After being a band for ten years, The Phoenix Within is celebrating the anniversary of their careers with a new uplifting single, "Contender."
Not many bands make it past the year mark, let alone five years, due to complications that arise within the ranks. So if a band manages to reach double digits, it's not only quite an accomplishment; it also represents the commitment all the members are willing to take, risking it all for the dreams they believe in. Within the world of music, it's often a hard road to tread and an even harder road to turn back from the longer one is on it.
"Contender" challenged the band and ensured that we continued to work through our art so that we could release the best material we possibly could.
But given the chance to conquer these obstacles, it's one of the most rewarding professions an artist can have. For The Phoenix Within, making it this far is a great milestone for the band. To celebrate such an achievement, the band has released a new single, "Contender." A message to not surrender your dreams and to prove others trying to bring you down wrong, The Phoenix Within knows all about this message all too intimately, making this the anthem of the tenth anniversary of their career. Although nothing is certain about the band's plans, there are discussions about creating a new studio album. Their recent release, "Contender," may provide a glimpse into what is to come, and we eagerly anticipate it.
Thanks for coming back to Into The Void! It's the 10th anniversary of your band, The Phoenix Within. What does this mean to you as a band?
Thank you for having us and for always giving our music a chance. This ten-year mark is a great milestone for the band. I feel that it serves as solid proof of our endurance and dedication to the creation of our music and art in the music industry.
You guys have come out with a new single, "Contender," to celebrate this occasion. What was the creative process like when creating this song, knowing how long you guys have been together as a band?
Writing and working through new material is always fun, but it does entail, like any other industry, work. Sometimes a lot of it! Familiar phrasing you’ll hear in our practice and writing space are things like "we did that before, let’s not do it again" or "play it back but change that part", Another classic is "your off time" and my all-time favorite is "let's rearrange everything". With group work, there is always a bit of tugging back and forth until we all land on something that we all agree is fully inclusive, has broken our mold, and ultimately leaves us with a piece of music that we are all happy with. "Contender" challenged the band and ensured that we continued to work through our art so that we could release the best material we possibly could.
Lyrically, what is "Contender" tapping into? Can we talk about that?
I’d like to say that the song touches on two main topics: the first is not surrendering, and the second is using your actions to prove that person who is trying to bring you down wrong. The chorus kicks off with everything you need to know to succeed by stating first, "I’m the contender who never surrendered" and its backend deals with the need to sometimes reinvent and adapt yourself if need be "rise from the ashes, rise from the ashes to try this again".
What message do you hope listeners will take from "Contender," regardless of whether they are new to your band or have been following you from the start?
Two simple messages: the first is to never give up! and the second that The Phoenix Within rocks hard!
What does this represent for you guys moving forward? Is "Contender" a part of something bigger?
Moving forward The Phoenix Within is looking to record, release, and tour. Although matters are still being discussed and nothing is set in stone yet, these newer tracks will probably be part of a new studio album. In the meantime, we have a flurry of performance dates taking us out of state and performing at festivals and venue shows alongside some rad artists and bands like A Skylit Drive, Jonny Craig, and metalcore rockers from Long Island, Deadlands.
Upcoming performances:
July 14 – Inkcarceration – Campers only stage
August 4 – Shakers Pub, Oakdale, Long Island