New York Metalcore outfit Promises Unsaid releases heavy, groove-laden, and poignant new single "Mind Play," part of their next upcoming album release.
There are bands in the metalcore industry that have a certain swagger about them and will stand out above the rest. That from the beginning, they exude unique confidence in their lyrical delivery and musical presence.
“Coming from the source, I’ve struggled with suicidal thoughts since middle school, but at the same time I’ve lost close friends and family to suicide, and I’ve seen what that does to their friends, family, and peers. So to have an outlet that I can bleed all of those thoughts and feelings into is a true blessing.
Music is my saving grace, and it's what I feel confident in making, so I feel like I almost owe it to my generation, to the generation before me, and to the generations that will come after me, who all struggle with the same unhealthy thoughts I do, to keep them pushing on. We're here not by choice, but by fate. We are not alone. We have each other. ”
Small gems that rise to the surface are bands like Promises Unsaid. While their visions of starting a band began at a Warped Tour in 2015, their passion for creating something distinct, memorable, and engaging has never burned brighter. Their LP, Growing Pains would prompt them to new heights as their diverse mix of R&B, hip-hop, and heavy metalcore elements would grant them attention within the scene.
Now Promises Unsaid is expanding their sound with their new single "Mind Play." Further developing and capturing the colorful and massive soundscapes of Growing Pains, Promises Unsaid has gifted us with a brand new bombastic and poignant experience yet still keeping in step with their original sound. While the band may be brand new to the scene still, their positive new single "Mind Play" has a lot to say about their future, and the future looks promising.
What made you guys want to start up Promises Unsaid? What was going on in the scene at the time that made you want to make this band official?
Caleb Reynolds (Vocals): So it was actually Warped tour, 2015 that was the main impact on why we started the band. I had been to the previous warped tour 2014 with our guitarist Jaden, and seeing the energy of the people, the energy of the music and bands, it was like I had finally found a place where I fit in. A place where everyone fits in because no one cared about the clothes you were wearing or the color of your skin, everyone was there for the music. And for me, that truly meant something, and that was something I longed to be a part of.
What are your musical influences? There is a lot going on here, in a good way haha. Your new single has this very groovy, modern R&B energy that drops into these other unique heavy elements mixed with these great nostalgic metalcore vibes.
Caleb Reynolds (Vocals): So for me personally, I was raised on pop music, boy bands, R&B, and hip hop. Before we started Promises, I actually used to rap and would sing the choruses, so I've always had a knack for that song structure. As my music taste widened I got into really all of the heavy stuff from hardcore to deathcore to slam. Really anything that was crammed full of breakdowns I was about. Once we got comfortable making metalcore we thought it would be fun and a little more exciting to add a lot of those influences to it. My mom has always supported my music but she always loved when I sang the most, and at the time I had told her, “Well, it's not like I can be singing over breakdowns,” and boy was I wrong.
How was this creative process for this single different from your previous LP, Growing Pains, that you released last year?
Caleb Reynolds (Vocals): Right off the jump, it was different for us. Adam had made like a minute-long beat that he wanted me to rap to just so he could get some practice in mixing vocals. Once I laid down the first couple of takes, it was a no-brainer that we were on to something. Alex and I hit the studio together to record an instrumental that we had finished and once we finished tracking that, we still had some time left so we pulled that beat up and Alex, Randy (our producer), and I just went to town on the instrumental. We ended up scheduling another studio session the next month for Jaden and me to do some vocals for it and that's what you hear today.
What was it like to work with Pasquarella Recordings? I know Randy has worked with bands such as Saving Vice to Currents and If I Were You. How did that impact the creative process for you?
Caleb Reynolds (Vocals): You can ask anyone that has worked with Pasquarella Recordings, and they'll all give you the same answer I will. Randy is an absolute god within his studio. We've been working with him all the way back since our first self-titled EP, released in 2017, and we all consider him a crucial part of our band and writing process. He's the type of guy that truly understands the musical vision and strives to get you to the sound you want and won't let you settle for a trash take. If you are an upcoming band or artist and you get the opportunity to work with him, take it. I can personally promise you that you won't be disappointed.
Your single "Mind Play" talks about negative thoughts and the idea of how we can't be saved from them mentally, how we are always on some level trapped by them. Can we dive into that a bit further?
Caleb Reynolds (Vocals): Of course. First things first, music for me is like a diary. I don't feel comfortable releasing anything that I don't personally connect with in some way, shape, or form. I feel like if we can't connect with our own music then who else will? I mean that's the main reason I stepped away from hip hop. I got tired of always putting on a front and being someone I'm not, then when I tried putting emotion into hip hop it just would come out super corny and I wasn’t satisfied with it.
I’ve touched on suicidal thoughts in previous releases, and people really connected with me over it. Coming from the source, I’ve struggled with suicidal thoughts since middle school, but at the same time I’ve lost close friends and family to suicide, and I’ve seen what that does to their friends, family, and peers. So to have an outlet that I can bleed all of those thoughts and feelings into is a true blessing.
Music is my saving grace, and it's what I feel confident in making, so I feel like I almost owe it to my generation, to the generation before me, and to the generations that will come after me, who all struggle with the same unhealthy thoughts I do, to keep them pushing on. We're here not by choice, but by fate. We are not alone. We have each other. Reach out, find a hobby, find your purpose and tell yourself each day you are loved and you are worthy because you are.
What do you want others to take from this new listening experience that was not on the last LP?
Caleb Reynolds (Vocals): We wrote this release for the public honestly. We really wanted a metal experience that anyone could get into, no matter what their usual genre preference is. It's always been a goal of ours as a band to be that bridge band that gets everyone into the heavier stuff, even if we're not super heavy ourselves. We like to give people a taste of something different that encourages them to open their minds.
What is next for you guys?
Caleb Reynolds (Vocals): We’ve almost got our next album complete. It's currently at about 60% done, so I would expect a breadcrumb trail of singles/music videos leading up to our next album release. We will also be playing a bunch of shows this year with some pretty big names, and we're trying to schedule a headlining tour to promote our LP, Growing Pains, a bit more because we still have yet to tour off that, but that's still currently up in the air.