If These Trees Could Talk
Date: 2nd June 2016
MM:“The Bones of a Dying World” gets released in June , what the Media feedback been like so far ?
Cody:The feedback up to this point has been really positive. We have a great fanbase that seems really psyched about the new material, and we couldn’t be any more excited to share the rest of the album. It’s been a few years since the release of Red Forest, so I would say listeners are probably ready for some new content, as are we. We have also seen a growing interest from new fans as well. Being on a label like Metal Blade certainly helps expose us to new people that may not have given us a listen in the past. The enthusiasm for the new album is overwhelming, and we are thrilled to finally get the new tunes out there.
MM:How much of a Progression would you say the new Album is compared to your earlier work
Cody:I think the best part of the new album is the fact that each song takes on a different personality than the next and covers a wide range of emotion. The new material is also a bit more intricate, but only in certain parts throughout the record. We wanted to take a slight departure, while also staying true to our original sound. It's only a bit more technical relative to our previous work, so it's not like we are ripping arpeggios through the song or anything. I just think we have matured a bit and want challenge ourselves to become better musicians and song writers. With that being said, I think our listeners will be pleased to hear that we still have the same driving, melodic grooves and intense builds that we have sort of embodied over the past three records.
MM: Do you think “If These Trees Could Talk” will always be an Instrumental Band or would you one day consider Vocals on your future works.
Cody: I think we would agree that a vocalists at this point wouldn't really make much sense. We made it to this level without one and we enjoy the challenge of creating music that is interesting enough without the addition of lyrics. I think this is just a testament to how powerful instrumental music can be and how emotion can still be evoked without the presence of any words. We may have thought about adding a singer early on, but probably all agreed that it could destroy our sound just as easily as it could strengthen it.
MM: You have been with Metal Blade a while now how pleased are you to be with such an iconic Label
Cody: It’s pretty incredible to be part of the label that is credited for launching careers of Slayer and Metallica, not to mention the countless list of iconic bands on the Metal Blade roster. It’s an honor to be part of their extremely talented lineup and they are great to work with. We have total creative control and they don't push us to make decisions that we feel aren’t in the best interest of the band. They are a great network of support and knowledge and we couldn’t be more grateful.
MM: If I was new to “If These Trees Could Talk “ which Songs of the New Album would you play me to introduce me to your sound.
Cody:Iron Glacier and the Giving Tree. Iron Glacier is a beast of a song that definitely displays what we do best. Its got a lot of different feelings throughout it and and really shows the different styles of music we are influenced by. It starts pretty intense, gets happy and ends with a dark, crushing riff. It covers a lot of ground and is a song that I think people will really dig.
The Giving Tree is a track that has a classic ITTCT feel to it. It's a little more straight forward but has some really nice melodies, driving drums and an intense conclusion that is very reminiscent of our previous sound.
MM: Whats the plans for the rest of 2016 :What can we Expect from If These Trees Could Talk Live?
Cody:We have our CD release shows in July and then we will be doing a bunch more dates later in the summer. I believe those are being finalized right now and will be released very soon. Expect a few weeks of dates in the US spanning the west coast, east coast and some Canadian shows, as well. We certainly plan on adding more and more shows. I wouldn’t rule out a European run within the next year or early next year. We had an amazing turnout last time through Europe, and would love to do it again. It’s tough for us all to get out on the road for extended periods of time, but there will be more to come, guaranteed.
MM:Whats your Ultimate Goal for If These Trees Could Talk?
Cody:Not to sound too cheesy, but I think the ultimate goal for the Trees has always been to just create music that we can be proud of and that we enjoy playing. We never really thought that it would catch on as much as it has over the past decade, but we are extremely grateful that it has. Really, just continue to create music that people can enjoy as much as we love making it.
MM:Away from If These Trees could talk do you have any other projects..
Cody:No other projects currently, but I’m always working on new material and wouldn’t mind releasing a collection of songs in the future.
MM: Can you tell us the first Concert you went too and also who would be the ultimate Band/s to share a stage with.
Cody: My pops is big into music, so I've been going to concerts for a very long time. Its hard to remember the first concert I attended, but I did see AC/DC and Metallica at the Gund Arena in Cleveland when I was pretty young. Two super bad ass shows. It's tough to forget AC/DC live show when you are 9, because they fire cannons that make you bleed from your ears. It was well worth it.
I would love to share the stage with a lot of bands, but there are too many to name. I'd welcome the opportunity to play with whomever wanted to rock with us.
MM: Four words to describe If These Trees Could talk
Cody: Textured, Melodic, instrumental, stimulating
MM: Finally we would like to thank you for your time , is their anything you would like to say to your fans and our readers
Cody:Thanks for the interest in the band and the continuing support. It’s a cliché, but it is the truth - Without the listeners and fans, there is no Trees. Keep listening and we will keep writing new shit. Thank You.
Cody, guitarist from If These Trees Could Talk