The powerful duo in the alt-rock musical world Kelvin Killmon and Alex Ortberg, are coming up with their new song Empires, which is due out on September 25, 2020. That’s another reason to call them the trending alt-rock artists this season.
I got lucky to have received a pre-release copy of the song. I am going to share my thoughts about the same with you.
Let me give you a brief about the Awesome Rock duo before I talk about the song.
Their band Winterstate is an alternative rock duo co-founded in 2015 in Valencia, Spain. Both the musicians are alumni of Berklee College of Music. The name of the band has an interesting story to it! Nowadays, Alex lives in Minnesota and Kelvin in Seattle, so the group does a huge amount of their collaboration working long-distance. Since both the musicians live in Cold weather states, that’s how they named the band WinterState!! Isn’t that cool! The group’s debut album, “The Ride”, came out last year. This song is the second song of their album. They are hoping to release the album by the end of this year.
Ok, Now Let’s dive deep into the awesomeness of the song.
The current Covid-19 situation in the world has a significant impact on the song. It manages to take you through a devastated world with inspiring and encouraging hook “don’t wait for tomorrow,” along with words such as “fight for a brand new day.” They have done a phenomenal job of communicating the message through the vocals and instrumentals.
The soft-start gives it the fluidity to flow with alt-rock music and create an enchanting atmosphere. The Alt-Rock vibe is the main attraction of the song. The crisp and precise percussion dominates throughout the track. The construction and the composition of this track come off as very engrossing. Listening to this song is definitely going to make a shift in your mental state.
The overall execution and the soundscape showcase the elegance of the song. The idea and concept are very meticulously taken care of. The artistic vision and imaginative drive make this rock band’s music worth listening to.
The concept video for “Empires” complements the song flawlessly. The video has a haunting, stunning post-apocalyptic vibe. It provides an outstanding visualization of the lyrics. The flow is what makes the music so addictive.
I definitely loved listening to the song and would like to give it 5 Stars! I would highly recommend that you listen to it too.
Let’s get started with the Interview
Please tell us something about yourself.
Hey, this is Kelvin Killmon and Alex Ortberg from the band Winterstate. Together, we have 19 toes.
How did you get into what you do right now? Please tell us more about your journey?
We met at Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain, and we’ve been making music together ever since. Kelvin lives in Seattle, and Alex lives in Rochester, MN. We write our music by sending demos back and forth and then get together with the rest of the band to perform it live.
Who are your role models?
Alex: Matt MacDonald from The Classic Crime, Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, and Stephen Christian of Anberlin.
Kelvin: Personally, I always looked up to Brandon Boyd of Incubus. I also love Chino Moreno of Deftones and Brandon Flowers from The Killers. Lately, I’ve also been really enjoying listening to Brody Dalle’s vocals with The Distillers.
What inspires you?
Kelvin: It’s hard not to be inspired by what’s going on in the world right now. I live in Seattle, where there are so many hopeful young people out in the streets demanding change. At the same time, there’s a lot of tension in America right now. Even though our music isn’t especially
political, those themes have brought some intensity and edge to our newer songs.
Alex: Since I don’t write any lyrics, most of my inspiration comes from other music I am listening to and enjoying. Because my inspiration can come from so many different bands, our music ends up being a bit genre-bending, but still always kind of lies within the realm of Alternative Rock.
Please tell us about your latest music
Kelvin: We’re currently hard at work on our second album, and we are about to release a new song and music video called “Empires” on September 25th! This second album is going to improve and expand upon the alternative rock sound we established on our first record, “The
Ride”. I think our listeners will be happy with how diverse the tracks are.
Alex: We just released a single called “Touch”, which is a throwback to 2000’s era punk, ala “The Strokes”. And yes, we are releasing another song and music video in late September. “Empires” is more of a cinematic, emotional song that pulls at the heartstrings a bit.
What’s your most memorable experience?
Kelvin: Sometimes, I shadowbox or pull out some half-baked karate moves while I’m tracking vocals. I know that always cracks Alex up. It’s also wild that I’ve had a few people ask if they can play one of our songs at their wedding.
Alex: I remember those karate moves. Doing karate in a small iso-booth in front of an expensive mic will always keep things interesting! For me, our CD release show for our previous record “The Ride” was one of the best moments I’ve had in this band.
Everything we had been working on for several years was finally being put on the stage for the very first time. It was very exciting.
Which social media channels work best for promoting your work? What exactly do you do on the social media channel that makes it work for you?
I think we’ve found Facebook and Youtube have been the best ways to share our music and connect with fans. We love making videos and artwork, and those platforms let us share those visuals with our listeners.
What’s your greatest fear?
Kelvin: Ostriches. I really hate ostriches. They’re little snake-necked dinosaur birds, and it’s not okay.
Alex: Being stagnant. I am always looking to better myself as a musician and as a producer. I want to be doing projects and making each of them better than the last. Ostriches are fine by me.
Looking back, what’s one thing you wish you understood better before you ever got started?
Alex: You don’t know it all. You never will. So be open to criticisms, be okay with not being the best or not knowing something, and then take the time to learn it and grow. Don’t become complacent in your musical growth because you think you’re good enough. Have confidence in what you do, but understand that there is always more to know.
Kelvin: I don’t know if there’s anything I would change, but I think the music industry has become a lot more decentralized. You really have to work hard to promote your music in creative ways, because no one is going to do that work for you.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
Kelvin: Be honest and treat everyone with respect, just like mama said.
Alex: Yes, I think that is a huge factor for someone trying to make it in any industry. Also, make sure people notice you. That doesn’t mean show off, or gloat, or brag, or try to prove you’re the best. That means to show your skills while being humble, professional, grateful, and considerate. I’d rather work with someone talented and humble than talented and stuck up.
What keeps you going when things get tough?
Alex: Nature, taking a break, friends and family, good craft beer…
Kelvin: Dark chocolate and coffee for me.
Any message for our readers
Kelvin: Check out “Empires” on Youtube, Spotify, and iTunes September 25th and let us know what you think in the comments!
Quick Covid 19 Tip: From the first verse of “Empires” until the chorus is exactly 90 seconds long. So, if you sing that melody when you’re washing your hands, you’ll have pruney fingers.
Alex: – and also “Touch” is out now on those same platforms!
How can people connect with you?
Facebook is a great way to get ahold of us. Everyone involved with the band is really accessible and down to earth, and we’re always happy to chat.
You can also check out out Spotify, Our website orInstagram.
Thank you so much for giving us your precious time. It was really inspiring to know about your success journey!!
If you liked this post, please share it with your friends on Social Media. If you want, you can check out new songs here on our blog.