A Balance Between Is (Band Members & Instruments They Play): Jeremy Hernandez – vocals and guitar, Rob Piccininni Jr. – bass, Roberto Cangialosi – drums, Brian Grego – guitar, Mike Carroll – guitar.
We Formed In: 2007
We’re based Out Of: Bergen County, NJ
Our Sound Has Been Likened to: Deftones, Thrice
Other Bands You May Have Seen Us In: Near Miss (Jeremy)
New Music Coming Out: Our new album Transcendence is due out this year.
You’re got a new record, Transcendence, coming out in 2016 — how does this album stand out from the rest of your previous works?
“Transcendence” finds us delving into new territory. We have all changed in one way or another over the years, both as people and artists, so instead of fearing it we have embraced it. As a result, “Transcendence” takes on a more melodic and atmospheric approach to our normally heavy rock sound.
If someone is discovering the band for the first time – what song would you recommend they listen to, and why?
We would recommend “Your Own Hell” off our EP Negative Space. It blends our signature heaviness with a more melodic approach to songwriting that now defines us as a band. You will definitely hear that aspect becoming more apparent on Transcendence.
What do you love about being in this band?
Our band gives us a creative and emotional outlet that can often times be hard to find in life. We are thankful that we have been able to come together in a positive manner and create music that we are proud of.
Think back to your earliest shows — how have you guys evolved as a band since then?
Aside from the obvious (adding a third guitar player), we really learned how to write as a unit. There was never any strife among members during songwriting, but we had to learn how to listen to where the song wanted to go and not force it to be something it wasn’t. Finding the appropriate place to fit within the music is not always easy, but it becomes second nature the more you write.
What’s been your favorite moment in the band?
Fortunately for us it is difficult to pick just one, but something we enjoyed tremendously was getting the chance to perform a live session for Audiotree. It was a challenge, but taught us a lot about performance and precision.
What’s been the wildest thing to happen at one of your shows?
Last year we were playing a show at Gramercy Theater, and our bassist (Rob) and drummer (Roberto) discovered that a highly intoxicated man was trying to sell some of our merch and make off with the money. When they confronted him on it, the man claimed he was with the headlining band. When asking the headliner, they assured us they had never seen the man before. He quickly disappeared after Rob and Roberto made it clear to him that he had made a grave mistake.
There’s so many bands performing in the Asbury area — how do you guys stand out?
We pride ourselves on our live show. Every note and tone we record we make sure to replicate in a live setting, and countless hours of rehearsal have made us collectively tight. It has often been said to us that there is no sonic difference live compared to what you hear on our recordings, and it is extremely satisfying to be known for that.
What do you have on tap for the rest of 2016?
The release of our album Transcendence will be the biggest event for us, but we will also continue to play shows as often as we can. Our summer is already quickly filling up, and we intend to keep the push going through fall and winter. There will also be two music videos that will accompany the album’s release.
