Detroit metalcore quartet A War Within have been hard at work all year, and now they’re gearing up for what they hope will be their biggest year as a band yet in 2018. Following tour dates alongside Miss May I and Blessthefall in 2016, A War Within have been grinding to write and release new music while facing every challenge that comes their way head on – be it financial struggles, getting robbed on the road of even something as simple as trying to write their best music yet.
A year removed from their 2016 release, Believe, A War Within recently released their new single, “Where the Lines are Drawn,” an introspective track about confusion and uncertainty for the future. With this new song serving as a teaser of what’s to come, the new year promises to be massive for A War Within.
When we last caught up with you last year, you guys were just finishing up tour dates with Miss May I. What have been some of the highlights of the past year for you guys? What have you been up to?
From last year til now it’s been a lot of crazy ups and downs. we played some great shows and tours and even went and recorded part of our next album with Kris Crummett (Dance Gavin Dance, Issues, Sleeping With Sirens) and were hoping to finish this next album this winter and have it ready to release in 2018. On top of that as well we when through a lot of troubles as far as losing our tour vehicle on the road, getting robbed, pretty much just being straight broke for a couple months. We’ve pretty much been recouping all the money we’ve spent on trying to stay out on the road by working at home with some of the worst luck imaginable when you’re an independent unsigned band. It’s been a rough time to come back from.
Last year, you released your newest album, Believe. Now that it has been out for over a year, what are some of your favorite things about the album?
I feel like for what it was at the time it did unbelievably well. It was my debut album as vocalist. As far as not writing a lot of the vocals and parts on an full album it was a good challenge for me. Many of the songs turned out great. This next album were trying new things and aiming to increase our skills on performing, writing, releasing, touring and everything aimed at being a better strong band because of our history this year.
Back in August, you released your new single, “Where The Lines Are Drawn.” How do you feel you’ve grown between Believe and this new song?
We’ve really knuckled down and worked hard to optimize our skills. This song as well as the ones to come brought out a different side of us all learning how we can improve all aspects of our music and what we don’t want to change for the future. Bands say all the time “this is our best record” but I really feel like at this moment we’ve put together a solid album of each expression individually at its fullest strength. I’m excited to put the final touches on it so we can work on when and how to release but the process was quite different than from before, after all there have been many changes this past year.
What inspired “Where The Lines Are Drawn”? Can you tell us a little bit about the song?
We always, as a band and individuals, struggle with what’s the right path. The right way to life our lives for ourselves and our dreams. We haven’t settled by any means and this song embodies that feeling. That moment you’re awake until when you realize you’re awake. The true bliss in the unknown or the unconscious. It’s only when you truly become conscious and realize your hopes and your dreams are not your reality does your mind really settle in. Your mind is the creator of your own ascension or destruction. Everyone seeks this moment of happiness to last for longer than moments do. People chose substances or dive into immersing oneself into the relentless discovery of why it never sticks around. Every day is the battle between staying on the path and straying. An invisible bridge you so helplessly step into oblivion whether or not you wish to terminate or succeed. It’s that helpless feeling you get being human knowing that you and everyone around you is just wandering trying not to miss a step cause each step seems so dire.
What would you like listeners to take away from the track?
Pretty much just that. We all feel lost and confused. The feeling of uncertainty lies in all of us and even in convincing ourselves to move forward, such a simple task, becomes perilous. Every time.
With “Where The Lines Are Drawn” out now, can fans be expecting any more new music soon?
You bet! Like I said this winter we’ll be back in the studio to put some last songs on the album and bobs your uncle. Don’t have a set date yet but in due time. First things first.
Do you have any big goals for future music? Anything that you’d like to accomplish moving forward?
I think the most reasonable goal is to be self-sufficient in music. To survive off of it alone. We desperately would love bigger and better tours and to see the world with our music being the reason to open that door.
With the year coming to an end, do you have any big plans for 2018 yet? What’s next for A War Within?
We do. Right now we have a couple tour dates already planned and in the works. Our goal is to have the best first week sales regarding this next album we can achieve. We’ve never charted or really broke any sort of insane ground in the past so it’s a new goal we’d like to achieve. We feel like we have a great fan base and it should be a good release. From there we’re looking for more tours and even down to sign to a label if we get one offered. Either way writing and releasing more and more music to help grow our fan base so we can continue to live the dream we work so hard to achieve.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Everything A War Within you can find at AWWMusic.com. Please if you are reading this and would love to help us grow share our music to a friend and encourage them to do the same. pick up our new album coming out soon as soon as you can. this action is very vital! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this to the very end!
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