ATREYU's BRANDON SALLER: 'I Don't Think We've Ever Been A Very Political Band'

In a new interview with Ore Bihovsky of TotalRock's "Louder" radio show, ATREYU vocalist Brandon Saller was asked if he and his bandmates, like some other artists, have taken a step in their lyrics in recent years toward activism and calling for change. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't think we've ever been a very political band. I almost just see this more as an escape from that. I think that our band and our shows and our music can kind of be an escape from all that white noise. Especially now, it's such a violent and chaotic sort of downward spiral of shit that I'd rather offer someone an escape from that than stand on a soapbox and try to yell my views about one thing or the other. It's, like, I'd rather just give people a way to forget that for a second, 'cause there's enough of that."

Saller also talked about what metal and hardcore fans can do to make the scene more inclusive, welcoming and safe for women, trans and for non-binary people. He said: "I think it's the understanding that, especially in metal and hardcore specifically, we have to remember that these are countercultures. These are cultures of music that were built on the back of people being different, but being able to come together for something. So I don't think you can be selective with what that something is, you know what I mean? Unfortunately, we've said it a couple times already in this interview, the world's a really ugly place, I think, right now. So I don't know that there's ever not gonna be communities of people feeling sort of marginalized or cast out. But I think in these specific places, I think if people just remember, like I said, this is a counterculture. This was never the norm. This was never the population of pop culture. This was never the majority of people — this was all the outcasts and the weirdos, and the people that had nothing else that they felt connected to came to metal and hardcore. This is how this was created. You can't be selective of who's allowed in. I think if people can just remember that, then it'd be better off."

Earlier this month, ATREYU shared a music video for the band's latest single "Dead", a visual companion to the group's first release in over two years. The clip was directed, filmed, edited and produced by Sean Stiegemeier.

After ATREYU blacked out the band's social media in September and posted the letters "R.I.P.", some fans speculated that the California metallers were breaking up. However, ATREYU later revealed that the tease was actually for "Dead".

ATREYU kicked off its current tour on November 4 in Mesa, Arizona and will wrap it on December 12 in Pomona, California. The trek marks the 21st anniversary of ATREYU's 2004 album "The Curse". A true breakthrough moment for the band, "The Curse" delivered staples like "Bleeding Mascara", "Right Side Of The Bed" and "The Crimson", which are songs that helped cement ATREYU as one of the defining forces in the mid-2000s metalcore scene.

Since forming around the turn of the millennium, ATREYU has pushed well beyond their DIY roots — earning multiple RIAA gold records, Top 20 Billboard 200 debuts, and spots on major film and video-game soundtracks. Their latest album, "The Beautiful Dark Of Life" (2023, Spinefarm),debuted in the Top 10 on Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums and has already racked up over 75 million streams, with singles like "Gone" and "Watch Me Burn" lighting up rock radio and flagship playlists like Spotify's "Volume" and Apple Music's "The Riff."

ATREYU is:

Brandon Saller - lead vocals
Dan Jacobs - guitar
Travis Miguel - guitar
Porter McKnight - bass/vocals