Dubbed the Concrete Forever tour, the run will feature support from ERRA and I See Stars. The Los Angeles-based metalcore band are set to kick off the tour in Houston, Texas Sept. 1 and wrap in Dallas, Texas Oct. 13. In addition to the Concrete Forever dates, Bad Omens will perform at a handful of festivals this fall, including Blue Ridge Rock Festival, Louder Than Life, and Aftershock.

Read more: 10 most criminally underrated Avenged Sevenfold songs

Bad Omens released their most recent album, The Death of Peace of Mind, last year. Of the album, vocalist, songwriter and producer Noah Sebastian told AP that the record was as much influenced by the Weeknd and Billie Eilish as metal: “It’s very electronic and musically progressive to a degree that I don’t identify as a rock band anymore.”

Presale for the Concrete Forever tour begins Tuesday, April 4 at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday, April 6 at 10 p.m. local time. Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, April 7 at 10 a.m. local time here.

See the full list of Concrete Forever tour dates below.

This week, we mourn the loss of one of metal’s most legendary drummers and celebrate the life and achievements of a man who was born to bring an edge to the genre that had never been seen before. To pay tribute to the musician, we selected some artists who were fundamentally inspired to take up the mantle of the next generation of metal by witnessing the work of Joey Jordison.

Read more: Family, friends and fans pay tribute to Slipknot’s Joey Jordison

Trivium

While Trivium were busy cutting their teeth in the metal realm alongside Slipknot, their future drummer Alex Bent was probably intently analyzing and replicating the tricks and techniques of Slipknot’s founding sticksman and Number 1, Jordison. Upon the loss of an instrumental figure in his musical upbringing, Bent took to Facebook to mourn the late drummer’s vital role in his career to date, writing, “I owe so much to Joey Jordison and could never imagine being where I am today without his influence.”

Caleb H

In testament to Jordison’s far-reaching influence, 6-year-old drumming sensation and Slipknot fan Caleb H’s Facebook account expressed his sadness at the loss of his inspiration to get behind a kit. Having first picked up the sticks at the age of 2, Caleb’s post shared Jordison’s recognition and pride in the young drummer’s achievements. 

Widows

Widows drummer Dizzy Draztik was the initial vocalist for the Rejects, founded alongside Jordison himself as the first incarnation of what would later become Murderdolls. Two decades later, Draztik’s project Widows was brought together with Dolly Doe and cemented by a mutual love and admiration of Jordison’s songwriting and performance. In a Facebook post, Doe detailed that their band simply wouldn’t exist without the influence of the passionate and innovative drummer from Des Moines, Iowa.

The Devil Wears Prada

Without the crucial steps taken by Slipknot to open the doors for modern metal, it’s doubtful that metalcore bands such as the Devil Wears Prada could even have a stage or crowd to play for. Armed with Jordison’s style of organized chaos, nü-metal icons Slipknot paved the way for artists such as TDWP’s sticksman since 2016, Giuseppe Capolupo, to climb the metal ladder after growing up on a diet of Number 1’s phenomenal influence, as detailed in a personal post.

The Ghost Inside – Andrew Tkaczyk

The Ghost Inside know only too well the effects of tragic events that affect the entire metal world: Their deadly bus crash in 2015 left drummer Andrew Tkaczyk with irreparable, career-changing injuries. Tkaczyk took to Instagram to share a touching drum tribute of Jordison’s famous blast beats on Slipknot’s “Wait And Bleed.” The artist recognized that hearing the drummer’s contributions to the band’s self-titled album at the age of 12 redirected his own interests from playing guitar to sitting behind a kit.

Tyler Lacca

@tydrums@slipknot  over everything?? ##slipknot ##maggot ##ripjoeyjordison ##joeyjordison ##drums ##waitandbleed ##heavymetal ##rock ##fypシ♬ Wait and Bleed – Slipknot

Paying a stunning instrumental tribute to Jordison’s contribution to “Wait And Bleed” by Slipknot, TikTok drummer Tyler Lacca brought back what made Jordison’s talents so irreplaceable to the scene around him. His superhuman pace and charisma onstage played such a crucial role in tracks that raised an entire generation on the heavier side of metal. 

Meytal Cohen

For her 1.5 million viewers, watching YouTube drumming maestro Meytal Cohen share her countless Slipknot covers over the years has been a lesson in making the most punishing drum parts look seamless. After recording her take on Jordison’s unmistakeable contributions such as “Eyeless,” Cohen took to Facebook to acknowledge the drummer’s influence on both her and “an entire generation of drummers.”

