In the previous couple of months, Born of Osiris has had lots of adjustments. From parting methods with their long-time guitarist Lee McKinney and keyboardist Joe Buras, to asserting Fallujah guitarist Scott Carstairs as their short-term fill-in and a brand-new album.
To date, 2025 has served as fairly turbulent for the prog-metal outfit. Regardless of all that, nevertheless, the band is lastly unleashing all of this vitality into their ninth studio album and first full-length report in 4 years, Via Shadows. Releasing by way of Sumerian Information, the album follows their lockdown venture Angel or Alien, and for those who bear in mind, this report was in itself an artwork type of mass destruction.
Whenever you hearken to Via Shadows, Born of Osiris catapults you into their rawest and most trustworthy album but. Themes of darkness and unhappiness encompass it, however all in all, there’s a victory that follows and reminds you to maintain on when the going will get robust. Every track has a potent message, and one which’s a common expertise for many people.
Coming off the again of a sold-out present in Calgary with The Browning and Conviction, I sat down with Born of Osiris to debate all issues Via Shadows, leaning into one another for assist following abrupt band lineup adjustments and what songs they’re excited to debut reside from the brand new album.
This new report marks lots of firsts for Born of Osiris – It sees you come collectively as a three-piece uniting in methods you most likely haven’t wanted to earlier than. It’s additionally your first studio LP in 4 years. How would you describe this new chapter that this report brings?
Nick Rossi: Good query. I believe it displays what’s been taking place in our private lives. A number of these songs have been labored on for a very long time, they usually replicate the journey that we’ve all skilled. And that’s basically what we’re attempting to point out within the album. It’s all been a very long time coming, and we’re actually excited for individuals to lastly be capable to hearken to it.
Cameron Losch: I’ll add that the album took us 4 years [to make]. There have been lots of deep dives inside all of ourselves, and I believe one attention-grabbing factor to notice is that whereas engaged on this album, we didn’t realise that we have been really writing lyrics about one another. Within the band, in our struggles. It’s virtually as if we have been speaking to one another, and possibly we didn’t actually really realise that till the album was completed. And we’re wanting on the aftermath of the whole lot that has occurred earlier than, in between and after. The thoughts is an attention-grabbing factor.
The band has beforehand acknowledged that the album title-track, “Via Shadows,” is about confronting the darkness with the understanding that “with out shadow, there is no such thing as a mild” – a fairly profound assertion that feels prefer it comes as a response of an epiphany of some type. Are you able to increase a bit on what introduced you to this realisation?
CL: So I assume I ought to begin from the start, on the place we bought the album title from. Though the album title is Via Shadows, that’s taken from an extended phrase, ‘by shadow mild stays.’ And because of this despite the fact that we undergo darkish instances, there’s all the time a lightweight on the finish of the tunnel. So that you simply must be resilient as a result of issues are going to get darkish, and it would get darker. “Via Shadows” is about holding on to hope as all of us have our struggles. Whether or not it’s shedding any individual by habit or previous age, a relative or somebody you thought could be with you perpetually. The album is about perseverance.
NR: So as to add to that, the entire refrain line in “Via Shadows” says, “Welcome to the top, nowhere left.” So, you begin out feeling like, ‘I’m at all-time low right here, I don’t know what’s coming subsequent.’ Then we lead into the primary section, the place Cameron talked about that by shadow mild stays. So, the entire level of this track is that even once you really feel you’re on the very backside and as if there may be nowhere left to go, you handle to select your self proper again up. You retain going till you discover that speck of sunshine, and ultimately it simply breaks open, and you end up in a brand new section of life.
Total, the report sounds much more progressive, there’s lots of vibrant synths to it and noodle riffage. Had been there any particular gear adjustments this time round that helped sculpt this sound? Or any change in musical influences?
NR: I believe one of many greatest focuses for us is that, all through the years, we’ve moved nearer in the direction of doing lots of the manufacturing and the creation of the album ourselves. We’ve all leaned into producing and writing quite a bit tougher on this one. And, in fact, we additionally labored with some superb individuals. Extra so to start with phases as we wished to discover new issues.
There’s some cool vocal sampling stuff on the album. As for my journey, I’m tremendous keen about synths and electronics, and I do know Cameron is, too. We’re each actually keen on expertise and the way it’s getting so superb. There are some new issues that we tried out and bought to experiment with on this album, and we’re all the time pushing ourselves as musicians and producers to provide again to the band and make it the most effective it may be.
CL: Nick will usually ship me textual content messages saying, ‘Yo, take a look at this new programme. That is tremendous cool.’ And that form of feeds into what he talked about about staying fashionable. There’s all the time a brand new producer or a brand new band popping out with groundbreaking synths, and we’re attempting to remain proper there on the sting of expertise. I believe we’ve all the time been a band that’s forward of the curve, so we don’t need to fall behind. We ensure to maintain updated with our programmes, see what’s new and keep studying new strategies as nicely.
As musicians who’re venturing extra in the direction of producing your personal work as nicely, how do you discover switching between these inventive heads of taking part in devices after which considering like a producer?
NR: I spoke to Cameron about this the opposite day. We’re not a band that tends to put in writing music on the street or something. And I believe lots of the great thing about travelling the world and experiencing issues good and dangerous, these experiences float round your mind, and once you get dwelling, the whole lot that you simply’ve absorbed simply explodes. Not less than for me. It feels prefer it explodes onto a canvas to put in writing music. I believe having the ability to have that’s highly effective for us.
