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Rockers SEPTEMBER MOURNING Discuss Their Latest Music, Growing Through The Years and More!
Posted On 14 Jan 2020
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September Mourning are giving their fans a New Year’s treat with the release of an animated video for “Overdose” as they simultaneously launch their new “Volume III” EP. The collection also includes an additional new song “Madness“. Rounding out the EP are an uncensored version of “Unholy” and “Hiding From Heaven”. The band has just announced a new round of tour dates that start in February (see below).
September says of “Overdose”: “This is a song about falling in love with someone or something so hard that it consumes you…and that the process of being consumed is actually a beautiful thing. In reference to another person, it mentions a certain uncertainty in the second verse, of that other person’s view on life, love and having the courage to be deep in it. The song reminds us that our views of life and love are our own and may not necessarily be shared by everyone and that’s ok. If you stay true to your heart and beliefs, eventually those with similar views find each other”.
September Mourning is made up of members Emily Lazar (September) – lead vocals, Rich Juzwick (Riven) – guitars and backing vocals, Patrick Romanelli (Wraith) – guitars and backing vocals and Kyle Mayer (Stitch) – Drums.
The group released the “Volume 1” EP in 2015, and the full-length album “Volume 2” in 2016 – with singles “20 Below” and “Eye of the Storm” both reaching the Top 40 at Active Rock radio. The band released 2 singles in 2018: “Empire” and “Glass Animals”. Their “Unholy“ and “Hiding From Heaven” singles, released last year, were featured on key Hard Rock playlists on all major streaming services.
The band has amassed more than 5 million plays of their songs at Spotify; and more than 6.8 million overall worldwide. Their videos have been viewed more than 6.6 million times on YouTube, with 21,500+ subscribers to their Youtube channel.
The band’s striking visuals and dynamic, immersive stage show have helped propel them into a national touring act that has performed at Download (UK), Rock on the Range (Columbus, OH), Aftershock (Sacramento, CA), Comicpalooza (Houston, TX), Anime Midwest (Chicago, IL), as well as opening for Rob Zombie and other notable acts. They are already booked for the Incarceration Festival in 2020, with more to come.
Connect With September Mourning Online Here:
Official website: http://www.septembermourning.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/septembermourning
Twitter: https://twitter.com/septmbrmourning
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/septembermourning/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/theseptembermourning
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0rv6j8i8iz80JclawCEgCr
Apple Music/iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1486198302
Physical store: https://september-mourning-merch.myshopify.com/products/volume-iii
Bands In Town: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/241760
S.M. upcoming tour dates
Friday, Feb. 7th – Astronomicon – Sterling Heights, MI
S.M. Headlining dates (with support acts Madame Mayhem and American Grim)
Saturday, Feb. 8th – Music Factory – Battle Creek, MI
Sunday, Feb. 9th – The Forge
– Joliet, IL
Tuesday, Feb. 11th – Stage West – Scranton, PA
Wednesday, Feb. 12th – Montage Music Hall – Rochester, NY
Thursday, Feb. 13th – HMAC – Harrisburg, PA
Friday, Feb. 14th – Dingbatz – Clifton, NJ
Saturday, Feb. 15th – Fishhead Cantina – Baltimore, MD
Sunday, Feb. 16th – Loft @ The Chance – Poughkeepsie, NY
Tuesday, Feb. 18th – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
Wednesday, Feb. 19th – Kingsland – Brooklyn, NY
Thursday, Feb. 20th – Average Joe’s Beernasium – Baldwinsville, NY
Friday, Feb. 21st – Greasy Luck – New Bedford, MA
Sunday, Feb. 23rd – The Fire – Philadelphia, PA
Saturday, July 11th – Inkcarceration – Mansfield, OH
Learn more about September Mourning in the following All Access interview with them here:
Happy New Year! When it comes to your music, what are you most excited about for 2020?
Happy New Year to you as well! We are very excited because this year, besides the release of our latest EP, “Volume III” that just dropped, we’ve been working hard on new music. “Volume IV” will (hopefully) be released later this year.
Can you recall the moment when you thought you could be in this group together? Do you find that your band name still represents you and your music today?
Since September Mourning is a trans-media project who’s foundation is built on a storyline/Graphic Novel of the same name, our name is tied to everything we do. We love building this world together for you all…. Every night on stage we are reminded of how fortunate we are to be able to do these things we love at a professional level. I don’t think there was ever one particular “a-ha” moment…. it just fell into place over time, organically.
How do you think your hometown has influenced the sound and how you all carry yourselves in this group? If not, why is that?
I think because we are all part of a singularity online at this point, the hometown mentality doesn’t resonate as much anymore…. We have friends in Russia and Spain, etc. because of our online presence. It’s crazy to think of how such an enormous world is now almost smaller because of the internet. I think because of this, we have been given more tools to use in exploring our musical soundscape.
