Alive In Stone, a high-energy hard rock band from Orlando, Florida, recently released their last single of 2023, “Drowning”. Not only is it an awesome, hard-rocking track, but it has an important message about self-preservation and survival.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Alive In Stone lead vocalist Bryan Phillips and guitarist and backing vocalist Matt Willey. Bryan started Alive In Stone as a solo project. He brought in Matt, who was an acquaintance from the local music scene, to start forming the band. Matt knew drummer Herman Ogletree and got him in touch with Bryan, and Herman joined the band after the first song. Bassist Doug Kirschner came down to the band’s practice space and heard the songs, and soon became the fourth member. Bryan says the band is a “family”. They all have the same vision for where they are heading with their music in the future. Bryan says they just love making music that causes listeners to feel real emotions.
Alive In Stone has been consistently releasing awesome songs and videos over the last two years. The first song I remember hearing form them was “Down And Out”. I’m not sure how I found them – probably through Facebook, which is how I find a lot of bands. But they suddenly popped up almost from out of nowhere, and I was hooked right away. Their music is interesting and unique. The songs are all different and I’m never sure what to expect next from them. I’ll talk more about what’s coming up for Alive In Stone later in this piece.
The following for Alive In Stone is quickly growing. Most of that has to do with their awesome music and videos, of course. But a lot of it is because of their social media presence as well. They are great at promoting themselves and are very interactive with fans, which in this day and age is important.
The topics of Alive In Stone songs vary. The band is not afraid to explore subjects that are serious, playful, or sometimes even a bit “uncomfortable”. They have released songs about body dysmorphia, religion, and the girl next door. In a nutshell, their music is about all of us. It’s relevant and relatable to anyone. Bryan shares that he has worked on his lyric-writing with Mike Protich, singer of The Violent and formerly Red Sun Rising, and it’s helped him become a better writer.
The latest single, “Drowning”, is about getting lost in hopelessness. It’s about trying on your own to find a reason to keep going because nobody is going to help you. You’re sinking and you need to keep swimming to save yourself from completely going under. The concept of saving yourself is reflected in the chorus lyrics:
“So pick up the phone
Call all that you know
Tell them I’m drowning
It’s just dial tone
‘Cause nobody’s home
So you’ll never find me
I am drowning”
The track was produced by Andy Karpovck of Andy K Productions. “Drowning” starts out with a chunky yet melodic guitar riff that is heard throughout the song, with some twists incorporated. The bass and drums combine in perfect rhythm. Bryan’s singing is flawless, with a wide vocal range. The track has an upbeat tempo, and the bridge features a nifty guitar solo.
Generally, Alive In Stone will release a song first, and the music video a few weeks later. The “Drowning” video will drop in mid-October. The next round of new music and videos will be in January 2024. It will be the first full band effort, and will take Alive In Stone in a new direction musically, which they are excited about. Talking with Bryan and Matt, their enthusiasm about the band’s future is contagious. I’m really looking forward to hearing what’s to come! They said the new music might surprise some people. It’s definitely going to be powerful and heavier, and Bryan says it will have multiple influences, which will make it unique. The band can’t wait for people to hear the new music! Get ready for bangers from Alive In Stone.
Alive In Stone has an upcoming show Saturday, October 21st, organized by Maniacal Mojo Records, with Krendon, Common Vision, and Jupiter Storm, at West End Trading Co. in Sanford, Florida. Check out the Facebook event page for more information.
You can find Alive In Stone on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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