When I suddenly started seeing posts on Facebook by Myles Clayborne, the drummer of SAUL, about a new metalcore band project he was working on, I was immediately intrigued. I had a feeling it was going to be something special, and I was right. Lo and behold, Left On Red has arrived on the scene, and recently released a banger called “Fairweather” as well as a lyric video to accompany it. Myles was kind enough to share some awesome information about Left On Red, which, according to the band’s press kit, “is set to take the Midwest Metal scene by the throat in 2024”.
The band, which is from Columbia, Missouri, affectionately known as “Como”, consists of: Myles Clayborne (vocals); Corey Harness (guitar); Anthony Brummer (bass); and Shea Spence (drums). They decided to start the project after Myles expressed an interest in making music that was closer to home and a reflection of his musical roots. All of the members have been in other bands, all based in Columbia. Corey had a project called Red Room, Shea is in a band called The Many Colored Death, and Anthony plays guitar for Conman Economy. As mentioned above, Myles, is the drummer of the well-known band SAUL.
The name of the band, Left On Red, was a mutual idea between Myles and Shay Osborne, who has been instrumental in the forming and management of the project. However, Myles says the name definitely has a deeper meaning. “I think a lot of the time we feel like people may say ‘I hear you’ or ‘reach out if you need anything’, but really, it’s mostly said as a formality. Messages go unanswered, calls go unreturned. It just leaves you feeling a bit angry, alone, and empty. Voicing those emotions and creating a dialog for them is what we aim to do with this project.”
Myles handles most of the writing and recording process for Left On Red, until the point when he is able to get the rest of the band involved with ideas and revisions. He brings Corey in to fine tune and personalize guitar parts as well as Anthony with bass and any backing vocal ideas. Shea finalizes and edits drum parts before the track is completed.
My interpretation of “Fairweather” is that it’s about “fake friends” who claim they’ll be there for you, but when “bad weather” comes they’re nowhere to be found. Despite that, you figure things out on your own (as usual) and realize you don’t need those “fairweather friends” after all. Myles says I hit the nail on the head. He adds, “This song is the culmination of going through that situation multiple times, which, unfortunately, is a reality for many people.”
Myles also shared how the music reflects the theme of the song. The hard vocals in the verses and the guitar riffs have a darker tone. The chorus, meanwhile, is a little lighter and upbeat, incorporating the idea of “screw it, I’ll be fine on my own”. The chorus lyrics sum up these feelings:
“It’s no surprise you left me on my own again
Just hang me out to dry I’ll figure it out, in the end
It’s nothing new (just what you do)
Just what I’m used to
Holding out for hope of fair weather
But as a friend yea I could do better”
Myles’ hard vocals portray a lot of emotion. His clean vocals, meanwhile, have a delightfully surprising range. The guitar riffs are intricate, and the bass and drums blend together into a perfect beat. The bridge of the song features a sweet guitar solo. One of my favorite things about the song is the buildup from the verses leading to the chorus. This song is very complex, with lots of ebbs and flows that add up to a successful first single by Left On Red.
Left On Red plans to put out a five-song EP in early spring. Each song will be released as a single prior to the EP dropping as a whole. The band is also working on putting together some live shows for spring and summer and beyond. Stay tuned for what’s to come for Left On Red. I have a feeling they’re going to be a fun band to follow!
You can find Left On Red on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Linktree, and the band’s website.
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