Royal Blood

Royal Blood drummer Ben Thatcher’s tribute to Jordison speaks highly of the Slipknot sticksman’s inimitable effect on younger audiences. That same audience once played the band’s 1999 self-titled venture on a loop and later grew up to idolize his trademark blast beats. Alongside countless others from their generation, Thatcher expressed sadness at the loss of an inspirational musical icon whose work guided the career of many drummers of the past and the beatmakers of the future.

Luke Holland

Forging a career as a session drummer since his tenure in the Word Alive, including credits for I See Stars and Sleeping With Sirens, among others, Luke Holland named Jordison as the crucial inspiration behind his decision to take on drumming at the age of 10. Jordison’s authoritative trademark and impenetrable backing for some of metal’s heaviest tracks rubbed off on Holland’s own approach when the occasion calls for the odd legendary blast beat.

This Is Turin

This Is Turin frontman Darryl Jones’ touching Facebook tribute to Jordison shows the side of the iconic drummer that some in the metal world may have never seen. Jordison’s dedication to helping artists who caught his eye shone through when This Is Turin once supported Scar The Martyr, asking the band for a CD to take with him. While successful bands rarely take the time to get to know the acts opening their shows, Jordison made a conscious effort to recognize artists starting out in the same position as he was years before.

Tairrie B

Nü-metal-meets-alternative-in-a-dark-alley outfit My Ruin were blazing quite a different trail while Slipknot were reveling in global success in the early 2000s. However, that didn’t stop Jordison from personally reaching out to introduce the L.A. group to a wider audience through Slipknot’s Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) U.K. album release party, as vocalist Tairrie B detailed in a Facebook tribute. At a time where his tireless work paid off and surrounded him with hard-earned fame, a drummer of Jordison’s magnitude kept other bands in his circle.

“Misery” is a biting track about wanting the worst for someone after they ruined your life. The song starts off slowly, with vocalist Asia Marie thanking them for everything they have done for her. Then the drums kick in, and she clarifies that she’s thankful they put her out of her misery. 

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Ashland announced the new single and posted a teaser of the music video on social media last week.

Guitarist Aaron Wood was originally just experimenting and didn’t intend for “Misery” to ever even get a final cut. But once Marie heard it, all bets were off.

“He showed me a scratch recording he had been working on, and it immediately resonated with me,” Marie says. 

“Misery” is also about the duo’s experiences in the music industry and how they’re grateful for everything they have been able to accomplish as artists. 

“The lyrics make it seem a little sarcastic, but we are honestly grateful for both the good and bad experiences we’ve had as musicians because they’ve brought us to where we are today,” Marie says.

Ashland toured the U.S. in 2019 with Our Last Night, the Word Alive and I See Stars. They were also featured alongside those three bands on a rock cover of Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved.”

After touring, Ashland released their sophomore album, Over The Moon, at the end of 2019. The album includes the single “OMG” and other fan favorites such as “I Hate That” and the title track.

Since then, the duo were contestants in the pandemic-friendly Isolation Pong Championship in May alongside other bands such as the Faim, Bearings and Trash Boat.

They also virtually performed for fans in their Living Room Session series, playing some of their hits such as “Get To Know You” and “No Trouble.” 

Along with performing some of their existing songs, the duo spent much of 2020 making new music. They revealed on social media that they finished recording in late November.

 

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However, fans didn’t have to wait long to hear more from Ashland after that reveal. Shortly after, they released a Halloween-ified cover of “Santa Baby” for Christmas.

Drawing inspiration from everything that happened around the world in 2019 and 2020, their forthcoming EP, I, will be released April 2. You can listen to “Misery” here and watch the video for the track below.

