Anyone who knows me well is probably aware that I’m writing for The Sound 228 Magazine. The Sound is an awesome online radio station that plays a lot of new music by bands that are newer, unsigned, and trying to make it in the music industry. The radio station and my friends and colleagues who work with the station have been instrumental in introducing me to new bands I’ve never heard of. One of those bands is Etched In Embers.
I’ve been following Etched In Embers for almost three years now. It has been a pleasure watching this awesome band evolve and grow. Etched In Embers released their first full-length album, Obsolete, December 15th, 2023. Even though I recently wrote about the band for The Sound 228 Magazine, I wanted to also do a piece for my blog and get into a little more detail on some of the songs.
Etched In Embers, a rock band from Lake Of The Ozarks, Missouri, includes Russ Rhodenizer (lead vocals/guitar); Tyler Kenyon (lead guitar/backing vocals); and Chance Rhodenizer (bass/backing vocals). Drummer Christian Boles recently left the band after being a part of it since 2021. He played a crucial role in the making of the Obsolete album as well as the band’s live performances, and his contributions to Etched In Embers are appreciated. The band recently announced that Josh Newlon would be taking over behind the kit.
Early contributions on the Obsolete album came from Kevin W. Gates of REACH Audio recording and engineering a few tracks; Chris Dawson of Aphotic Studios recording, mixing, and mastering the bulk of the other tracks; and Kile Odell at Sienna Studios recording, mixing, and producing four of the songs. All of the songs were mastered by Mike Kalajian at Rogue Planet Mastering.
When I first heard the full album, I was pleasantly surprised to hear so many “older” Etched In Embers songs on it, as well as new bangers the band has been releasing over the last several years and brand new tunes we did not hear prior to the album being released. The band chose the songs for the album that would best highlight the evolution of their sound. All of the songs on the album are the original versions. The band is very proud of how this album turned out. They feel that, from start to finish, it’s a strong compilation of their music. I agree with this. It’s tremendous.
Since I started listening to Etched In Embers a few years ago, I’ve definitely heard an evolution in their sound. It’s a perfect combination of modern with a hint of classic rock mixed in. No two songs are alike. Russ’s vocals are so strong and emphatic, they really bring out the emotion in every song. They combine with the hard vocals added by Chance, who is also a skilled bassist. Tyler is one of the best guitarists I’ve ever heard. His guitar solos are spectacular!
Russ and Tyler wrote a lot of the earlier Etched In Embers music. As time went on, the rest of the band started contributing. The band also gets help from co-writers and producers, which, ultimately, leads to a great finished product.
I wanted to break down some of the individual tracks on Obsolete because the themes are so varied. Russ shared some of his thoughts on the songs, also.
“Blind Reality” is a song about letting go of “demons” and moving on from a painful situation. Russ expanded on this. He said it’s about the fight against addiction, bad relationships and inner demons, and learning to move on.
“Drown” is about taking a stand against those who are in power and creating our own change that we want to see in our world.
Russ shared his thoughts on the song “Someone Else”. He said, “This song is actually about realizing you have put yourself in a bad situation in life, and understanding you are to blame for your own trapping, then coming to the understanding that the pain to rebuild is worth it.”
“Failure Admission” is a song about admitting that you have imperfections and accepting that failure is a part of life. Having the tools to admit and move on is a sign of growth.
My own interpretation of “From Ashes” is different from what the song was originally written about. To me, it is a song in honor of a loved one who has passed away. I did, however, have a feeling there was more to it, and that is the case. Here is what Russ said: “This song mostly came from the standpoint of a relationship song, from the angle of a one-sided effort to not give up, and continuing the attempt to rebuild what was broken. As things go down in flames, from the ashes would rise either a more damaged relationship, or one that is stronger than ever. As I finished the lyrics to this song, though, it did grow into a meaning of loss as well, and that has definitely taken hold when I perform it since I lost my mother back in 2021.” My own mother passed away in 2013 and, recently, one of my best friends, Melissa, passed away very unexpectedly. This song really does hit home on so many levels.
‘Bring Me Back” is a song about our own mortality. Russ shared, “I always feel that the day I die I will wish I had given more to this world. I’m sure we all have those thoughts.”
“Happy Song”, ironically, is a song about being anything but happy. It’s really about being miserable in a relationship that is going downhill. It has definitely become a fan favorite. It’s a song about surviving Hell within a relationship, and yearning for the times of happiness that preceded its downfall.
Finally, I wanted to talk about the opening and title track on the album, “Obsolete”. It is beautiful and mesmerizing. It was written and performed by Tyler Kenyon on the piano when they decided on the album title. Russ calls Tyler “a multi-instrument talented dude!”
I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the awesome music video for “Happy Song”. It was done by the masterful director Juan Ibanez. He has done almost all of the Etched In Embers music videos. The video has a “Jerry Springer” type of concept. Russ said the band came up with the idea for the video quickly. They were fortunate to have Jessie Budahl help them out in the “trashy girlfriend” role. She has been in videos for bands such as Atreyu and P.O.D., which were also done by Juan Ibanez. Russ said doing the video was “insanely fun!” It sure looks like it when you watch the final product. It is brilliant and hilarious and extremely entertaining.
What’s coming up for Etched In Embers? The band is having preliminary discussions about a possible EP release in late 2024 as a follow-up to the Obsolete album.
Upcoming shows include an acoustic set at the Inked Nation Tattoo Convention in Oklahoma City Saturday, February 24th; a show with RA Wednesday, February 28th at The Regency Live in Springfield, Missouri; and a show on St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17th, at Lefty’s Live Music in Des Moines, Iowa with Shim playing Sick Puppies along with The Impulsive and Alyeska. The band will be performing at some festivals this year and will be booking some individual shows, and is hoping to possibly put some kind of tour together.
You can find Etched In Embers on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and the band’s website.
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