ADEMA Singer Says Upcoming Album Will Sound Like It Came After 'Unstable'

During an appearance on the "Nothing Shocking Podcast", ADEMA's latest singer Ryan Shuck, who joined the group in 2019, spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's upcoming studio album. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are all from the same fucking town. We all grew up like this. We all grew up partying together. We all played together. We all come from the same shit. We need to think back and think about what made this so special. We need to recapture the vibe that we had. That doesn't mean ripping off the old music, but it will mean that the new album is gonna sound like it came after album two [2003's 'Unstable']. And I think with the new songs, people are getting that. We're really going back to the roots of what made ADEMA special."

Ryan also spoke in more detail about the ADEMA songwriting process, saying: "The way I look at it is I have this gift… I can literally just look at those guys and go, 'Hey…' I hear Tim [Fluckey, guitar] do a riff, and I go, 'Fuck, man.' All I have to do is have Mike Ransom play an awesome corresponding part or melody. All of a sudden, it sounds like ADEMA. It's incredible. And then you get Dave [DeRoo, bass] and Kris [Kohls, drums] doing what they do. You get Dave's melodic kind of bass playing that is completely unique to Dave. Then you get Kris, who's the most unique drummer I've ever played with; his completely left-brained, weird, really interesting drums. [Producer] Amir [Derakh] and I start laughing when we look at each other. We're, like, 'Oh my God. It sounds like ADEMA. It's so cool.' 'Cause we're fans too. When you get to hear these dudes play together and it sounds like the band that you dig, and when you make them do the things that you know they're the best at, this magic happens. And so I just get excited."

He continued: "Bands are always struggling to do something new and grow and keep themselves interested, but as producers and kind of co-songwriters, you have to go, 'Guys, remember, you're you. You're fucking Tim Fluckey. Just do that riff the way that you do it.' And then they start doing it, and you're, like, 'Oh my God. This is magic. These guys are magic.' So in that way, it's sort of a relief because all I have to do is get ADEMA to do what they do best. And then I've gotta make sure that I don't let the music down and the fans down by making sure the vocals are gonna be fitting the music and they're gonna be right for what the brand and what the story has always been for that band. And it's not that difficult because I am part of that story."

In June 2022, ADEMA released a new song, "Violent Principles". It was the follow-up to ADEMA's first single in nearly a decade, "Ready To Die", which came out in August 2021. Both tracks are taken from ADEMA's upcoming album, which is tentatively titled "360 Degrees Of Separation".

Last August, Shuck told the "J-Bunny's Music Hub Podcast" that "there's not a chance" of ADEMA ever working with original frontman Marky Chavez again. "I own this," he said. "There's no option for that. No, not at all. I tried to put it together with Marky. That's how I ended up accidentally offering, or accepting, their kind of plea for some, 'Hey, will you come in and sing for us for a tour?' And it just turned out so well that I kept doing it. No, there's no chance [of Chavez returning to the band]," Ryan repeated. " Unfortunately, Marky's jumped in, told them that he's gonna do it and then he's jumped out and pulled the plug on too many big tours, on too many good things, and it's damped the band so badly. Marky's really not been a great person and hasn't really respected the art and the fans and the band, and obviously isn't doing it anymore at all — you know, just doesn't seem to care."

Chavez originally left ADEMA in 2004 due to "creative differences" after two successful albums, "Adema" and "Unstable". The singer — who is the half brother of KORN frontman Jonathan Davis — quit ADEMA again in January 2011 in order to pursue his "solo project." He rejoined the group again six years later and played his first comeback show with ADEMA in May 2017 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

After Chavez's original exit from ADEMA, the other members of the band found their way with new lead singers Luke Caraccioli and later Bobby Reeves, while Mark founded MIDNIGHT PANIC with his cousin Peter Shubert. He also produced fellow artists.

ADEMA's last full-length release was 2013's "Topple The Giants". The group's first CD since 2007's "Kill The Headlights" contained brand new tracks plus re-worked versions of ADEMA's chart-topping hits "Giving In" and "Unstable".