ERRA // A New Terror ERRA Comin' Through

Alabama-bred progressive metalcore outfit ERRA are back with a vengeance with their new self-titled fifth studio album.

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With over ten years between the band’s formation in 2009 and this latest record, one obvious question might come to mind for listeners–why release a self-titled record now?

“It felt just, kind of fresh in a lot of ways for us…It just felt right,” clean vocalist, guitarist, and founding member Jesse Cash says. “I sent over a long list of potential names for the guys in the band and, kind of added in as an afterthought, you know, that maybe we could just self-title it, and everyone just unanimously was really into the idea…It felt like a good time.”

This latest self-title record from ERRA plays like a culmination of the band’s style to date, incorporating their classic prog-infused sound that fans have come to know and love, but with a few more twists and turns along the way.

“It still feels very much like a record that we would have written, it’s just, yeah, not being limited by those expectations of choices that we’re supposed to make within the context of the song based off of, you know, preconceived notions about what the band is ‘supposed to be’, quote unquote. Like not being limited by that and just kind of allowing ourselves to do whatever we wanted.”

According to Cash, while this self-titled record is covering some new ground for the band, a lot of the band’s renewed approach to their sound sounds stem from some familiar classic influences.

“There are fresh ideas that we hadn’t done in the past, like we’re influenced by a lot of nineties and 2000 stuff like Tool and Nine Inch Nails, Deftones, but because we perceived ourselves to be like a modern metalcore band, there’s always been kind of a, I suppose it’s kind of scary to us, I guess. To just sort of open ourselves up to those influences, worry that maybe our audience wouldn’t relate to it…

“I think a lot of younger fans who haven’t gotten into those bands yet are probably seeing those comments pointing to those releases and hopefully going back and sort of understanding where a lot of these new influences for us kind of came from in the past.”

As is the case with any record released in 2021, it’s easy to assume that the COVID-19 pandemic has had some impact on the writing and recording process, with many of the themes tackled on this latest record seeming very relevant to post-pandemic life. However, listeners might be surprised how little Cash and his bandmates were directly impacted by the pandemic during the writing process of this new album.

“It’s funny, because a lot of people have asked if the pandemic influenced the album at all. We put out the song House Of Glass, the song Divisionary, both of which are still kind of relevant, after everything that went down in 2020, but, we actually finished the record on the day the state of emergency was declared here in America, so we finished the record right when things were kind of hitting the fan.

The only expectation that I have for 2021 is I want to go back on tour. I want to play the songs live, and I hope people like them. That’s about it.
[Jesse Cash]

“But it is cool the way it worked out, because a lot of those themes do seem kind of relevant. You know, House Of Glass is about social and political polarisation right now, and we put that song out a few days after the election, so it felt very relevant, and Divisionary is kind of the same thing, the song is just about the paradox of being connected with everyone through the tool of isolation, which is our phones and social media. Those two themes are pretty prevalent.”

COVID-19 did impact the band in many ways, particularly when it came to locking in tour dates for the album. While the pandemic has settled down more in Australia, in the states the future of live music still has a veil of uncertainty hanging over it.

“I hope that touring gets back in the fall, but I would be lying if I said I had a whole lot of confidence, just with the way things have gone. I’m still hopeful, like I’m certainly an optimistic person, but I’m definitely going to advocate to hold off on announcing things as long as possible, because I would hate to be in a position that a lot of our peers have been in, where they announce and cancel the same tour three or four times. I really don’t want to be in that position…

“The only expectation that I have for 2021 is I want to go back on tour. I want to play the songs live, and I hope people like them. That’s about it. I don’t really know however those things look, like the little nuanced details around that look, who we go out with or whatever, that’s secondary priority to me. I just want to play a show again.”

In a time of continued uncertainty in the music industry, one thing’s still for sure: ERRA have knocked it out of the park with their new self-titled record. With heavy riffs, funky melodies and some deeper meaning for those who dig for it, there’s bound to be something to love for listeners.

“There’s really no central message that I want [listeners] to take away. I just want them to get out of it what they want to get out of it. Like if they just enjoy the music and they’re not really concerned with the lyrics and what we’re talking about, I think that’s how a lot of listeners are.

“But for those that dig deeper and find something in the lyrics, that makes me super happy, but ultimately, yeah, if it works for you, I’m happy. I just hope they like it.”