An Interview With Rusting Sun
A new single release from Rusting Sun breeds a refreshing but almost nostalgic alternative rock soundscape that feels like something you would have heard on a mainstream rock radio station in the late 90s and it comes through with a cinematic backbone and loads of character.
"Breathe And Dive" is a very heartfelt single and is performed with a certain level of passion that really makes everything feel incredibly genuine and authentic.
These guys have a great knack for creating a song that boasts a certain kind of energy so that it feels like it was almost recorded live on the floor because all the players seem like they're feeding off of each other the entire time.
That kind of energy is not easy to capture on a record but these guys do it without a hitch and in the meantime, manage to put out these choruses that bounce around in your head for hours after the song has ended.
Some creative production bridges and breakdowns hit with gusto and definitely bring that radio feel even more plus, these guys really are able to build an intensity bit by bit as the song goes on so that by the time it hits that final chorus it's just massive.
There are two things that you know right off the bat when listening to the single and the first is that these guys have a pure love for what they're doing and for their craft because that oozes out of every note that's being played.
The second thing is that you can tell that this is a band built with seasoned musicians who each bring their own element works so you have these old souls of the genre and the craft doing their thing and coming together to create an atmosphere that ends up being their own.
From the guitar tone to the vocals, everything about this hits that aesthetic really really well and that's the part that is a little bit nostalgic for me because I grew up with a lot of this kind of stuff being played on the radio when I was a teenager.
You can feel those inspirations coming through and the whole point of the song is focused on being young and feeling as alive as you've ever felt like you can take on anything.
I think that this song really captured a sort of anthem of that feeling that, if we're lucky enough to live through that age, we've all had.
That's the beauty of this song and in the midst of that there's a lot of love involved and it feels like it could be a lost love but one that still exists in its own right.
A sort of love that is everlasting and whether that be through old photographs or memories, it is what it is and I think we need songs to remind us of things like that sometimes.
I definitely feel like this was maybe cathartic for the singer especially being able to talk about certain things and express enough emotion and feeling to get off of his chest and the only way he knows how.
I definitely look forward to hearing more from Rusting Sun and this is definitely one of the bands to keep an eye out for.
With the release of the new single, we wanted to have a sit-down with the band to find out where it actually did come from and what might be coming up next for them.
Here's what happened.
TSWS: How did this all start for you as a band?
Our story may not be all that different from lots of bands that came together out of the pandemic. In our case, Jay’s hardcore band fizzled out and he started writing songs on the acoustic while in isolation. When things began to gradually open up again, he realized that life as a solo artist was never his path, so he began to put the feelers out in March 2022 for musicians that would be down to start something new and different. Enter Joel. The moment Joel and Jay hit a chord and sang together it was pretty clear that there was something there. Rusting Sun music is emotive, delivering 6/8-time signatures, two - three - part harmonies, with deeply personal lyrics, which is not all that common; enter Paolo on drums in April. We spent the fall of 2022 playing shows on the west coast of Canada, and in Feb 2023 Richard joined the fold as our lead guitarist. It was another one of those (this really clicks) moments when he (Richard) walked through the jam space door. Things have been pretty much full steam ahead ever since, with a steady string of gigs. As we do this interview, we are coming off a busy week with 3 shows to support the release of our first single.
TSWS: What kind of things really inspire songs for you?
As the current primary lyricist/composer, Jay has drawn his inspiration from his past and present lived experiences/observations with addiction, mental health, love, and loss. His musical history is firmly rooted in punk and post-hardcore, so there is a bit of an edge and heaviness to the context of his stories. As Rusting Sun continues to evolve, we find ourselves collaborating more with the writing, both lyrically and musically. We hope our music will resonate with, and inspire others to overcome life’s obstacles. We want our music to lift people up. The answer to this important question will undoubtedly change over time as our inspirations change, as it should.
TSWS: This single has some great approaches to it! Can you give us some of your biggest influences musically?
That’s a really interesting question, as our influences are so diverse. Joel draws a lot of his influence from pop punk & emo (MXPX, Dashboard Confessional), Richard has a broad range of influences that include prog rock, Brit rock/pop (King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, The Police), Paolo is influenced by gospel & classic/Filipino rock (The Beatles, Eraserheads, Wolfgang, Liveloud), and Jay’s musical fingerprint includes punk, post hardcore, rock (Quicksand, Hopesfall, Pennywise, STP, Thrice). Breathe and Dive (in its original form) was penned by Jay on the acoustic, who (at the time) was spinning lots of Elliott Smith, Social Distortion, Dustin Kensrue, and Chuck Ragan. Collaboratively, we each brought our own ideas to the song, which makes the single sound so unique, engaging, and powerful.
TSWS: What are you all doing when you're NOT working on music?
Vancouver (Canada) is a city that allows us to do what we love. Richard works in the film industry, Paolo works as a photographer and as an IT specialist, Jay is a social worker and Joel works in communications/media.
TSWS: Who's in all your headphones right now?
Richard: Cabaret, the new single by Calgary indie band Peach Panic, The Harmony Codex - new album by UK artist Steven Wilson, and Folklore by Taylor Swift
Joel: Charlotte Sands (Good Now EP), The Band CAMINO (The Dark), and This Wild Life (Never Fade), and Scalawag (Sehnsucht)
Jay: The Mars Volta (Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon), Jeff Buckley (Grace), Turnstile (Glow On), and Angel Du$t (YAK: A Collection of Truck Songs).
Paolo: Discographies by James Taylor, Toto, and The Eagles
TSWS: Are you guys doing any live performances right now?
We have been pretty busy recently, with the release of this single. Our next show is on Vancouver Island, in late September. We are also organizing a fundraiser event (for mental health supports/services) in November. Overall, the fall is looking quieter, as we focus on writing and potentially recording a couple more songs. Plans are already in the works for a killer 2024.
TSWS: Do you record these at a big studio or do you have a home studio set-up?
We had the opportunity to record at Flash Recording, with Andrew Conroy, in East Vancouver. The single was mastered by Stu McKillop at Rain City Recorders.
TSWS: What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
We have our second single coming out in October or November. It’s ready to go, now it’s just a matter of timing. We are also in the early stages of planning to (video) record and release some acoustic music, likely on YouTube and other social media platforms which should also happen before the end of the year.
TSWS: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
If you like what you hear, you can keep up with us on Facebook, Instagram, and all the listening platforms. We also have a website (www.rustingsun.com) that we keep up to date with news, photos, and show announcements. Thanks for checking out our first single.
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