BRENT SMITH Says Pyrotechnics At SHINEDOWN Concerts Are 'An Extension Of The Song Live'

In a new interview with the 105.7 The Point radio station, SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith spoke about the band's current live show, which includes a massive stage complete with moving lights, pyrotechnics and a piano riser that appears and disappears onstage throughout the night. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The goal is to take you on a ride. The goal is to, sonically and visually, give you an experience — everything that you want a show to be, not just even in the rock and roll mindset of that.

"We've always been a band… we've put it back into the show over the years," he explained. "I do remember the very first time, going back 10 years ago, that we told our management that we were gonna bring in pyro, and they were, like, 'You're gonna do what?' Because sometimes people look at pyro and they're, like, 'Money is just going up in flames.' But I'm, like, 'No, it's not.'

"Here's the thing about pyrotechnics: I come from the school of RAMMSTEIN; I come from the school of KISS; I come from the school of those types of shows back in the '80s and the early '90s. I don't look at pyrotechnics as a gag; I actually look at pyrotechnics as an extension of the song live. There's a creative moment for it. Because some artists, if they do pyro, it kind of looks a little off or it doesn't look exactly maybe that's what they should do. But for us, we've always felt like the pyrotechnics, along with the sound and the lighting and the video elements and everything that we do, that it's an extension of the song in a live environment."

SHINEDOWN's new album, "Planet Zero", produced by bassist Eric Bass, is out now via Atlantic Records. The album debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and the official U.K. albums chart, and at No. 1 on six other Billboard charts, including Top Album Sales, Rock, Hard Rock and Alternative Albums.

Three weeks ago, SHINEDOWN released a brand-new Amazon Original of the band's current hit single "Daylight", available now only on Amazon Music. The track is a complete re-imagining of the song that changes up the chord progression and tempo and injects big drums and an aggressive distorted synth guitar tone that balance against the beauty and softness of the verses and chorus.

Fans can hear SHINEDOWN's Amazon Original on the Rock Arena playlist or by simply asking "Alexa, play the new song from SHINEDOWN" in the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android, and on Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to the new track, Amazon Music listeners can access hundreds of Amazon Originals, featuring both emerging and established artists across numerous genres, available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.

"Daylight" is a meaningful portrait of a vital human connection that reminds us that we are never alone, and reflects on the importance of empathy and the relationships in our lives that help get us through to the next day. The poignant anthem recently became SHINEDOWN's 19th No. 1 at Active Rock and 18th No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart — both all-time records on these charts.