May 2024

What is going on Ryze-Fam? We are hap- py to introduce a really great band for you to check out this month named Light- worker. The vocalist Joe Calderon was kind enough to give us some time and answer a few questions for us so we could get to know more about the band. Take a moment to read and enjoy. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest work? The inspiration behind our new album is the title of the record, “How the Beautiful Decay”. Thematically, whether it’s the de- cay of the world around us, relationships, mental health, etc… We wanted to make sure that each of the tracks on the album had a connection to that overall theme. How would you describe the evolution of your sound from your earlier releases to your most recent work? We knew going into this album that we wanted it to be a bit more aggressive and urgent sounding. If a listener was a fan of the heavier tracks on our first album, they’ll likely dig this one. There are a cou- ple of “calmer” tracks, but the overall idea was to explore how heavy we could get while maintaining our DNA. What themes or messages do you aim to convey through your music? Riffs, breakdowns, and encouragement to face what you might be dealing with or what may come your way. Are there any specific bands or artists that have influenced your musical style and direction? This would vary between members, but for me, it was Bleed From Within, Fit For An Autopsy, The Ocean Collective, and Darkest Hour. What has been the most memorable moment in your journey as a band so far? Releasing not just one, but now 2 albums on a label we all loved growing up. It’s surreal and a blessing. How do you approach the songwriting process as a band? There’s a few ways we go about this. Most times, Grayson (guitarist) has the vast majority of a song completed and then Joe throws in his 2 cents. On a handful of tracks, Joe gave Grayson some riffs to work with and spice up. When it comes to melodies and lyrics, most of the time Joe has most of both written, but Grayson will give his feedback. Screaming patterns tend to be a more collaborative approach. Basically, it’s a collaborative effort and we also receive feedback from the pre-pro- duction/production team as well. Can you share any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans can look forward to? On our song “Mea Culpa” we have Kyle of Fallujah and Steve of Wolves at the Gate provide guest vocals. They’re incredible musicians/vocalists and we’re so lucky that they agreed to jump on a tune with us! What do you hope listeners take away from your music? Above anything, we hope that they enjoy listening to it and that they build personal connections to some of the songs. If they take away joy from giving it a spin or 19