Where the music comes from

Inside, around the heart was lead singer Chris Smith's response to my question of where his music and lyrics come from.  "We try not to take ourselves to seriously. I want people to relate to our music and stuffiness is not something most people like," said Smith.  Darby, the rhythm guitarist and lyricist also added that although the band likes to adhere to a lighter side of music, when it comes down to making music it is all business.  "I think the perfect portrayal of us is at a live show," said Smith. "We are having fun but you can tell from expressions that we mean what we are saying."  

Several songs such as: 

Dark Side

Ashes to Ashes

Whiskey Drunk

shows how Smith's lyrics are not always light hearted.  He said that he just scribbles in notebooks, on his hand, in napkins and just about anywhere else when he gets an idea. There is no place where an idea can't come to you according to Smith.  Although the whole band agrees that they excel live and feel in their "best form" as lead guitarist Graves put it, the band has done some "music videos" where things are somewhat more subdued.  When the band recorded 

Masters Notebook

Rings of Saturn

 

Smith said it was a different experience than live shows or a recording studio.  "It seemed like we were selling out in some way. I know that doing a music video doesn't mean you are sold out, but I didn't like it as much as other ways of playing music." 

Being apart of all three venues of recording with Doomascus, I saw how they interacted in the studio, live shows and in the music video studio, I could tell how they changed.  In the recording studio they had fun but it was mostly all business, and technical aspects.  At the music video the band seemed on edge, not in their normal form.  But at live shows they just let go and embrace their audience and their music.  Being in a band is hardly glorious 95% of the time, playing song riffs for hours and eating Wendy's fast food between takes, packing and unpacking tiny Japanese cars with big amps and bigger hearts.  However, Chris Smith said, "Music is enough to make me do all this.  It doesn't matter how big or small we are, being in a band is about making good music, period."