The August Infinity Interview and Album preview of "To Whom it May Concern"

(L to R) Frank Grullon, Ian Pierce, Joshua Hawksley, Chris Moss, and Peter Strzelecki

Every once in awhile you hear a local band that you swear is famous or at least should be. The August Infinity is definitely a band on the verge of greatness. A.I. has been making the rounds through countless big shows in the NYC area and gaining ground and new fans in the local music scene. They are instantly grasping the ears of listeners who are itching for unique yet mainstream sounding pure adrenaline infused rock. Banking on the good reception of their first album, A.I. and their fans are anticipating the release of To Whom it May Concern this summer.


Getting a chance to preview the album was pretty special because of how good it was this early on. The record starts off strong with "Make You Crazy." The aggressive and catchy chorus resounds with "Fire Fire" and hits you with that same intensity. "So Long" turns down the amplitude a bit, but still carries plenty of weight with a strong chorus. Track 3, "Mother Mary" starts off with an instrumental punch and transitions into a climbing verse with yet again another solid chorus. This powerhouse song moves through until the end when it ends with an almost breakdown like scream. "Fever" is the song that is most flashy on the musical end. It boasts a few guitar solos through out the bridge and ending. The album ends with "Some Kind of Lullaby" which is aptly titled due to the soft nature of the song. It's refreshing to see the album come together like that. Up until this point the band smashed through your speakers, now they take a turn and show a lighter side. It proves that this upcoming band is very versatile and their sound works either way. 

The August Infinity will most certainly become a favorite on your iTunes playlist. They have mastered the art of the catchy choruses and added powerful instruments and just plain good songwriting to the formula. The August Infinity is going to be around for a long time, get to know them while their fairly local before they take off!


INTERVIEW


Where'd you guys get the name August Infinity?
The word august is more of a take on August with the emphasis over 'gust' which describes something or someone full of majesty or grandeur. We pronounce it like the month but the meaning is different. And infinity of course is the endless scale of august-ness, if you will.

I read the singer and drummer met in the subway, how did the rest of the band get together?
Chris was the only bass player we auditioned back when we were writing the first record. Peter and Frank used to come to all of our shows when we had our first guitar player. We actually have pictures of them rocking out in the front row back in the day. When we lost our first guitarist, they were a very natural addition and kind of came as a package deal.

Where do you guys draw your sound from and what do you classify yourselves as?
The band definitely has a passion for heavy, aggressive grooves but loves hooks and strong melodies. We do our best to explore the balance within that spectrum. Individually, we all have incredibly different influences. Chris is a Tool guy. Frank loves the shredder-proggy metal. Ian's an old school punk fan. Peter digs a lot of sublime and 311. Joshua grew up on Silverchair and Our Lady Peace type stuff.

How does the song writing process work, and what's it like recording at home?

Usually one person will come to the table with a spark or a sketch of an idea, record it and pass it along to the rest of the group. Everybody tosses the idea around, builds upon it, and works it up to the point where Joshua starts to finally write some vocal parts. It’s a real-life melting pot of ideas. We have learned a great deal about writing with each other and individually through home recording, but we really hate that sh*t. It’s incredibly stressful wearing so many hats.

What makes you guys unique from other bands around NYC?
We have an incredible, true loyalty to our fans, and vice versa. There is an energy that we share with the people in any given room that draws us all together; the guys performing on stage and every member of the crowd. We have a fun, energetic stage shows and at the end of the night we don’t take ourselves too seriously. It’s all about connecting with people. Community, bro.

What did you guys do differently this time around for the new ep, and are we going to be experiencing anything new as far as sound?
We updated our recording technology and technique; a lot more live sound as opposed to direct digital methods. We took our time and learned from our past mistakes, as opposed to the first record which was more rushed. The biggest thing of all though was spending more energy on great song writing.  Sonically, you’re going to hear much fuller drum sounds, better vocal layering, and the addition of two new guitar players with fresher playing styles.

How do you prepare for a tour, what goes into making it worthwhile and successful?
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. We spend all our damn time rehearsing and working out. Take care of your bodies and your instruments.

What is the biggest show you guys played, and roughly how many people?
We headlined at Gramercy Theatre for over 600 people, but we’re about to top that by far on July 21st when we sell out Irving Plaza!

Biggest rock star moment, and biggest failure?
Seeing our name on the marquis at Gramercy Theatre was pretty sweet. Biggest failure would have to be when we got blacklisted from Southern Hospitality after management made the mistake of giving us an open bar. We ran up a $600 bar tab, and were asked not to come back.

What goals does the band have, and where do you hope to be in the next 3 years?
We want an island in the shape of our cloud logo... but first we want to give up our apartment leases to go on the road full time and see crowds of people singing along with us every night.

Anything else you want to add?
Once again, we plan to sell out Irving Plaza on July 21st. We’re in the works of creating the biggest, most fantastic live performance of our career. It won’t be a show to miss.


CONTACTS
www.theaugustinfinity.com
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