A Dirty Dozen with STILLNIGHT – March 2022

According to a recent press release: “Today Ambient Post-Metalcore band Stillnight release their music video for “Eidolon.” This star-lit visual accompaniment marks the final teaser before they fully unveil their full-length debut album Dream State on March 25, 2022. The band is innovating the post-metalcore genre by integrating ambience to build imagery within each song. The music is heavy sonically and lyrically as the band digs into the heavy emotions of melancholy, depression, and sorrow. Going beneath the tremendous roaring vocals and modern metalcore instrumentals of “Eidolon” is an introspective story about love and loss. Stillnight is an American Post-Metalcore band consisting of vocalist Danny Sullivan, bassist Tony Rogers, and guitarist Kody Thompson. The group is bringing a new light to the era of modern metal music as ethereal ambient background cascades amongst the heavy riffs and crushing vocals. Their deep, emotional energy and introspective thoughts bring a darker, unheard side to the genre.” We get the guys to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release. What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through? Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

There are lots of pieces you may not catch initially, between the different ambient tones, the varied instrumentation, and the layers of vocals. Vocally, there is a variety of layered screams and melodies that may require multiple listens to fully catch. There are also a lot of vocal effects that we thought were very cool sounding. There is a part in the first song on the album which was recorded with at least a dozen tracks and three different people, for a single shout.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Tony: I got into music through guitar hero haha. I got it for Christmas the year it came out and after beating it on the hardest difficulty I decided I wanted to learn how to play the guitar for real. A lot of the music on the original guitar hero is what got me into rock and metal music.

Danny: Growing up with my father, he was always very music oriented and I guess he passed that on to me. I’ve always loved music but what made me want to pursue it was falling in love with metal, specifically metalcore / hardcore. Going to those shows, dissecting the lyrics, embracing the passion and making it my own. I just wanted to be in the shoes of the guy on stage, screaming his heart out.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Invent Animate and Reflections are two big influences for Stillnight and how our music was created over the years. It was a huge driving force for “Solstice” and every song that followed. Tony’s earliest influences were Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed, and Bullet for My Valentine, with his current biggest inspiration being Northlane. Danny’s biggest inspirations include the likes of Like Moths To Flames, Of Mice and Men, and Crown the Empire. His favorite album is They Said a Storm Was Coming by Jamie’s Elsewhere and heavily influences his style lyrically and vocally.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Danny: I think having Travis Barker on a song would be really cool. From what I’ve heard, when he works on a song with someone, he completely transforms it and is very involved and I just think a really cool track would come out of that.

Tony: I would have to say Marcus Bridge from Northlane. It would be absolutely insane to work with the vocalist of my favorite band, and someone that has inspired me to be a musician myself.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour? What do you like to do to unwind?

All of the guys like to play video games, Tony likes to skateboard as well, and Danny likes to read, write, play pool, walk, and spend time with loved ones.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

We describe our music as Ambient Post-Metalcore because we feel the way we wrote for Dream State was different than anything we’ve heard before, so we wanted to have something to describe us that sets us apart. The few comparisons that surprised us would be Architects & Famous Last Words. They’re both great bands but they had very little, if any, influence when we wrote our record.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

We all pitch in to a lot of things equally. There isn’t really a set person that grabs drinks or busts out the card games, we all do it fairly evenly. Danny and Tony take turns getting the Monsters though, haha.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

Danny: I met Eddie Hermida from Suicide Silence recently and that was pretty wild. Really nice guy, he was really adamant about making sure I liked the picture we took together.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Danny: The best part for me is knowing I’ll leave my music behind when I’m eventually gone. As Grim as that sounds, it’s very meaningful to me. I think I would channel my energy into trying to become an author, as my love of writing would still remain.

Tony: the best part of being a musician is when you’re able to connect with someone through your music. When you have random strangers you don’t even know connect with you on a level your friends and family don’t.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Danny: A question I’ve always wanted someone to ask is why I’m so mad. I’ve heard other vocalists get asked that question and I’ve always thought it was funny, that being a stigma of metal vocalists. I’ve always thought my answer would depend on whatever witty response I could come up with. I haven’t been asked enough questions to have gotten tired of any of them.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Danny: Not really. We’re still kind of starting off and I think we’ve done well so far and every mistake was a learning experience. I hope I continue to see things in that lens.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Kody: I would choose The Color Clear by Reflections. That record is the only reason why I make music today. I started playing guitar when I found TCC and that record was the reason that pushed me even further into writing music to do what I’m doing now with Stillnight.

Danny: For me, it’s a tie between They Said a Storm Was Coming by Jamie’s Elsewhere and Happiness in Self Destruction by The Plot In You. Concept albums are my favorite kind of album and to be able to pick either vocalists brains on these respective albums would have been truly special. Happiness in Self Destruction isn’t exactly a concept album but I know it’s based off of true experiences from Landon and I can’t appreciate that enough.

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Category: Interviews