The Canadian Rockers CIVILIANA Discuss Their Recent Singles, Biggest Inspirations and More!

The Canadian alternative rock band CIVILIANA recently released their  newest single “Void” to all digital platforms – including Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Google Play Music.

“Void” was co-produced by Matt Di Pomponio and Ryan Worsley (Dear Rouge, Said The Whale, Sophia Danai). It marks the second single release for four-piece band after their debut Canadian radio single, “Carry a Light” in March. The group’s next single, “Melt,” will complete this three-act journey in August.

CIVILIANA’s lead vocalist and drummer Calen Trentini explains “Void”: “This song reflects on a time where I found myself vehemently seeking a relationship – partly to address my loneliness but also to handle the intense pressure to conform with those around me who had found partners quickly and effortlessly. After rushing into a new relationship, I lost my identity and direction because I hadn’t taken time to find my own meaning and purpose.”

“When we first formed in 2015, we loved to create and perform songs that were powerful and heavy. ‘Void’ captures the essence of those heavier rock roots and fuses it with the deliberate emotional touches, the high energy and the electronic elements that define our current sound,” says Trentini.

“Void” continues a compelling three-song narrative originated in the group’s previous single, “Carry a Light” about the aftermath of a failed relationship, the search for a new identity, and ultimately the decision to explore new emotional and physical connections.

Check out the video for “Void” here:

Influenced by the organic sound and artistic freedoms of the alt-rock genre, CIVILIANA brings an unfiltered sound laced with raw emotion and primal physicality to their music and shows. The origins of CIVILIANA began in a high school band class in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It was there that aspiring drummer Calen Trentini met future bassist Spencer Daley. As they learned their chosen instruments side by side, they soon formed a duo before adding their friend Adam Wilson – a guitarist from a neighbouring high school – into the mix. After high school, the trio went their separate ways before reconnecting in Vancouver as adults in 2015. CIVILIANA was formed a few months later with Calen’s potent vocals and kinetic drumming skills anchored by Spencer’s technical aptitude on bass and keys along with Adam’s supporting vocals and seamless songwriting fusion of pure alt-rock with modern electronic influences.

Feeling empowered to turn their shared musical passions into a professional pursuit, the group recorded their first EP Out the Window in 2016 with producer and former high school classmate Daniel Ponich. This collaboration proved to be serendipitous as Daniel subsequently joined the band, providing guitar, key, and percussion elements that proved to be the group’s missing link. From there, CIVILIANA sent their new rough demos to award-winning producer Ryan Worsley (Dear Rouge, Said The Whale, Sophia Danai), who along with co-producer Matt Di Pomponio developed the group’s upgraded sound – an emotionally raw and clean electronic sound drenched in pure rock ‘n’ roll.

Connect With CIVILIANA here:

https://www.civilianamusic.com

Learn more about CIVILIANA in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time! What is on tap for the rest of your day?

Hey thanks for having me! Tonight, I’ll be rehearsing with the band. We’re mostly running through our set but Adam mentioned he has some new songs that he’d like to work on, so I’m eager to hear what he has!

Now that we are into the 7th month of the year, how would you say that 2019 is treating the band so far? What have been some goals this group has had this year? How close are you to reaching them? 

2019 has been amazing for us as a band with many milestones.

We wanted to create and release three high quality music videos along with our singles – “Carry a Light”, “Void” and “Melt”. The reception and attention that’s been given to our first 2 releases has been really amazing and we’re looking forward to releasing our third and final 2019 single titled “Melt” in August. We have been playing some awesome shows in support of these singles that have had great crowds and an awesome atmosphere.

Can you recall the moment when you thought you could be in this group together? Was it hard to think of a name that you could agree on? Has anything surprised you about this musical journey so far?

I remember when I first met Adam in high school. I had this thought to myself “if I can just get Adam Wilson in my band, I might just have a shot at playing music for a living and making some really great songs!”

I like to believe he agreed to be in my band because of me, but it was probably because of how great Spencer is at playing bass.

The only thing so far that has surprised me about the musical journey is just how much work is involved. Nothing comes easily, but I like it that way.

How do you think your hometowns have influenced the sound and how you all carry yourselves in this group? If not, what do you think does influence this group?