Let’s talk about your newest animated music video for “Overdose.” Where did the idea for this come from exactly? How does this video continue in the animated universe that you created with the “Hiding From Heaven” video game theme?
Because of our trans-media roots in this project, we are able to develop alternate universes within the same storyline. We used that technique to come up with a simple but interesting storyline revolving around Claire and her blindness to everything living but not to the reapers and the dead. In “Hiding” she enters an Arcade and plays the game where she can see the Reapers and Fate. This continues through “Overdose” as she is sucked into the game “Jumanji” Style. I’ve always loved gaming and old school games like Street fighter – and after seeing the Jumanji movie I felt like it would be a fun twist on our own characters!
Why did you decide to make a September Mourning Graphic Novel?
The project is trans-media; the backbone of everything we do is the story. The story and characters we play on stage came before anything was ever developed musically, and it has all flowed from there.
The subject matter for the song, falling in love with someone and becoming consumed by it is certainly something that every person can relate to. Can you talk about writing it?
“Overdose” was a concept I had thought of a while ago but never used, until now. I wanted to put a spin on the word since it’s usually taken into a negative drug related realm. I suppose Love is a drug of sorts…. The song is one of many inspired by my own circumstances with a certain individual. I think it’s a beautiful thing to have the ability to love that deeply and that all-consuming – and not be afraid of the blowback.
How do you think “Overdose” welcomes fans for the rest of the “Volume III” EP?
“Overdose” has so many elements in it of the other genres: from Rock to Alternative to Urban Pop. It wraps up the general feeling of the entire EP in one song. I’m very proud of the job we did on it.
Generally, how does this group go about writing your music? Do you write together or separately? What is the first step in your music-making process?
Riven (Rich Juzwick) will come up with a guitar part or an idea for a structure or I will come in with a song that I like elements of to inspire us. Sometimes I come up with a lyric that just takes us there. Inspiration comes from different places for us. We generally write together with a producer/ engineer. We like to throw things down when the inspiration strikes!
I always like to ask bands if you all hang out socially apart from the music? When you aren’t working on music, do you guys hang out for fun?
We all live in different areas of the country, so for us, it’s literally not possible to hang out much when we aren’t on tour or recording. But we have some funny group texts that occur on the regular that keep us all in touch with one another, and we enjoy our time together when we are on tour.
How do you feel that this band has grown through the years? What has remained the same?
The backbone of the project being trans-media and all about the characters is a constant. We have changed out some members here and there but the purpose of the band has always remained true to its art form. As the project matures, so does the sound and look and story. The stage show develops as the storyline grows, the project inspires itself. We are very lucky for that internal inspiration.
Where do you think you are all happiest – in the studio recording new music, on stage performing or elsewhere?
I think I speak for everyone when I say we are all happiest on stage. The fans we have are our family at this point – we cherish every moment we have to spend with them and give it our all every night.
What do you think makes for an ideal show for this band? What have been some of your favorite shows and venues lately?
We LOVE playing festivals and Comic Cons/ Anime Conventions! Because of the nature of the project, anywhere that is larger than life is the perfect setting for September Mourning!
Where are you excited to tour this year? Are you playing at any venues that you haven’t before?
We are pretty stoked on The Alaskan Comic Con. It’s not every day you get to go to Alaska and perform! It will be our first time there as a band, so we’re really excited.
With all the different social media platforms out there, how do you balance it all? How do you think that social media has impacted this band? How often are you all on your different sites interacting with fans? How have you been able to utilize it through the years?
Social Media is amazing because of that stellar fan connection bands can have. But it is very time consuming. We are all constantly talking to fans and posting and trying to give behind the scenes looks into what we do in order to establish more of a connection. That, on top of having the time to actually create something incredible – it’s a 24 hour a day job. I think it’s interesting how important being global and active online is the norm for artists. It’s like there’s the virtual you and the real you. But in today’s climate they are both significantly important. The virtual aspect has gained importance throughout the years.
We are currently living through a very trying and politically charged time right now so I am curious to know how you all think being musicians and in this band still gives you the most joy in life today?
Having the freedom of expression through art and music is life for us. We exist to create. When we are in our world of September Mourning it’s like nobody can touch us and there’s something comforting about the escape of it all, especially now-a-days.
What musicians have really been inspiring you all since you first started making music? Who would you still love to work with?
I know everyone in the band has a wide range influences. From Metallica to Glassjaw to Babyface to The Weeknd. We are all over the map with sonic influences. I personally would love to work with someone in the DJ world or Urban world a bit – to really expand on the deep sound we have been exploring but keeping us in that rock landscape.
What do you hope is the message of your music? What do you hope people continue to take away from your songs?
We want to inspire people to embrace all the different parts of themselves – even the parts that are embedded in fear. To open up the sealed box of emotions that they never want to touch out of fear, to not be afraid to Dig deeper. That’s what we strive for: Through story, art and music. Dig Deep. It’s much a much more interesting life than staying in the shallow end!
