asked the band to tell us more about themselves by taking on our A-Z challenge!
A song that made you want to make music?
Mike – Blind by Korn.
Chelsea – Good Times Bad Times by Led Zeppelin.
Chris – Open Your Eyes – Alter Bridge.
Best rider you’ve ever had?
To this day, we’ve not had a “rider” as such…but we’ve had water provided on multiple occasions. That’s as good as it gets so far!
Craziest thing you’ve experienced in the band?
Having the opportunity for our song ‘Denial‘ to be featured in a video game. For it to be actually happening is beyond our wildest expectations! The game is called ‘Wreckfest’ and it’s out on consoles November 20th.
Deepest lyric one of your songs features?
“Break me down until the end of time; we’ll sail our ships until we find our island”. This is the opening line of the chorus to our track ‘Denial‘. We feel as though it could have multiple meanings for people listening to it.
Easiest song you wrote?
Our track Million Miles – which we’re yet to record is probably the easiest song we’ve written. It’s one we love throwing in live however, because it tends to go down pretty well with the audience.
Favourite song in your set?
We all love playing Wrong Turn, which is track 5 from our new E.P. It’s got a really fun-to-play main riff and breakdown/solo section, both of which we’re really pleased with!
Guest you’d most like to feature on your record?
Dave McPherson, for sure. He’s someone we all highly respect and are all into his band, InMe.
Hardest thing about being in a band?
Not knowing how many people you’ll play to in new places. There have been times in previous bands that we’ve driven a good 3 or 4 hours and then there have only been the other bands playing in the room! We’re more careful these days with when and where we play shows.
Interesting fact about one of your members?
Our vocalist/guitarist Chris is also in a punk rock band called PROJECT REVISE. They also started around the same time as us.
Jokes you have in the band?
Chris’s ultra-bad sense of direction when he’s tired. An hour into our journey home from Wales a while back, we stopped for a coffee…then he managed to go the wrong way down the motorway – back to where we had left! We’ve made sure he has a Sat Nav now to stop this from happening again.
Key to writing a song?
Having a good balance between melody and virtuosity but most importantly having fun! Lots of distortion is important also – to us anyway!
Longest distance you’ve travelled to play a show?
Swansea is actually the furthest away show we’ve played so far. Our drummer, Chelsea was previously in a punk band called Thirteen Shots who travelled as far as Germany – we’d love to do similar!
Most inspiring musician you’ve experienced?
Mike – John Petrucci.
Chelsea – Dave Grohl.
Chris – Mark Tremonti.
New band you’d recommend?
Last Hounds are a band that have only been going a couple of years. A lovely bunch of guys, and to top off how well they’re progressing – they’ve just been chosen to support Skindred at their show in Coventry!
Opening for this band would be ideal?
InMe.
Place you’d most like to tour?
One of our targets is to play in other European countries such as Germany – but we’d also love to play over in the States too; it’d be great to play shows as far and wide as possible.
Quote you’d like to pass on to our readers?
“That’s one of the great things about music. You can sing a song to 85,000 people and they’ll sing it back for 85,000 different reasons.” Dave Grohl
Reason for the title of your recent/forthcoming release?
‘Broken Horizons‘ was chosen because we figured out the truth about flat earth. All jokes aside: it’s the idea of us pushing the boundaries further than we have done so previously!
See us live at?
02 Academy Birmingham on Saturday 1st December. There’ll also be a fair few gigs to support our EP release in early 2019, up and down the UK!
The old days of music were better than the current, do you agree?
The majority of music we listen to is older for sure – but there are some cracking up-and-coming artists right now that could change this very easily!
Unusual merchandise?
We did have a request some time ago for a thong with our band logo on. It’s not been created yet but it’s on our agenda.
Variations you’d like to do of any of your songs?
We would love to have a William Shatner version of Fear of Falling. We’re not sure really why but think it could add some great vibes! More realistically we’d like to record some acoustic versions of several songs, perhaps as early as next year.
What do your fans mean to you?
Our fans mean the world to us. Seeing just one or ten people in a State of Ember t-shirt at one of our shows is always amazing to see. Equally, anyone who shares our stuff online is so amazing to us.
X-rays or any treatments needed for band related injuries?
Nothing needed…so far. We’re not rock and roll enough for that just yet!
You’re late for a show, whose fault is it?
Always Chris, hands down. We have to tell him to turn up 10 minutes earlier than we think, just to be able to leave for places on time.
Zoo animal that best describes the personality of your band?
This has definitely go to be a seal! We’re all completely obsessed with them; they fill us with copious amounts of love.