Ashland “Misery” lyrics

Just wanna say thank you
For everything you’ve done for me
Thank you
For putting me out of my misery

Let me rephrase what I mean so you understand (understand)
I was living out my dream til you showed up
and crushed that plan

You saw me, you got me
You promised the world
Broke everything
And then wanted a return
I know why 
You could never look me in the eyes

Just wanna say thank you
For everything you’ve done for me
Thank you
For putting me out of my misery
Oh god you’re hopeless
All I can do is pray for you
Karma’s coming
All I can do is pray for you

If it hadn’t been for you I’d have never known
(never known)
All the things I thought I wanted
Is exactly what I don’t

You saw me, you got me
You promised the world
I believed you like a stupid girl
I know why
You left like a thief in the night
(and that’s why I)

Just wanna say thank you
For everything you’ve done for me
Thank you
For putting me out of my misery
Oh god you’re hopeless
All I can do is pray for you
Karma’s coming
All I can do is pray for you

I never wanted it
I never wanted it to end like this (like this)
But you ruin everything
I never wanted it
I never wanted it to end like this (like this)
And you will see me rise again

Just wanna say thank you
For everything you’ve done for me
Thank you
For putting me out of my misery
Oh god you’re hopeless
All I can do is pray for you
Karma’s coming
All I can do is pray for you
All I can do is pray for you

Together, the duo wrote and produced “Got The Blood,” a song that’s about finding positivity in even the darkest of times.

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When I See Stars’ frontman Devin Oliver decided to launch his solo project shYbeast, he knew it would be full of personal storytelling. He previously told Alternative Press that shYbeast is solely his own story.

“If I release something, it’s because I’ve put serious time and thought behind it,” he said. “I see a new road with this project that I plan to walk down fully committed. Like I said, it’s my story. shYbeast will be a project that molds with me, grows with me.”

So, it’s no surprise that when it came time to collaborating with YULTRON, shYbeast took inspiration from his own life. The duo joined forces for “Got The Blood,” an uplifting song that is all about searching for positivity when all seems lost. For shYbeast, it was a particular time in his life that led to writing the song’s lyrics.

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“I wrote ‘Got The Blood’ as I was moving from Detroit to Los Angeles last year,” he says. “All that change in such a short period of time led to a lot of self-doubt, isolation, & put me in a really dark place. With everything going during this pandemic I think this song will really hit home.”

Similarly, YULTRON created the instrumental for “Got The Blood” during a rather difficult time in his own life.

“I was going through a tough time and struggling with my mental health when I did the instrumentals for ‘Got The Blood,’” YULTRON says. “I wanted to create a song that made me feel inspired and uplifting.”

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Both shYbeast and YULTRON have been friends for quite some time. The two bonded over their shared love for bands such as Taking Back Sunday, the Used and Death Cab For Cutie. When they began working on “Got The Blood” together, YULTRON shares it all came together effortlessly.

“Devin and I vibe really well together and when he just sang the first few bars, I knew instantly this was going to be a great collaboration,” YULTRON says. “I hope that this song can help motivate and inspire people to keep pushing. I know a lot of times we are the hardest on ourselves and sometimes we just need an extra push to keep going. This song is meant to be one of those things to help.”

“Got The Blood” follows up shYbeast’s most recent single “Middle Of Love” which was released earlier this year. Along with releasing material for his solo project, I See Stars are currently working on their next album. shYbeast told Alternative Press back in July just how his solo project has influenced the band’s new music.

Stream “Got The Blood” below.

What are your thoughts on YULTRON and shYbeast’s new collab? Let us know in the comments below.

What’s great about these bands is that none of them actually sound the same. The metalcore outfits experimenting with electronics, synthesizers and hostile digital noise had different motives. Some were looking for new methods to add girth to their sound. Others wanted to blur the lines between dance clubs and mosh pits. A couple of them liked straight-up pop music and there wasn’t a damn thing you were going to do about it. (Except you know, dance.)

Read more: REZZ and Grabbitz ponder identity issues in the video for “Someone Else”

We’re not sure who actually coined the term “electronicore.” The first time we ever heard the term “ravecore” was when one of these bands toured America for the first time. (Pardon our spoiler.) There were a lot of bands looking to bridge the gap between EDM events and the scene as we know it. And for the most part they did. There were a few dudes from the Midwest that helped condition our ears. And a few more from overseas that blew our minds when we saw them throw down.

The evolution of electronic metalcore bands has made for some great forward motion. The number of scene staples who have been working with EDM artists has picked up significantly in the last few years. Some of these collabs bring the dark vibes and others positively spit fire. Which is great. Living in playlist culture has taught us not to get up on specific genres. Because when seemingly unlikely collaborators team up to do things, it moves things along in the best of ways.

