Ways.: French Band Blurs The Edges Between Alternative Metal and Post Hardcore [INTERVIEW]
“Why Do We Fall?” is the new single by Ways. The Ways. are a French Metal Alternatif / Post Hardcore band from Paris. The band offers powerful, dynamic and melodic music close to alternative metal and post-hardcore.
The bands’ new single “Why Do We Fall?” (produced by Nicolas Exposito from LANDMVRKS) is now available on all streaming platforms and it is accompanied by a music video directed by Anthony Lossmann.
“Why Do We Fall is the story of a person who lives in a world in ruins, who is a bystander and a victim of the hatred that surrounds him. But, despite this darkness, time gradually erases the evils and sorrows and allows him to walk towards a better future. This is the first song we’ve written that ends on a hopeful note.” – says the band.
The band is most influenced by bands like Architects, Alexisonfire, The Ghost Inside, Thrice, Underoath and more. After opening for famous bands like Sidilarsen (FR), Full Throttle Baby (FR), Napoleon (UK), Svalbard (UK), The Prestige (FR), Bukowski (FR), Resolve (FR), many tours in Spain , an incredible tour in Cuba in May 2019 and a participation in one of the biggest metal festivals in Portugal “The Vagos Metal Fest” with Dagoba (FR) or even Jinger (Ukraine), Ways. it’s still moving.
The band recently announced a new lineup with Etienne (Colossus of Destiny) on drums and Anthony (Lies We Sold) on bass. Ways. is actively working on his next CD (expected release 2023).
“Why Do We Fall?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fm35btYFIY
In this new interview, we talk with the band about their music inspirations, curiosities and future plans. Check it out bellow:
Where did you get the idea for the band name? Nico: We wanted to express the idea that there are always multiple possible paths in a situation, that despite difficulties, it is always possible to step back and visualize the different routes to take to move forward. The design of the logo was created around this idea with open and closed lines. The dot at the end of “Ways.” signifies that there may be a moment where it is difficult, if not impossible, to find solutions or continue moving in a certain direction. It is necessary to find other ways to move forward. Ultimately, when you know the band’s story in depth, I think we chose our name and its meaning well haha.
Did you know each other before the band was formed? Nico: Bruno and I are brothers and we have been playing guitar together for many years. We each had some bands on our own and started playing together a little before Ways. Clément (vocals) joined some time after. The line-up has changed a lot since the beginning of the band. Anthony (bass), whom we have known for several years, joined on bass two years ago, and Etienne (drums) has been with us for one year.
Each band member’s favorite band? Nico: Thrice. Anthony: And right now, my current favorite band is Polaris. Clément: Magna Carta Cartel. Bruno: There are so many, but I would say A Day to Remember. Etienne: Difficult to answer this question haha. I would say Mastodon because it’s a band that had a lot of influence on my playing (their drummer Brann Dailor plays in a very “musical” way, with a fairly unique style that I connected with from a young age).
Who or what inspires you to write songs? Nico: Musically, we are clearly inspired by many Metalcore and Post hardcore bands. For example, with Bruno, we still listen a lot to Counterparts but not only of course. We also have a different approach to composition, even in the atmosphere of the songs. We compose and arrange together with Anthony and Etienne, which allows us to have a song where everyone has contributed.Clément: For writing lyrics, I draw inspiration mainly from human nature and nature in the broad sense. Etienne: I’ll mostly talk about my drum parts, as I don’t really compose songs per se. I would say that it’s the desire to express musicality through my instrument, which is rhythmic and by nature perhaps a little less conducive to “musical expression” (we mostly imagine a drummer accompanying the rest of the band, rather in the background in terms of creativity). I always try to compose parts with originality, but while keeping coherence with the style, it’s not always easy because one can quickly get lost in technique or demonstration. Anyway, when I’ve worked well and written good rhythms, I immediately feel it when playing the song in question. Everything is smooth, challenging and everything falls into place, it’s pretty cool when I achieve that result.
How was the recording process of the new single and music video? Nico: With the arrival of Covid and the first lockdowns in France, we spent a lot of time composing. We wrote a lot of songs and a few stood out. “Why Do We Fall?” is one of them. We did several sessions of rewriting and arranging, then we changed drummers and Etienne joined. We finished the song together and decided it would be the first single announcing the future EP. For the music video, Anthony directed it, like 80% of our videos.
Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that? Nico: Not really, but it can happen on some dates. In 2022, we opened for the band Resolve in Paris. It was our first date in 2 years and the first with our new line-up at that time. And the venue was full. I felt a little more nervous than usual, but that’s what makes the excitement of the moment. Clément: A few years of theater and performing in front of people certainly helped me. After all, stage fright can be beneficial if you draw adrenaline and energy from it. Anthony: Never. Bruno: No stage fright for the moment, but the day we play at Hellfest, we’ll talk about it! Etienne: I’ve had stage fright before, but it’s been a long time since then, back when I was starting out. I think it’s mainly time and practice that makes it disappear, but if I had to give advice, I would say to try not to focus solely on your own instrument and the image you’re projecting, but rather to try to listen to the whole band and the sound of the venue (which is usually quite different from the usual rehearsal/ home practice conditions). It seems like an obvious advice, but that’s how I manage to be in the moment, in the energy of the concert, and everything becomes incredible haha. Today, I would say that I no longer have stage fright, maybe I’ll reconsider that statement the day I play at the Olympia, but until then, I can sleep soundly.
What bands inspired you the most? Clément: Marilyn Manson, AqME, Sum41. Let’s say these were the 3 bands during my development and musical awakening.nNico: Underoath, Deftones, Thrice, and Counterparts. runo: I’m very inspired by bands like The Ghost Inside, Counterparts, or A Day to Remember. tienne: As a band? It’s also difficult to answer this question, especially since I’m the newest member of the group. Among the (possibly) common influences that I could have with the others, I would say… Underoath or Architects. In any case, I know we can find quite a few common influences among us, despite the fact that we all have our unique universes (I talked about Polaris and Silent Planet the first time I met Anthony .
How is the independent and underground scene in your country? Nico: It’s a pretty incredible scene in terms of quality, but at the same time, it’s so complicated. More and more venues are closing, booking gigs is becoming more and more difficult, and fewer people are coming to concerts to support local bands. It’s tough, but we have to keep offering great lineups and trying to motivate the audience to come.”
Does the band have new material coming soon? Nico: Yes! We are actively working on the release of our next EP scheduled for fall 2023. We should also be releasing a new single in June 2023. We are really proud of the work we’ve done and the songs that are coming. We can’t wait to share them with as many people as possible.