We all grew up in a city outside of Vancouver called Kelowna. The music scene there when we were in our teens was really thriving. The music was pretty heavy and I think that really influenced us.

Upon moving to Vancouver, I think the aura and culture that comes with a big city influenced us and caused us to move toward a bigger and more electronic-influenced sound.

I always like to ask bands if you all hang out socially apart from the music? In other words, when you aren’t working on music, do you guys enjoy hanging out for fun?

Our bass player Spencer and I lived together for about 3 years, so we were hanging out around each other pretty much all the time. As well, our bandmate Dan has a studio in North Vancouver that often hosts concerts, so you can usually find us there on a weekend hanging out with local musicians and having a drink.

Let’s about your newest song, “Void.” What was the inspiration for this track? Can you elaborate on how all the three-songs (“Melt” to be released in August) are a three-act journey? How did you go about deciding when to release each of them?

“Void” was inspired by a relationship that I really should not have been in. It has to do with losing your identify and direction and having to look within yourself to find meaning and the way forward.

The first song, “Carry a Light” speaks to the phase right after a relationship ends where you aren’t ready to move on and you’re clinging to what you once had.

“Melt” is the last of the three songs and it speaks to the moment where you have moved past your previous relationship and are ready to seek out new connections. It explores the messiness that often ensues from these pursuits.

How would you say that “Void” compares to your previous songs? Do you plan on putting out a full-length album soon with these 3 songs on it soon?

“Void” is the heaviest of these three songs. It feels very much like one of the songs we would have made in our earlier years while featuring the recent development and growth we’ve made musically, lyrically and stylistically. We would like to record a full-length album next year.

Generally, how do you go about writing your music? Do you write together or separately?

Adam Wilson is the brains behind the operation. He will bring a song idea to a rehearsal that acts as the spark to our process. Once we have that initial idea, it becomes a process of collaboration and throwing ideas back and forth until we either have something gold, or something that needs to be re-worked or looked at in a different way,

How has your sound grown or changed over the years? What has remained the same?

Among others, one thing that has remained the same is the heavy foundation of alt-rock. Lyrically and stylistically, I feel we have grown a ton while also integrating a lot of new electronic elements to our sound.

Where do you think you are all happiest- in the studio recording new music, on stage performing or elsewhere?

For me, being on stage is my favorite. It’s the culmination of executing everything you have been working on while being energized from your band-mates and the audience around you. I live for those moments.

Where can fans see you perform next? What do you think makes for an ideal show for this group? What has been a favorite show of yours in the past? 

We just performed in Vancouver and Kelowna. Next, we have some dates coming up across Western Canada this fall – including stops in Calgary and Edmonton. In 2020, we would love to hit Eastern Canada as well as the USA.

A great show for us consists of having an engaged audience. We love to play off the energy of the crowd so this helps us bring out our best performance.

Playing our first Vancouver show this spring in support of “Carry a Light” was a rewarding experience because of the amazing turnout and the excitement that comes from sharing new music with people. Our recent Kelowna show was another favorite as it presented us with an opportunity to introduce this new era of CIVILIANA to our hometown for the first time.

How has social media impacted this band? How often are you all on your different sites interacting with fans?

Social media is awesome for getting our sound out to new fans and engaging with the ones we already have. We love using Instagram and are very active with our fans and community that chat us up especially the days after we play a show!

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? Do you find that your music is an escape to all the current events?

From my vantage point, music is an untouchable commodity that we can always rely on. It can allow us to escape and access something that doesn’t have to be affected or influenced by the events happening around us, good or bad. For that, I love it.

What musicians would you love to work with in the future? What artists have really been inspiring this group and your music since day 1?

I know for me, the chance to work with Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys would be a dream come true. Damon Albarn from Gorrillaz has really inspired our electronic sound and would be a joy to collaborate with.

What do you hope is the message of your music? What do you hope people continue to take away from your songs?

The themes in our music right now are centered around self-reflection for the purpose of finding your direction and identity. Beyond that, one thing that will stay consistent as the song meanings and themes change will be our unwavering commitment to art and performance.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about this group?

I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview and for the readers who are following along. If you’d like to stay in touch with us or be the first to see and hear what’s next, follow us on our socials or by visiting our website!