Was there really a time when there was a  “golden age of metalcore?” Apparently so, as most of the forgotten metalcore tracks that we’ve cited hover around the years 2006 – 2011. This was also the era of snakebite piercings, purple tees with yellow vinyl decals and haircuts so flat and straight, you could land a plane on them. If there was ever a time period that could be considered a Rockstar Energy Drink, this would be it. (Please list your flavor suggestion in the comments below. Say, BrokeNCYDE Berry. Or Suicide Citrus. Every Lime I Die?)

Read more: 10 metalcore bands who normalized electronic influences in the 2000s

So who made our list of forgotten metalcore tracks? We’ve got designer-wearing demons before they started duking it out musically with zombies. That one band whose lead singer left after their first album and everybody fared better afterward. Let us not forget that huge electronic pop band who used to shred and squawk with all the melodic fervor of acrylic nails being chewed up in a garbage disposal.

Yes, coronavirus has made our lives bleak. But these 12 forgotten metalcore tracks remain brutal. Who knows, maybe your musical tastes have expanded far beyond the realms of metalcore. (A fate that some of these now defunct bands may have embraced.) But if you’ve ever had a bad week or a shitty summer (like the one we’re currently powering through), these songs remind you how cathartic it was to really and truly act your rage.

Oliver has been the lead vocalist for I See Stars since the group’s beginning 14 years ago. With the need to create music that he believes wouldn’t quite fit with his band’s aesthetic, Oliver made his solo debut in 2019 with shYbeast. Over the last year, the singer collaborated with EDM producer Kayzo and drummer Frank Zummo (Sum 41) on the hard-hitting “Cruel Love” and has shared several singles, including his most recent track “Middle Of Love.”

Read more: Hear the first single off of the Fall Of Troy’s first album in nearly four years

Though he hopes to be able to work with other artists through shYbeast in the future, Oliver says for now, he wants to define what the project is for both himself and his fans. With that said, the vocalist and the rest of the I See Stars crew are focusing on the meaning of their next album. Check out what inspired Oliver to pursue shYbeast and what he’s currently working on with the band below.

Sonically, your shYbeast music is upbeat and technical, especially in your breakdowns, but it still has a dark, moving undertone. When you first thought about pursuing a solo project with shYbeast, were you ever worried that you would have a hard time finding your own sound? 

There was a lot of self-discovery before I even put this project out. I can’t even tell you how much music I had before I decided I wrote the right song that demonstrated what I felt was a good pathway. When you’re doing a new project, the very first thing you release is going to set the tone of the project.

I definitely started curating this project probably in 2015. I started realizing there was a body of music that wouldn’t work for I See Stars, and I didn’t want that music to just go unheard. There was a side of me that was starting to form itself. It was probably about two years of exploring before I found the track “no 1 else,” the first standalone single for the project. I really do believe in consistency, [but] trying to be consistent while also remaining interesting is probably one of the hardest things to do with a project. There’s a lot of thought that goes into it, and when you’ve been doing it as long as I have, you want to know that you’re very certain.

In your latest single “Middle Of Love,” the lyrics are focused on love, which is a recurring theme throughout your previous releases. Where do you get your lyrical inspiration from, and are there any other topics you hope to hit on in the future? When writing the lyrics, do you write them to fit around the backtrack, or is it the other way around?

I tend to write what I know. I turn to music when I need an outlet. I’m not the kind of person that necessarily writes music that’s happy; I turn to music in my dark times. I think if there’s one thing fans, not just with shYbeast but also I See Stars, can always expect is for me to write emotional, moody stuff. That’s just the kind of artist I am. 

As far as where it begins, there isn’t really a set pattern in my writing. There have been songs, like “no 1 else,” where it did start with composition, and it started with the music. Then there are songs like “Will Your Heart Have Room” that started with the vocals. With “Cruel Love” with Kayzo, he sent me that track, and I immediately fell in love with the music. The lyrics and the melody just came to me, and in the time span of maybe 24 hours, I had the song fully written. So there are really cool moments like that in my career where a song just writes itself in such a short amount of time. Then there are songs like “Will Your Heart Have Room” that took me months to finish. Every song is its own very unique and special journey.

I know you can’t say too much about it yet, but you’re currently working on a new I See Stars record. Based on what you have so far, what can we expect? 

Yeah, definitely can’t talk too much about it, but what I will say is that we have been spending a lot of time really focusing on a couple of things. One, the message we want to send with this record is very important to us. This will be our first record in four years, so the message we send is very important. Also, consistency is very important to us but also keeping things interesting. We’re really focused on embracing our roots and also embracing everything that has inspired us in the last four years. We’re really trying out ways to have those elements shine through our music. We’re never afraid to nod our inspirations through our music. There have been a lot of really great artists that I’ve grown pretty fond of over the last four years that have inspired the hell out of me. It’s definitely leading to a very interesting and exciting new album.  

