Inspire Influence

Video - Late Night Media

What is the origin of Inspire Influence?

Damon: The origin of the band I’d say came from a hunger to write music that none of us have tried before, which is music that isn’t confined by mainstream standards with perfect timing, and auto-tuned to perfection. Our idea, as general as it may be, is to project the concept of what humanity really is, and what society does to contradict it. All of us have come from either a Metal background, Indie and pop backgrounds, and those differences are what brings this band together. None of us have explored the instrumental area of songwriting, all of us have written lyrics and structure songs (verse/chorus/verse). This band is our freedom to venture off from that and into wordless storytelling, letting the listener use his/her mind when absorbing our songs. The name Inspire Influence, Malcolm’s idea, is obviously just 2 very common and general words put together. We liked the way those words rolled off the tongue, so we just had good vibes about it. Good enough for us!

What has influenced your style? Why?

Damon: The concept of Jazz music where flowing freely is encouraged, witnessing musicians getting lost in the music they create really shows the commitment they have to the art.

Malcolm: For me, it’s mostly musical acts or artists that drive to break the mold with every record, trying to create new soundscapes while using the most elaborate and random sounds. Looking for that unique sound that sets you apart from any other bands/artists in your genre.

And it hasn’t just been music that has influenced us as band. Just starting the band and trying to get her going, getting shows, finding members, writing songs, recording songs. I believe all parts of the process have influenced our sound. I feel that our first record has a lot of musical self discovery behind it, and you can hear it throughout, as all songs we’re written at different points in time. I remember Trav showing me the first version of our song “Repairing”, which at the time neither of us knew what it was going to be used for. However, now it sounds completely different from then, and that was almost over a year ago now.

If you had the choice between a hometown show as the headliner or a show in a foreign area, which would it be? Why?

Damon: A hometown show, easily. Performing in the city/town you were born and raised in just has a natural spark to it. Familiar places and familiar faces. It’s a way of proving yourself to those you’ve known for years, whether it’s best friends from elementary school, or casual encounters with people who may never leave that town.

Malcolm: Not that I wouldn’t like a hometown headliner show, but I feel going to a foreign area would be my choice. To go to a city or town I’ve never been in before to play music in front of people I’ve never met before, I think that’s a surreal feeling. Music bringing people from all over together, just because it’s a common interest. And you know, I’m sure it’s a great feeling to see fans of your music in places you’d never even thought it would reach.

What are you greatest ambitions? Why?

Damon: Basically we want to continue playing shows and spread our music out to more people. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing a crowd get moved by the music that you’re playing, so our biggest ambitions would be to keep on playing in front of people and keep making records. It’s all we want to do, anything that comes from it is a blessing.

Malcolm: Yeah I’d say to continue to evolve musically and keep on trying to wake people up with our music. Making a movement with our music is something I think is really cool. It’s not like our songs are about hanging out and playing Super Mario or going out to the club and getting hammered or yolo or any of that BS (Even though playing Super Mario is dope). But at the same time, I also think it would be really cool that our music is extremely open to interpretation. You can take whatever message you want from it. Yeah, I think that’s one of my greatest ambitions.

Where would we find you guys when you are not busy working on music?

Damon: Either working, sleeping, chilling out, watching movies, regular dude stuff. We embrace our chill times.

Malcolm: Yeah, I like to play Super Mario World and going to local shows in Toronto. We may be an indie ambient band, but I still have a love for hardcore/punk shows. Even if there is only 15 kids at every show, it’s always a good time to meet underground bands from your country or even different countries.

You have a new album coming out, what do you have in mind for promotions? How much will it cost and where can we get it?

Damon: We’re jumping on the Summer Sickness tour with While Paris Sleeps in mid-July, which we are absolutely stoked for. Such a tight band, we love ‘em.

Malcolm: Yeah that’s definitely going to be a good time. We’re hitting up Ontario and Quebec. We also might be doing something again at the end of the summer, but I believe that’s still in the works. We’re also looking into some online advertising for our page. Our album will also be available on iTunes. But I think we’re going to be doing a promo for the record when it first comes out, so keep your ears open and you might just land yourself a free copy of record.

