New York-based metal group, Secrets Don’t Sleep are bursting into the music scene at full force with the release of their first music video for “Still Standing” off of their upcoming debut EP, For What I’m Worth. With plans for a tour this year, the EP dropping soon and the explosive debut music video out now, this young band shows massive promise, and with good reason.
We had the chance to chat with Secrets Don’t Sleep about the powerful message behind For What I’m Worth, their time in the studio, and their big plans for the rest of 2015. Check out their video for “Still Standing” below and pick up For What I’m Worth soon!
Interview by Dom Vigil
Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to chat with us! Can you tell us a little bit about Secrets Don’t Sleep for our readers who might be checking you out for the first time?
Billy Ramos (Vocals): Thanks for having us! We are a metalcore band out of Bergen and Rockland County NY/NJ. We listen to a lot of different types of music from indie all the way to deathcore and we try to incorporate these different styles in our music.
Congrats on the release of your music video for “Still Standing!” Can you tell us a little bit about the track and accompanying video?
Billy: The song and lyrics all have to do with my own real-life experiences as well as experiences many other people can relate to. They’re experiences that many people can find themselves in growing up.
Zach Szydlo (Guitar & Vocals): I co-wrote the lyrics with will and I grew up with that same issue of having someone be absent. It took me a long time to realize that it wasn’t because of anything I had or hadn’t done, but that other person’s own issues. And the video shows a little taste of that heated emotion and letting out.
As the first track you’ve released from your upcoming EP, For What I’m Worth, was there a specific reason you chose “Still Standing” as the single?
Zach: There is a very powerful message we wanted to get across and we felt the song hits the heaviest right off the bat.
Because the video is essentially the first impression that many people will get of you guys, was there anything you really wanted to accomplish with it?
Zach: We wanted to make a point that we’re not just a local band and wanted to come out swinging.
What can you tell us about For What I’m Worth? What was the writing and recording process like?
Billy: The title refers to the struggle of finding out inner-worth. Every song has its own issue that gets resolved. We chose the name “For What I’m Worth” for that very reason, to help people to find out what they’re really worth.
The recording and writing process was both a learning experience and a joy at the same time. I’ve never been in an official band prior to Secrets Don’t Sleep, so I’ve never truly been able to fully experience what it’s like to be in studio and write/create music. I definitely look forward to writing more in the future.
Zach: I work as an engineer at a studio so I really love the whole process of recording as a general. I really don’t like recording and mixing my own music though, so it was really great to get to step out and have someone outside the band take care of the recording and mixing. This really allowed me to focus on my playing and writing.
Was there anything that you guys wanted to be able to accomplish with this EP?
Billy: We wanted to put our name out to the world. We’re planning on touring this summer and we hope to get on some cool shows and meet new fans and new people and we hope this EP will open new doors for us.
Were there any messages that you wanted to be able to get across or any emotions you wanted to evoke?
Billy: The EP as a whole depicts some of our struggles of finding a sense of self-value and self worth. Most importantly, it’s about coming to the realization that regardless of others peoples issues you can’t base your self worth on other people’s opinions. “Perception is Reality”
On top of the EP, do you guys have any other big plans for 2015?
Zach: Currently we are planning a tour and continuing to write new music for our upcoming full length album. We’ve got some other exciting stuff that’s still in the works. But 2015 will definitely be a busy year for us here at Secrets Don’t Sleep.
Any final words, references, links, or things to look out for from Secrets Don’t Sleep?
Billy: The EP will be dropping at the end of the month and we have shows coming up so stay tuned on Facebook at www.facebook.com/secretsdontsleepband for the latest updates.
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