The band last released Treehouse in 2016 and shared the Treehouse acoustic album in 2018. Has your writing process for I See Stars changed over the years, or do you approach it the way you do with shYbeast where you feel out the track? Has the quarantine had any effect on what you write and create?

We are facing a very unprecedented time period in life right now. I think everybody’s traditional writing patterns have been very much modified to contribute remotely, which is where we’re at right now. I have the rest of my band in Detroit while I’m in Los Angeles. A lot of our writing right now is remote. It’s very different from what we’re used to doing. But I will say that we’re really, really focused on the melodic and lyrical concept of this record. 

We’re making sure that we have that all figured out before we even enter the musical stages of the record. It’s really great because we usually always write the music first, and then we go to vocals. Granted, we have a lot of music. We have tons of music written, but we’re solidifying the vocals before we even start tracking the drums and guitars. This is a totally new way for us, and I think it’s really going to help deliver the message that we’re trying to convey. Just giving it the attention it needs, making sure every single word that’s spoken and every single lyric that’s sung is good enough. It’s a tough situation, but it’s also paramount for a great record.

I See Stars were one of the first bands in the scene to meld electronic and EDM elements with a harder rock and metal sound. What have you learned from your time with the band that’s helped you in your solo project? When you were first thinking of shYbeast, did you ever think about forming a whole other band, or did you always know this was something you wanted to do by yourself?

Being able to exercise my own identity as an electronic producer as well as a vocalist is very rewarding. I actually believe that because there’s this new entity I have to really push myself as a producer. It really has opened a lot of new doorways for I See Stars, and I feel I have grown as a producer, and I’m able to exercise that within our new record, which is really great. 

I barely knew that I wanted to do another project. It wasn’t until there was music forming itself that didn’t fit the band. I think the purpose of shYbeast is to have my freedom as an artist. Inviting someone else to infiltrate that freedom would defeat the purpose of the project altogether. 

As shYbeast, you’ve dropped several singles over the past year. Can we expect an EP, or maybe even a full-length, anytime soon? 

I think the overall goal is to have a body of work under one umbrella. I’m just really enjoying focusing and catering to each single right now and growing the project. I think once the Stars record is finished, I will turn to the new shYbeast record and start formulating what that even means. It’s not necessarily on my horizon at the moment, but it will be. 

We’re at the halfway point of the year, and touring is pretty out of the question right now with the pandemic. Are there any possible releases from shYbeast in the coming months?

I pushed back most of my releases. There was a lot of music that was already supposed to be out. We’re still formulating a game plan for the rest of the singles that have been pushed back. Yes, there’s tons of music that should be put on the calendar before the year is up, but we’ll see. I don’t want to put out music when we should be focusing our attention elsewhere. I’m never one to self-promote during a pandemic or a movement that’s just more important. Hopefully, we can get more music out there before the year is up, but most importantly, I hope that the world continues to heal and change for the better. 

We’re in the middle of a lot of chaos, and I really do believe that we all need to find common ground again and seek out love. I think there are a lot of ways to unlock that kind of change, and sometimes that’s music. I just hope that this can resonate in a positive way during such a tough time.

While it’s tapered off and been normalized today, there are select groups who helped push the genre to this point. Take a look below for 10 bands who helped normalize electronic influences in metalcore during the 2000s. 

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Enter Shikari

Few bands were as crucial to incorporating electronic influences into metalcore as Enter Shikari. The British rockers were champions of introducing hyped-up synths and bass wobbles to breakdowns and hard-hitting riffs since their beginning. They showed the rest of the pack that they didn’t need to pay attention to genres.

Bleeding Through

Bleeding Through helped the melodic death-metal scene branch out with metalcore in a more direct way than their peers. The symphonic synths layered throughout their music created an entire movement. They brought an epic feel to metalcore with medieval sounds layered over ultra-brutal breakdowns for their peers to take a more serious approach to incorporating electronic elements. 

The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada often infused electronic influences in subtle ways. However, they still squeezed in more overt examples of how synths could boost a song section early in their career. As one of the biggest bands to break away from the Warped metalcore scene, many followed what they were doing. Although their sound has drastically shifted over the years, their early electronic influence paved the way for countless others. 