We’re still working on getting a cost for the CD. We may even be printing vinyls if they’ll be worth our while. We’re getting an order of merchandise in soon times, and then we’re also working on a couple more promotional videos for some of our songs that we are really stoked for, We’re also working with Elliott Sairan from Vyner Road.

What do you have planned for the future?

Damon: After our tour with While Paris Sleeps, we plan on heading back on the road to the east coast of Canada and working on the follow-up to Planet Destroyer. The working title for this record is Il Teatro.

Malcolm: Yeah, since all of us fans of classic films, we kinda want to do an album that’s almost like a tribute to great cinema. Especially with all these hollywood blockbusters that come out every summer. We kinda like to call back to some great old school films that a lot of people have forgotten. - Take A Stand

Planet Destroyer, the debut EP from Toronto-based post-rock band Inspire Influence, is unhinged in execution, rising and falling like an endless wave of hopeless determination. Creating an atmosphere of desolation from the initial static of introductory track “Repairing,” the 5-song EP reads like a cohesive tale of intergalactic exploration through repetition, slow build-ups, and eventual climatic bursts of distorted frustration. Each song crawls along at its own steady pace, never rushing to conclusions, but always falling into place.

Throughout is an underlying, desperate feeling of alienation, yet songs like the album’s single “Seeker” are strangely uplifting and energetic. While “Kepler 22” is simple and quiet, employing static, feedback, and muffled speeches of charismatic proportions, others like the aforementioned “Repairing” rely on rumbling drums and soaring guitars to bombard and construct tense landscapes. Laced with warm piano notes and cold, calculated electronic drums, Planet Destroyer seems to be stuck in a conflict of human comfort and mechanical indifference.

For the most part, Planet Destroyer is quiet and dark, crafting an ambient tapestry so lonely it’s almost suffocating. The title track trudges along sluggishly, pulling itself into a crescendo of eerily repetitive guitar strumming before diving yet again into a beautifully composed atmosphere of floating in territory unknown. By the time the last few notes fade with the resonating feedback, it’s as if a journey has been completed and a sigh of breath can be released with the following silence.

inspire Influence has left a mark with its debut release and the product of their short existence is exciting to say the least. Its driving distortion and hauntingly forsaken atmosphere add a stark contrast to the delicate quiet that intertwines itself throughout the EP. There’s a technological edge tinged into the reaches of each song, conjuring elements of futuristic intelligence and ambitious voyages into the far unknown. It’s timidly emotional with weight hung on every mournful note packed together with unspoken vulnerability. It will be interesting to see if Planet Destroyer’s immediate ambition carries over into future releases.
- Scene Point Blank

The ambient Kepler 22. With its beautiful synth intro, the song slowly builds with wailing layers being subtly added. As ridiculous as this may sound, the song fits the breath-taking Canadian landscape and you can feel all the influences that have shaped the band into what they are.

From these minimalistic beginnings, Relaunching is a song with far more body. This track seamlessly blends into Kepler 22, and for the first time we are given and electronic beat for the song to build on. Again, layer upon layer of synth melody build to make quite a substantial sound! With the guitar coming in a third of the way through, it is a welcome and rawer sound in comparison to the song’s airy beginning. The repetitiveness of the song is mesmerizing, without being boring; far from it in fact!

Something that baffles me about Inspire Influence is how they can finishing the song over a minute before the actual ‘track’ ends, and still hold every bit of your attention until the next song. To me, this suggests something extra special!

As with Repairing which doesn’t really start until roughly a minute in, but every second before is completely necessary! We hear our first natural drum sound in this song, and they are used in a way to generate the most powerful sound possible. Never taking up any particular rhythm, they are there only to compliment the song. Like the Relaunching and Kepler 22, Repairing never really builds to anything, but builds none-the-less!

The fourth track Seeker is the single of the LP, and this is probably a wise decision as it is probably the most traditionally structured song. The intro is simple and engrossing; however unlike the earlier songs, Seeker finally delivers on the enormous, epic sound I have been expecting so come all along. And it does not disappoint in the slightest!

The fifth, and final track is the title track; Planet Destroyer. The track brings us to a fitting conclusion, taking in elements of each track.

Inspire Influence are a truly special band, and when I finish the last word of this review I will be hitting the internet in order to find anything else that these wonderfully talent boys have to offer. This band is fantastic, and I wish them every bit of luck in anything they do in the future.

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