What's it like to work with Will Putney, and what else can you tell us about the recording process for 'Anonymous'? He is a 5th member with us in the studio. He is on our level of everything, from music to humor, and that is important. You don't want to spend weeks on end with somebody that you hate. You will produce nothing but shitty music if that is the case. He is the man.
Can you describe how a song normally comes together in your band then? I write the music on my own. Usually finish a song, or get about 80% there, and bring it to the band at practice. Sometimes we tweak things, sometimes songs change completely, and sometimes they don't change at all. We all write lyrics. Even if I write a song lyrically myself, it is brought to the band and we work on it together. all 4 of us have at least 1 song on the album.
Your new album, 'Anonymous' features some guest vocals from Jesse Barnett of Stick To Your Guns on the track 'Radio' and Jason Aalon Butler of Letlive on the song 'Scissor Hands' so can you tell us about how these collaborations came about, and also what was it like to work with these guys? Those are our boys, and they have been for a while. Two bands we collectively admire are Letlive and Stick To Your Guns. We played one of the last Underoath shows with Letlive in Massachusetts. After that show, there was a day off, so Jason came to the Machine shop, we tracked his part (he was bouncing and bumping into things, as if he was playing a live show) and then we all saw Django Unchained together. Jesse did the part on his own and killed it. We just did Canada with STYG and Jesse sang Radio with us live and it was so sick, he is the best frontman in hardcore.
You've stated that 'We will never be a band that gives you the same record more than once' so with this in mind, how would you say you have progressed as a band since the release of 'Rising Sun'? Like I said before, I feel this album is more complete. I am proud of Rising Sun, I think it’s sick, but I wish we had another week to work on it. The deep tracks on that record are not as good as "landmines" "Tell them I'm Not Home" or "Anonymous"
Your latest video for 'Badge & A Bullet' is powerful by being rebellious and showing police brutality, so what is the message behind this and what was it like to film the video? Well it is about exactly what you said...police brutality and power abuse. It’s been a problem in our lives and the lives of people all over the world. Doing this video was INSANE. Carlo, the director, was at our show in Berlin, and he came to buy a CD from me at the merch table. He said he wanted to do a video for us, and I took it lightly. He showed me some stuff he did, and it is videos from Terror, Comeback Kid and Stick To Your Guns, and I was stoked. in 5 days notice he got a venue, cop car, grenade, cop costumes, and guns. The whole 9, and it turned out so fucking sick, he killed it.
So looking back on 2013, can you give us a couple of personal highlights from the year, as well as why those moments/achievements mean so much to you? Headlining shows and selling them out is really crazy. It’s something you always think about early in your career, and then it actually happening is really insane. Headlining Toronto, 400+ people there, it was bone chilling. Going to Australia is up there too, really insane.
What can we expect to see from Stray From The Path in 2014? Touring more than any human should tour. Exciting and mentally exhausting already!