Las Vegas quintet, Amarionette have amassed an impressive following since their inception in 2010 with their synth-fueled, nostalgic and energetic brand of pop-rock, and they’re still growing and evolving with each and every release. For instance, 2018 marked some big changes for the band, who parted ways with vocalist Quin White and joined forces with new frontman, Issy Berry. Their following two releases, Amvri and latest EP, Evolution find the band at their strongest and creating their most dynamic music yet.
With over 1 million streams on Spotify and having toured nationally – including with the likes of Kurt Travis, Eidola and Strawberry Girls – Amarionette is far from a hidden gem, their dexterous and expressive rock sound is intricate and impeccably delivered, as they draw influence from rock, pop and post-hardcore, combining big hooks, delightful retro vibes and enchanting vocals.
We recently caught up with the band to discuss Evolution and their own personal growth over the past year. Listen to the EP and read the full interview now below.
Can you tell us a little bit about Amarionette for anyone who might be hearing you for the first time?
Amarionette is a band from Las Vegas, NV that formed in late 2010. The original line-up consisted of Quin White, Nick Raya, Justin Brooklyn, and Ron Wells. We came out with 3 EP’s and 2 LP’s. In early 2018 we parted ways with lead vocalist Quin White and added Issy Berry. We have two EP’s to date with Issy on vocals titled AMVRI and Evolution.
You guys just recently released your new EP, Evolution. Now that its out and you’ve had a little bit of time to reflect on it, what are some of your favorite things about the EP?
I love that we were able to really sit down and write this EP together as a team. It was the first time we’ve done that in a long time so that was a lot of fun. It was really the first time we helped write lyrics together too so that was cool.
Evolution is kind of a perfect title for the EP, as the band has been through a few changes over the past year, too. How do you feel you’ve grown with the writing and recording of the EP?
Again, we’ve grown together as a unit and everything is much more cohesive than its ever been. We are able to constructively critique each other without hurting anyone’s feelings and help each other grow. It’s a great feeling. We all want to be better.
Evolution also marks your first album with Issy Berry on vocals. How was the writing and recording process this time around? What was Issy able to bring to the table for this new release?
This is actually the second record with Issy on vocals. AMVRI came out June of 2018 with Issy on vocals which included the single “Baddest”. Issy is an amazing self produced vocalist that is capable of utilizing not only his voice, but production abilities as well. He allows me (Nick) and other members of the band to really dive into the process with him and is open to so many ideas. The fact that he is so talented vocally, and instrumentally allows to add parts in songs that we’ve never been able to in the past. Especially his keyboard work.
Did you guys have any major goals in mind when you first started working on the EP?
We really just wanted to come out with songs that we loved and wanted to move in the direction more reminiscent of Baddest and Modern Disco (former singles) and also wanted to re-record some old songs that we love and still play. So Much Better II for example is just a re-recording of the original with better and updated production.
Were there any challenges you faced when working on the EP? If so, how did you overcome them?
Mostly scheduling conflicts! Haha other than it was really a fun process. I guess maybe some minor communication mistakes while sending files and stuff like that but not really! We are really trying to avoid challenges and keep it fun.
What was the most exciting or rewarding part of the writing and recording process?
I would say just the way all of the songs turned out. There is not a single on the EP that none of us aren’t satisfied with. So that’s a huge plus.
With Evolution out now, do you have any other big plans for 2019? Any shows or tour dates coming up?
We have already started recording our third LP and have tons of songs demoed out. We embark on an east coast tour in October and maybe a hand full of west coast shows to close out the year.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you! Our new EP ‘Evolution’ is out now. Stream it on Spotify!
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