We Came As Romans In The Studio/Studio video premiere

Detroit-based band WE CAME AS ROMANS entered the studio last month to begin recording their third full-length record with producer John Feldmann (the Used, Four Year Strong). The upcoming release will follow-up 2011’s, Understanding What We’ve Grown To Be, which was reissued as a deluxe edition with three new tracks earlier this year. Having just wrapped up recording at Feldmann’s personal studio, WCAR have a recorded tracks with a new structure, yet still remained true to their original sound. Lyricist and guitarist JOSHUA MOORE discusses the band’s new direction, playing the Vans Warped Tour, working with Feldmann and more.

You guys have been in the studio for a month now, how has it been going so far?
JOSHUA MOORE: It’s been great. We’re getting to the finishing processes on the songs before they start getting mixed and finalized.

How is it working with producer John Feldmann?
It’s awesome. We get along really well and work together really well. Dave [Stephens, vocals], Kyle [Pavone, vocals/keys] and I came down to the studio two weeks before everyone else just to work with John on the choruses of songs and vocal patterns. We wrote two songs with him as well, and the other guys joined up a little after. The whole time that Dave, Kyle and I were here, we were focusing a lot on vocals and the direction we’re trying to take this next CD. Everything went really, really smoothly. I couldn’t be happier with the choice to go to John on this CD.

What direction are you referring to for the new album?
We released a song called “Hope” pretty recently, and some of our fans were a little put off at the structure of the song—I mean comparated to past releases like To Plant A Seed and our [Dreams] EP before that. Even some songs on Understanding What We’ve Grown To Be are a bit more non-sequential and progressive than what “Hope” was. “Hope” is more of a verse-chorus kind of structure. You know, when we came in and did that song—we did that song with John as well—we were all super-stoked on it. I think it’s actually all of our favorite song. It seems to be getting received really well and it’s something that we’ve never really done with a song, go more so with that structure. There’s definitely more songs structured similarly on this CD. I mean it’s not going to sound like a pop-radio verse-chorus kind of song. But, it is still structured more [and] geared toward that. I don’t know; I don’t want to say mainstream style because everyone already loves to use the term “sellout” on anything.

Aside from the vocal structure you are using on the upcoming release, how else would your new music differ from your previous two albums?
We have songs that are definitely different in structure and everything; but at the same time we’ll have songs that are the same and that will sound similar to our past releases. We don’t want to alienate all the fans that have been with us since the start by releasing music that doesn’t sound like what our band has established [itself] to be. Hopefully, there will be songs for everyone in terms of really heavy songs or really chorus-driven songs. We’re trying a few more things on this new CD. I'm excited for our fans to hear it and hear what they think about it.

Are there any specific influences for the upcoming album?
Not really. Just when we came in September and wrote “Hope” and “The King Of Silence” with John, it was something new for me as a writer. It kind of opened my eyes to the way that I had previously written songs. With that newer mindset, it definitely influenced the way that this CD was written.

Do you have any guest appearances lined up?
Hopefully. Nothing that I can officially talk about, honestly, probably because none of it’s officially confirmed. I haven’t really checked up on that because we’ve been finishing the songs before we decide if we want guest appearances on them. It’s definitely something that’s in our minds. We’ve made a lot of friends over the past four or five years in touring. It would definitely be cool to have some of them on the CD.

I know you have been documenting your time in the studio with Instagram updates pretty frequently. Is this a way to help you stay connected with the fans while you’re in the studio?
Yeah, I mean even when we’re not in the studio it seems, to me at least, that fans love to see what their favorite bands are doing. A lot of the times it’s standing in the bathroom and taking a picture of the mirror or standing in the bus and taking a picture in the mirror. [Laughs.] It seems to be what the fans like to see and what they enjoy. You know, I think that our band does a good job at trying to keep our fans happy and entertained.

Do you guys have any album names now?
Not yet; it’s still to be determined.

When should fans expect this album to drop?
This summer. We have a few tentative dates, but nothing is set in stone yet; probably in the middle of the summer.

If you could choose anyone to collaborate with you on this album, whom would you pick?
As a band it has always been a dream of ours to have Spencer [Chamberlain] of Underoath. Unfortunately, they are no longer, but it has always been a dream of ours since we were much younger, like 16 and 17. If he were to do a song with us, do a guest vocal or anything, I think that would probably be the pick in terms of the band as a whole.

You are going to be on the Vans Warped Tour this summer and are playing the main stage for the first time. What are you looking forward to the most about that tour?
It’s going to be great. We played main stage at Bamboozle last year, and it was awesome. Main stage on any festival show or tour is always a crazy experience. Being able to play for that many fans and everything is something that is a milestone in our career. When we look back, it will probably be a highlight of our career, as well. I’m excited to be able to do that.

Will fans be hearing any new songs this summer?
I think so. I don’t want to make any promises, but I think that it would be a safe bet that they might. alt.