Read more: 11 essential nü-metal metalcore bands to have on your playlist

Sky Eats Airplane

While walking a thin line between metalcore and post-hardcore, Sky Eats Airplane were a huge proponent for pushing forward electronicore and eight-bit electronic influences into metalcore. At the time their albums were dropping, the inclusion of these elements was like a reset button on metalcore. It offered something fresh for fans who were tired of the chugging breakdowns churned out by the scene. 

Attack Attack!

Attack Attack!’s influence on the entire metalcore scene is undeniable. While they became the laughing stock of metal with the crabcore movement, there was much to celebrate as their influence became more apparent. Their music changed people’s views on including electronics into metalcore. With their mass effect on acts who after them, it’s obvious they were a huge proponent for normalizing this sound.

Read more: Hear a former Attack Attack! member play a metal version of Fall Out Boy

I See Stars

While they are influenced by metalcore, pop punk and post-hardcore, I See Stars are equally enthralled by dubstep and EDM. Their sound is densely rooted in danceable beats. They’ve had a huge effect with making their music acceptable while pumping out nightclub-meets-mosh-pit-styled songs that became a scene standard. 

The Word Alive

Toward the tail end of the 2000s, the Word Alive brought experimentation within metalcore to a new level. Their Empire EP showed strong songwriting with soaring leads and dense breakdowns. They injected electronics in a more tasteful way that has since informed their approach as they matured their sound.

Read more: 10 metalcore bands who deserved way more attention

Born Of Osiris

While Born Of Osiris’ early releases straddled the line between deathcore and metalcore, one thing that remained present was a digital electronic sound laced throughout their music. They’ve shifted to a much more technological-influenced feel since those early releases. However, their push for this early on was a determining factor in what so many djent and metalcore bands pulled throughout the 2010s. 

Abandon All Ships

Toronto electronicore crew Abandon All Ships were always rooted in metalcore, starting off as a Norma Jean cover band. As they developed their own direction, they pushed forward the inclusion of synth breakdowns in metal. EDM and metal didn’t really make any sense at the time they were doing it. While it’s essentially become commonplace now, this sound wouldn’t be around today without them. 

Crossfaith

Japanese metalcore crew Crossfaith took the hype of dubstep and brought it to metal and hardcore overseas unlike anyone else at the time. Their vocals often incorporated elements of hip-hop in the delivery too, showing they were quite ahead of times by completely disregarding genres.

Bad Omens frontman Noah Sebastian and guitarist Joakim “Jolly” Karlsson join Kayzo’s ever-expanding resume of collabs. Previous team-ups include All Time Low’s Alex Gaskarth (“Up In Flames”),  Devin Oliver (“FOLLOW YOU”), Underoath (“WASTED SPACE”), blessthefall (“Before The Storm”), Sum 41’s Frank Zummo (“The Less We Know”) and late We Came As Romans vocalist Kyle Pavone (“LA Never Says Goodbye”).

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Many of these tracks appeared on Kayzo’s sophomore album, Unleashed, which dropped last August. Not one to slow down, the producer has continued releasing music since then—including a My Chemical Romance “Helena” remix with Sullivan King and “Battle Drums” with Atreyu—making “Suffocate” his fourth single of 2020.

The Kayzo collab follows Bad Omens reissuing Finding God Before God Finds Me at the start of the year. The 2019 LP was repackaged with two new tracks—“Never Know” and “Limits”—as well as a cover of Duran Duran’s “Come Undone.”

With all eyes on what’s next, Kayzo and Bad Omens’ Sebastian opened up about “Suffocate,” which you can check out below.

NOAH SEBASTIAN: It felt just as organic as our usual writing process to be honest, only much easier because Kayzo is a great producer and had already laid down the majority of the groundwork for the entire track. Typically with our process, it’s Jolly and I both writing and producing entire songs ourselves. But with Kayzo, we got to home in on our respective roles in the band for once and focus on just that, [with] me singing and Jolly playing guitar. 

How did Bad Omens elevate the track?

Kayzo is well known for merging EDM and scene artists in his music. What was it like to work with him on this track?

SEBASTIAN: It was clear that Kayzo already had plenty of experience merging these genres, and the rock and metal influence was there to begin with. Despite us being from two very different worlds musically, the creative process didn’t feel that way at all. Even down to the artwork he had presented for the song, we were on the same page with everything from start to finish. It was a blast, and we’re eager to collaborate with him again in the future someday. 

