Post Mortum
An interview with Brysson
By Stephanie Jimenez
(SugarBuzz Los Angeles)
Images provided by Post Mortum
SugarBuzz Magazine
Music flows within us all... in and out of our souls... touching us... offering us more than we will ever be aware of. Stand silent for a single moment in time and allow the sound to fill you completely. Do you hear it inside you? Can you feel it? Breathe in slowly... and let the music become part of you... something that will linger on even after your last breathe.
Started in the rural Amish country of Ohio in 2004, a group of young and eager High School students came together to form the band known as ‘Post Mortum’. Determined to follow their hearts and dreams, they strived to reach their goals. However, as they grew into adulthood, stresses increased from touring, finances, and marriages. This ultimately caused the band members to part their ways, leaving only one original band member, Brysson (Guitarist), to continue on.
Brysson showed great tenacity, as he expanded his search for new members of the band. It had to be more than just talent... the members had to have the right chemistry and dedication. He found that chemistry and dedication within his new band members Callie Estes (Vocals) from Texas, DeRock (Violin) from Texas, AP (Bass) from West Virginia, and John Murphy (Drums) from Michigan.
This dedication can be heard in every song and through the members being very grounded individuals, who have great sense of self. They are artists, and they are human beings. Doing all that they can to give back for everything that they have been given... this band it isn’t just about music.
With their new hard hitting cd release entitled ‘Rise Above Ruin’, please allow me introduce you to Brysson and ‘Post Mortum’.
How did you come up with the name for the band?
Brysson- “Post Mortum is Latin for After Death. It’s a daily reminder to us to put others before ourselves by dying to our own selfishness.”
Tell me about the bands passions.
Brysson- “We are passionate about people. We share in the passion of anyone who has ever had a dream. Of course we are very passionate about pouring out our hearts on stage every night. We are also very passionate about helping people in any way possible. While we love playing shows every night, we look at touring as so much more than that. With being on the road, we meet so many people along the way from getting gas to wondering around towns, from Waffle Houses to staying in host homes. If we see a need, we try to help out if we can. Whether it’s stopping at a Salvation Army along the way and cleaning the bathrooms, or feeding homeless folks the rest of our bologna sandwiches out of the back of our van, helping someone fix their car, or just being there to encourage someone who’s having a rough day, it doesn’t matter as long as someone’s day is better off than it began. So many people have fed us, lodged us, and taken care of us along the way, and we have five sets of helping hands to give back what we can.”
What are the musical influences for the band?
Brysson- “We are all very well rounded in all genres of music. Most of us are classically trained musicians with heavy backgrounds in music theory. You’ll catch us on any given day listening to anything from Rock to Rap, Pop to Jazz, Metal to Indie, and Country to Classical.”
Have these musical influences contributed to the sound that the band has today?
Brysson- “Our training, theory, and backgrounds definitely have catered towards our sound. We would have to say that our biggest influence and inspirations more so have come from all of the people throughout our lives, who have told us we would never get anywhere in life and would never amount to anything.”
You had a self released album in 2005, entitled 'Fixed Retina', followed by the 2007 National release with Ocean View Records, entitled ' Road Ahead'. What have you learned from both experiences as it leads to your current release called 'Rise Above Ruin'?
Brysson- “ ‘Fixed Retina’ was our first experience in a professional recording environment, so that in itself was a learning experience for us. The CD helped in exposing us beyond our local town.
We then recorded a homemade demo of new material, which we shopped to several labels and ended up signing with Ocean View Records. Next, we recorded ‘Road Ahead ‘(under Ocean View) and shortly after the release our front man, Dru Yost, left the band.
Upon Dru’s departure, Ocean View dropped us from the label, and we quickly sold out of all the copies we had available which left us touring for ten months of 2008 on a release that we did not have. That, along with a hit-and-run encounter with an 18-wheeler, two robberies, and three deaths of close loved ones, made 2008 a really tough year for all of us.
We definitely had to take a lot of steps backwards, yet we learned so much through it all. We learned so much about ourselves and really changed our focus to learning how to relate to people and to be an inspiration through our music.”
Tell me about your new release?
Brysson- “With the disastrous release of ‘Road Ahead’, along with touring a year on those songs and the trials we faced, some of the songs really took on a deeper, more personal meaning to us. We wanted to have something to show for that, and so originally we just wanted to re-master ‘Road Ahead’ and put it out again.
Bulwark Records (a start-up label out of Pittsburg, PA) shared in our vision, and with their embrace as family, we signed in August 2008. They immediately sent us to Dallas Sound Lab (Pantera, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc.) in Irving, TX, to record some new tracks for the disc as well.
Once in the studio, working with producer Ben Cybulsky, our creativity began to flow, and we ended up re-arranging and re-tracking the rest of the songs. After pulling a few songs off the record and adding a couple, mixing and mastering, the new album was complete to our satisfaction as well as our producer and management.
With such dramatic changes to the release and not wanting to associate this release with Ocean View Records, we agreed with Bulwark Records to change the album title to ‘Rise Above Ruin’, an anthem of inspiration to those who have to overcome great obstacles to obtain their goals just as we have. ‘Rise Above Ruin’ released on March 3rd, 2008.”
How do you feel about traveling and touring these days? Is it more or less stressful, than in the past?
Brysson- “Well 2008 proved to be a very stressful year for all tours. With high gas prices and cancellations left and right, every band out there struggled. There is no such thing as a stress free tour, but when the road is where your heart and soul belong, there is no alternative.”
What is your current tour schedule... any dates that you are looking forward to playing?
Brysson- “We are currently out on the road right now. 2009 is looking to be a really busy year which is exciting for us. We put a lot of work into making a great live show, and just being on the road and connecting with our audience is where our heart is. Honestly, we really look forward to every single date on our schedule. We just love touring anywhere and everywhere.”
Future goals for the band?
Brysson- “We want to continue touring and putting out better and better music. Of course we want to be able to continue to pay our bills, and we really want to start touring internationally. Ultimately, our goal is to connect with as many people as we can to let them know that life is worth living, dreams are worth pursuing, and goals are obtainable.”
I would like to thank Brysson and Post Mortum for taking the time to do this interview, while they are on the road currently touring. For more information on their tour schedule and/or cd, please check out their links below.
Post Mortum will no doubt continue to rise and achieve all their dreams! ... Music is life... a never ending breathe... and rock is in all our souls. Rock on my babies... rock on!