STONE SOUR Guitarist JOSH RAND's THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT Signs With FRONTIERS MUSIC SRL

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the signing of THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT, the dynamic collaboration between guitarist and songwriter Josh Rand (STONE SOUR) and powerhouse vocalist Casandra Carson (PARALANDRA, CASANDRA'S CROSSING).

This new partnership marks an important step forward for THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT, bringing Rand and Carson's musical vision to a broader international audience. With Frontiers Music Srl's support and a new album on its way, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is set to further expand its reach and continue building on its distinctive sound.

Rand commented: "I'm pleased to announce that THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT will be joining the Frontiers family. It was important to me to be on a label that wanted to be cutting edge in the industry but still have that mom-and-pop relationship with the artist. I'm looking forward to working with Jeff and Tom to bring THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT to our loyal fans!"

Jeff Stevenson, general manager at Frontiers Label Group, added: "We're incredibly proud to welcome THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT to the label. From the moment we heard the new music created by Josh and Casandra, it was clear they continue to bring a unique vision and emotional depth that aligns perfectly with our mission here at Frontiers. We're excited to partner with them and help bring their artistry to a larger global audience."

Born from a shared musical vision and an undeniable creative chemistry, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT represents a fresh and compelling artistic union. While Rand had long envisioned launching a female-fronted project, it wasn't until 2020 — when a mutual connection introduced him to Carson — that the idea truly began to take shape. What started as an exploratory collaboration quickly evolved into something far more meaningful, laying the groundwork for a project driven by purpose and artistic synergy.

Musically, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT fuses Rand's signature heavy riffs and affinity for strong melodic hooks with Carson's commanding and versatile vocal delivery. Drawing inspiration from classic metal, thrash, and progressive influences, the project channels the raw energy and spirit that first inspired Rand to pick up the guitar, while offering Carson the opportunity to explore new sonic and emotional territories.

Over time, the band has crafted a distinct sound that balances intensity with accessibility, underpinned by a natural creative partnership. Their material reflects a thoughtful and organic development process, allowing ideas to evolve freely and cohesively.

Lyrically, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT sets itself apart by venturing beyond traditional rock themes, embracing broader narratives and concepts. Their songs often draw from history, social issues, and real-world tensions, exploring themes such as empowerment, resistance, and societal challenges. This approach adds depth and substance to their music, complementing its powerful sonic foundation.

In a January 2026 interview with Robert Edwards of Talkin' Bout Rock, Casandra stated about the status of THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT:  "We've got an album that it looks like we're gonna be releasing early, mid-2026. It was originally supposed to be two EPs released [last] year, and labels, and one thing led to another, we're doing it a little different than we originally planned. But I guess all that being said, more music from THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is coming out very, very soon."

In January 2025, Casandra told J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio that she and Rand had been working on the new THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT songs, at that point, for at least three years. "We've recorded them, we've demoed them time and time, over and over again, and these last mixes that we've been doing absolutely crush," she said. "I am so glad that we waited and really spent the time to let the songs become what they needed to become and kept refining and doing these tiny little tweaks here and there that really make the world of a difference."

Casandra previously talked about new THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT music in a May 2024 interview with the Nothing Shocking podcast. She stated at the time: "As of just less than a week ago, Josh is back playing guitar. He had back surgery that he'd been out of commission for a little over a year at this point, so we've just kind of been waiting for his recovery. So now the plans are to continue writing. We've already got, like, five songs that have been written and recorded that we just haven't released 'cause we wanna be able to actually go out and tour and support it when we do release it. So, yeah, [we're] kind of getting back into the swing of things, but I'm super excited. It's some good music."

Regarding how she balances PARALANDRA and THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT, Casandra said: "It's difficult. PARALANDRA is my baby and I live in Springfield [Missouri], and that's where everybody lives for PARALANDRA. So it's much easier to get together twice a week to have practices. And we write songs organically right there in the garage, whereas with Josh, it's, like, you send off the track to get drums recorded and then you send it off to get the bass done. It's a very different process. So I'm kind of in two different worlds, but I do try to do both of them at the same time as often as I can."

In September 2022, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT released a new single, "Dying Of The Light".

Earlier that year, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT completed a run of U.S. dates as the support act for ALICE IN CHAINS, BREAKING BENJAMIN and BUSH.

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT made its live debut on April 30, 2022 at The Riff in Springfield, Missouri.

In an interview with HardDrive Radio's Lou Brutus, Rand stated about THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT: "In a sense, it was just something that I started doing a [few] years ago, just writing music myself. And then I just decided I wanted to get a female vocalist, basically, to work on these songs and sing on them. And I found Casandra through a mutual friend — actually, STONE SOUR's [then-]A&R person, Dave Rath — and we hit it off. And then we've just been working on stuff kind of just here and there.

"So, that's really what it's about," he continued. "It's just me musically trying different stuff, but also getting back to where I originally came from, as far as my musical journey. So it's kind of getting back to my roots and just having fun with it. That's what THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is for me — it's a different vehicle to express myself, I guess, artistically with truly no boundaries, but leaning more towards, musically, I think, coming at it as an educated teenager. What I mean by that is it's the fire of that teenager — that drive, that style of music that I was playing 30 years ago — but now doing it with the experience, the knowledge and all that. So it's kind of like revisiting the past, in a way, or going home in some ways."

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT released a four-song EP, titled "Big F.O.U.R.", in March 2022 via Bloodblast. The collection featured a clutch of cover versions, one each from heavy music's pioneering icons METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX.

Rand previously stated about the EP: "Recording a 'Big F.O.U.R.' cover EP is something that I have wanted to do for a very, very long time, and [in the] fall [of 2021] I decided to finally do it with THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT.

"Without these four bands (METALLICA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and SLAYER),my musical career wouldn't be where it is today. In some ways, you could say this project is paying homage to them or, how I see it, a return to where it all started in my parents' house as a teenager trying to learn just a piece of the music.

"Each of the four songs that I picked were pivotal in my development as a musician, whether it was learning the intro to 'One' on guitar, drums on 'Symphony [Of Destruction]' or bass lines in 'Caught In A Mosh'.

"This EP was a true love and passion project for myself. I feel I captured the vibe and the spirit of the original but with THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT sound. Hopefully you hear it too!"

Stylistically, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a fluid combination of classic metal sensibility and Rand's penchant for pushing the boundaries of contemporary heavy.

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT's debut self-titled EP came out in the summer of 2021 and was made available exclusively through the band's webstore or via the Nuclear Blast store.

Josh and Casandra's debut single, "The Nothingness", was featured on several major playlists across streaming platforms, including Rock Hard on Spotify, Breaking Metal on Apple Music, Break Through Rock on Amazon and Metal Radar on Deezer. "The Nothingness" was also included on SiriusXM Octane's "Test Drive" show on release.

Photo credit: Ryan Berrier