Read more: Kayzo helps Kyle Pavone fulfill posthumous genre-melding dreams

You continue to bridge the gap between alternative and EDM with each release. Is this the path you always envisioned for yourself in music? 

How do you help artists who have never collaborated or worked in EDM feel comfortable? Are there any tricks to help artists warm up to the genre?

KAYZO: Honestly, I try to go into these sessions as confident as possible and from the start take the reins. Aside from that, we take some time prior to actually getting down to writing and recording and just go through our history. Once the bands hear where I came from and what I’m inspired by, we find ourselves closer than we would have thought prior to talking, and these sessions just become so effortless and fun. All the bands I’ve worked with, Bad Omens included, work so hard, and that really resonated with me. We don’t waste time in sessions. We [make] every second we have worthwhile, and I think that’s why these [collabs] become so interesting and innovative.

Read more: Top 10 rock/EDM crossovers you need to add to your playlist

What’s it like to hear your music blended with EDM? As a band, did you ever envision working in other genres like this?

SEBASTIAN: From day one, we’ve always had aspirations to work with artists in genres outside of what the typical metal [or] rock fan would expect. With all of us having very eclectic music tastes, this didn’t scare us at all. Working full time producing music beyond just Bad Omens, Jolly and I get to do this from time to time already, but this is our first time getting the chance to put Bad Omens in the mix. Beyond the obviously satisfying and rewarding part of just having a good time making a cool song with another talented artist, the idea that we can expose fans of our music to another genre they may not have known they had a taste for—and same with Kayzo and his fans with us—is just as exciting as the song itself.

Check out “Suffocate” below.

Kayzo will be hitting the road in March for the UNLEASHED tour with Machine Gun Kelly’s drummer JP “Rook” Cappelletty and the Lights Out tour. Memphis May Fire, I See Stars, Sullivan King and more will appear on select dates across the run. Check out all the upcoming shows below, with support information and tickets here.

Bad Omens are currently on their headlining The Killed And Born Again tour with support from Oh, Sleeper, Thousand Below and Bloodline. Tickets are available here, with dates below.

Kayzo dates:

03/20 – New Orleans, LA @ BUKU Music + Art Project
03/27 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium *
03/28 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Great Saltair *
03/30 – Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre ^
03/31 – Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater ^
04/03 – Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater ^
04/09 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Farmers Market *
04/10 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater *
04/11 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom *
04/14 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts ^
04/15 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe ^
04/16 – Nashville, TN @ Exit In ^
04/17 – Columbus, OH @ The Bluestone ^
04/18 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle *
04/21 – Charleston, SC @ Music Farm ^
04/22 – Richmond, VA @ Jefferson Theater ^
04/23 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Peabodys ^
04/24 – New York, NY @ Great Hall at Avant Gardner *
04/25 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE *
04/29 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection Lounge ^
05/01 – St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN @ Myth Live *
05/02 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave / Eagles Club *
05/06 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory ^
05/07 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory ^
05/08 – Vancouver, BC @ Harbour Convention Centre *
05/09 – Seattle, WA @ WAMU Theater *
* UNLEASHED tour
^ Lights Out tour

Read more: Bad Omens vocalist isn’t a huge fan of Paramore

Bad Omens dates:

02/25 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
02/27 – Orlando, FL @ Soundbar
02/28 – Lake Worth, FL @ Propaganda
02/29 – Tampa, FL @ Pegasus Lounge
03/01 – West Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
03/02 – Fayetteville, NC @ The Drunk Horse Pub
03/03 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
03/04 – Philadelphia, PA @ Voltage Lounge
03/05 – Richmond, VA @ Canal Club
03/06 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kingsland Bar & Gril
03/07 – Hartford, CT @ The Webster Underground
03/08 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
03/09 – Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theatre
03/11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Crafthouse Stage & Grill
03/12 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
03/13 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverfront Live
03/14 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
03/15 – Cudahy, WI @ X-Ray Arcade
03/16 – St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar And Hall
03/17 – Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room
03/18 – Lincoln, NE @ The Bourbon Theatre
03/20 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
03/21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
03/23 – Spokane, WA @ The Pin
03/24 – Portland, OR @ Lola’s Room
03/25 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
03/27 – Sacramento, CA @ Holy Diver
03/28 – Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction