Chain Reaction famously brings national acts to Orange County while showing equal love for the locals–even the rookies. For instance, emo hit-makers Red Jumpsuit Apparatus played at the all-ages Anaheim venue Monday. Friday, An Abyss Called Home takes the same stage. Who?
An Abyss Called Home are four college freshmen attending area schools who composed their screamo (they're big Devil Wears Prada fans) tunes just in time for the gig. Brennan Cota is the lead singer/screamer. Ryan Cecil sings backup and plays guitar alongside Wes Nelson. Tyler Drozd handles drum duties. Friday is their first show. Ever. OC Weekly sat down with the band members recently at the University of California, Irvine, to ask them about prepping for the big day
OC Weekly (Annum Khan): How did you guys get booked at Chain Reaction?
Ryan Cecil: I know a guy who used to book my old shows. I used to do solo shows at small venues and coffee shops.
Why do you call yourselves An Abyss Called Home?
Brennan Cota: One day we were all hanging out at our friend's house after a night out partying and we just decided to come up with a cool band name so if we heard it somewhere, we would know that its something cool and something we would want to listen to. Wes, our guitarist, came up with the name An Abyss Called Home.
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Take us through the songwriting.
Cecil: For basically all the music, I write the guitar riffs first and then add the drums on the computer.
Cota: As for the lyrics, whenever we need a new set of lyrics, I just sit down and right a song. I just focus on a subject and revolve around that.
Can you share some of your lyrics and tell us what they mean to you?
Cota: I've written, “We push on in this land of perfection, never to go astray from our path of affection.” So, that says this world is so perfect with the one you love and you want to be with them, and you don't want to go astray from the path of loving them.
What inspired you to create these particular lyrics?
Cota: I just thought–LOVE–and wrote a song about it.
You all must be working hard for your first show. How often do you guys practice?
Cota: We practice whenever we can–usually everyday of the week.
How big is this show for you guys?
Tyler Drozd: Its like telling us whether we can do it or not; whether we are going to keep going.
Cecil: Another thing is that a lot of bands we listen to now have played there so its kind of like a rite of passage.
Many bands have played at the Chain Reaction. Are any [bands] inspirations to you?
Cota: Our inspirations are a mix between the Devil Wears Prada and Attack! Attack! We kind of mix those two to make our sound.
What does making music mean to you?
Cota: It's just about having fun. We just want to make music that people will like.
Drozd: But even if people don't like it, we still get psyched on it.
An Abyss Called Home w/Franklin Square/Mission V/Angry Truck, Chain Reaction, Anaheim, Fri., 7 p.m. $10. All ages.
Click for more info/to hear An Abyss Called Home.