On the album, you’ve a collaborative single with Spencer Chamberlain (Underoath) titled “Activated” Are you able to inform us how this collaboration surfaced and what the expertise was like?
NR: So far as I do know, I believe Ronnie, or somebody within the band, reached out to Chamberlain on social media and related with him. I didn’t communicate with him, however we have been very excited as a result of Underoath is a legendary band. It’s additionally the primary characteristic the band has ever had. I don’t suppose there’s been a visitor vocal characteristic earlier than, and being who he’s, and as followers of Underoath, we have been blissful to have him. At some point, he got here by with an element that he recorded, and we have been good to go together with that as a result of we liked it.
CL: We despatched him the track in a really naked bones, unstructured method at first, and he despatched his verse and that helped us form the remainder of the track and the way we wished the construction to go. He did such an ideal job, and I personally, nicely, the entire band is a large fan of Underoath, however I used to be actually affected by their reside present after I was very younger. They have been one of many very first heavy bands that I noticed reside. So, to go from having that have as a youngster to now, having my hero on an album with me and my band is simply past phrases.
Yeah, in fact. It’s like a full circle second. So, as we all know, there was a change within the band lineup just lately. What’s actually bringing you guys collectively at this second in time, to maintain seeing issues by and ensure that this album drop on Friday is a particular second on your followers?
NR: Truthfully, for me, it comes again to the roots of after I was 12 years previous. I knew from the get-go that that is what I wished to do. I do know Cameron and Ronnie really feel the identical and recently we’ve been stripping it again and reminding ourselves that that is what we have been born to do. That is what we love essentially the most, and nothing can cease us from bonding collectively and persevering with to create music and bringing it to individuals.
We do a signing each day after our present, at our merch desk. We don’t cost any cash; we’re simply blissful to satisfy these individuals as a result of they’re those who fill the rooms, and they’re those who permit us to reside this dream and maintain that childhood spark going. I believe it’s so essential to by no means lose that, as a result of the second you lose that, it begins to really feel like a job. It’s by no means that for me. It’s pure ardour and love, and that’s what’s the glue proper now for us, I believe.
The Via Shadows US tour kicks off this September, and you’ve got a killer lineup with assist from The Browning, VCTMS, Misplaced in Separation and AXTY. Have you ever picked this lineup your self?
CL: Yeah, let’s go so as. Johnny, the singer of the Browning, was very proactive in messaging me, attempting to get a tour collectively. I’ve been an enormous fan of his band, and he was persistent sufficient with the messages, saying issues like, ‘Yo, when are we gonna get a tour going?’ And we lastly made it work, so we’re really in Canada with them proper now. We’ve got finished a number of excursions with VCTMS, and we love them a lot. Meredith is their drummer and is a really shut pal of mine. I believe she could be an ideal advocate for tales like ‘by shadows, mild stays,’ as a result of she has been by quite a bit. I’d let her inform her personal story, however I do know she’s been by many hurdles whereas being a drummer with well being struggles. So she has actually cool tales to inform, and he or she may relate to the album title.
AXTY is from Brazil. We introduced them on their first USA tour ever, simply this final February, and that was lots of enjoyable. We introduced them out and bought to see the journey they’d undergo simply being in the US for the very first time. So it was magical to see them expertise that each day. Misplaced in Separation, they’re nice guys, love the music, and the singer has been an in depth pal for some time now. They have been additionally on that headliner we did in February with AXTY, and we had a lot enjoyable with these bands and the group. They have been a crowd favorite, too, plenty of individuals got here to see them they usually’re good pals. So we thought, let’s do it once more as a result of it labored final time, and we love them.
Is there a track particularly on the album that you simply’re significantly excited to play reside?
CL: I’m very excited for everyone to listen to the monitor that’s known as “Inverno,” it’s lots of enjoyable. It’s a cinematic piece, Nick jokes about a number of the breakdowns and sounds that we give you. He calls it ‘House Alone Core’ as a result of it appears like Christmas, but it surely’s additionally going to tear your face off, so be careful for that one as a result of it’s going to be insane reside.
NR: I’m going to say the identical track as a result of it simply has that signature sound that Cameron introduced on day one. It hits you within the face, and I believe that’s what individuals like concerning the band. We’ve tried lots of issues, and I believe individuals all the time like to listen to wild twists and turns from us, so it’s going to be cool reside.
Lastly, what piece of recommendation would you give to a brand new BOC listener based mostly on what to anticipate on the brand new report?
CL: Effectively, for a model new Born of Osiris listener, if I have been to bundle it up, I’d say, prepare for a really heavy album. Additionally, put together for components of cinematic approaches with sprinkles of unpolluted vocals and repeating themes. It’s a progressive curler coaster that can depart you with memorable melodies that you can be thirsting for extra.
NR: I’d encourage listeners on this album to take a while with the lyrics. I believe there’s quite a bit to resonate with. Going again to your first query, I believe lots of the themes we categorical are common. So far as the music goes, I believe it’s going to take you for a journey. We tried lots of new issues. We’ve got issues in there that I believe previous followers are going to understand. We tried to cowl all of it, like we normally do, however this one hits a bit completely different for us, all issues thought of. We’re very pleased with it, and we’re actually blissful it’s lastly arising.
Born of Osiris’ Via Shadows comes out on July 11 by way of Sumerian Information.
