There is a prevailing stereotype that surrounds local music —that of the unrehearsed “garage band” with a generic rock sound and a mediocre stage presence. Inveritas, based out of Atlanta, has done its part to break the familiar tune. They bring their own blend of haunting melodies and subtly harsh vocals to create a complex sound that touches the listener on a personal level. The Technique was able to interview Inveritas’ lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Ian Riley shortly after the band played a show at the Masquerade.
You guys have an interesting vibe. What genre would you classify yourselves as?
“You know, that’s always an interesting question. I usually just go with the flow and say we’re a rock band because that’s really all we are at our core. We don’t deliberately aim for a specific style or try to sound like any particular band.
“As far as what our listeners tell us, however, we generally garner comparisons to bands that we’re huge fans of (Circa Survive, Brand New, O’brother, Thrice, and Thursday, to name a few of the more common comparisons), and that’s usually followed by something like, “but you guys still sound like yourselves, you know?” Which is cool to me, because I like to think that we’re just that —a natural amalgamation of all of our influences, melted down into this one cohesive unit. That’s what Inveritas is to us, anyway.”
Is it difficult performing at a local level?
“It honestly depends on what you’d call the local level. We’ve each had decent tenures in other local bands in the Atlanta area, and we’ve each had our share of shows where we’ve played to a sold out crowd with other great locals, as well as shows where we’ve played to maybe two or three kids at the most. But when we started playing together in this project last year, we took to performing immediately, and we played anywhere we could, as frequently as we could.
“We went from playing small scale house shows to opening for much bigger touring bands at the Masquerade within the span of a month. We even played some shows in Florida that same month. All we really did was broaden our scope of the kind of shows we could play, and by doing so, we attracted a decent following in Atlanta and the surrounding areas much faster than I could ever have anticipated. Heck, we’ve been a band for just over a year now, and we’ll be playing day three of Summerfest 2014 in Panama City in June. I wouldn’t say it’s difficult performing at a local level, it just takes a lot of work and requires fostering relationships with good people and bands within your music scene. It’s totally worth it.”
Thoughts on starting up a band?
“Clearly define your goal. Even if it’s just for fun, make sure that’s exactly what you’re doing. Don’t limit yourself too much, but don’t bite off more than you can chew, either. A band has the capacity to be the most powerful part of your life.
“You’re creating art, something incredibly personal and intimate to you, and you’re sharing the creation of that art with other people. Whether they’re your best friend or a total stranger at the start of the project, that common art will bring you incredibly close to one another, for better or for worse. Always try to move toward a constructive, positive and fulfilling common goal with your art, and your band will ultimately be a success.
“Also, don’t underestimate the power of community. Your fellow local bands can be your best friends and your biggest supporters. I can honestly say we wouldn’t be anything without our friends in bands like Come What May, Tir Asleen, Capital Arms, Bear Girl and Maya.”
What are your plans on releasing tracks/a full-length album? Words on the recording process?
“A lot of that’s under wraps at the moment. I can definitely say we’re working on a full-length record, and I can also say we’ve got a few singles we plan on releasing very, very soon. We spent some time at a local studio called Skyline Studios to work on those songs, and we’re really happy about how they turned out. As for the record, we’ve explored a few solid possibilities at some more well-known studios where some of our favorite records have been produced, and to that end, I can honestly I’ve never been more excited for the future of our music.”
What are the band’s long-term goals?
“We’re all college students with part-time jobs and other miscellaneous obligations, so we balance a good portion of our lives with this band, but we definitely plan on taking it as far as it’ll go. If we are given the opportunity to release a few good records and tour, we’ll be incredibly thankful and happy. If we release one good record independently that we work really hard on and close the chapter on this band after that, we’ll be incredibly thankful and happy. Ultimately, I think I speak for everyone when I say we just want to make and release music that will make an impact on people and leave a lasting impression on our listeners. That’s the goal I know we all share, and with that in mind, I’m confident that we’re on the right path.”
Which comic book superhero would you be?
“It may sound cliché, but I would totally be Superman. I’m a huge fan of DC and Marvel’s extensive roster of superheroes and villains, and after thorough analyses and debates with my friends (who are also huge comic book fans) of each universe’s most influential characters, I’ve always come to find that Superman is the most morally concrete and long-standing example of what a hero should be, even if he is more of an idealist than a realist. Plus, who wouldn’t want to fly at Mach ten and shoot red-hot lasers from their eyes?”