Roaring flames: Introducing This Burning City

By RingMaster Review on November 14, 2014 • ( 1 )

This Burning City

One song does not make a band but it certainly is enough to pay close and eager attention upon one and so it is with Ignorance the debut single from Canadian hardcore rockers This Burning City. The teaser for an upcoming EP, the track is visceral and sonically compelling introduction with a vicious contagion to match. Not wanting to wait until the upcoming EP to learn more, we grabbed the chance to fire off a few questions at the band to discover their background, influences, and more….

Hi guys and thanks for talking with us.

Can we start by asking about the band and its background?

Hey there RingMaster. Thanks a lot for opportunity to chat. This Burning City is a hardcore band from the small town of Gananoque, Ontario. We all knew each other from school and came up with the idea of getting together and making noises. Nothing serious but as time went by we loved what we did and This Burning City formed. We’ve been together for roughly 3 years now, but have jammed together for longer.

You have had a few changes in personnel since forming, the norm for plenty of bands but how has that impacted on your hardcore fuelled sound along the way?

No major changes, but a few bumps in the road really. I think in the beginning we didn’t really have any direction or idea of what we wanted. We looked up to bands and said “We want to be THAT” and wrote what we could. After the line-up changes, I think everyone was finally on the same page on what we wanted and we finally could start writing the music that we really wanted to put out. So to answer your question I’d say yes, it has influenced our hardcore sound, but in a good way.

Who would you list as the biggest influences on the band’s sound and you as individual musicians?

It’s extremely safe to say that our biggest influences as a band are Ritual (Ex. Dead And Divine), Stray From The Path, and The Chariot. Other than these three, we all really take influence from Prophets, Holly Springs Disaster, Of Temples, and The Color Morale. You can hear most of these bands in our music, and the influence is pretty clear and direct.

Tell us about the single Ignorance which was released earlier this year, is it a thick example of your sound generally for newcomers to get an idea of what This Burning City is all about?

Ignorance was selected as our single to lead into the EP that we have in the works. When writing music for the EP, we made this song and absolutely HAD to put it out. It was designed to give people a taste of what we had to come, the new direction we were going in, and keep people waiting for the EP. It was recorded in a small basement by Jordan Bulhoes of Suns Of Static and it was mixed and mastered by Jordan Valeriote who has worked on some really huge bands such as Silverstein, Neck Deep, Structures and many others. It’s a very good example of what’s to come, but since writing the single, we’ve written some truly outstanding music that will blow away anyone who enjoys the single.

What about the EP, any info you can share?

We just finished some gruelling days in the studio with Zane of North Of Princess studio to put together a really, really amazing EP. Right now we’re waiting for some early mixes and then it’s off to become truly magical.

Can you give us a spoiler as to its sound and direction?

All I can say at this time is that the sound is going to be huge, the melodies are going to be magical, and to those who have heard us before, it is going to be unlike anything we’ve ever released. Honestly, we all couldn’t be more excited.

You seem to be getting a potent reputation for your live presence also and have played with a horde of bands including the likes of Horizons, Atlas, Fairview, End Of Crisis, and With Blood Drenched Hands. On stage is where the band is most at home?

The stage is definitely our home. When we entered the studio, we looked like deer in the headlights. We didn’t know what to do. But the moment we need to hit the stage, we’re like a well-oiled machine. It’s the place where we let loose, connect with the people we play with, and try our hardest to create a memorable experience. It’s all energy and smiles when we’re up there.

You have a show coming up with He Is Legend and Maylene & The Sons Of Disaster as well as others. How are feelings as it looms closer and this is one of your biggest shows to date?

Well first and foremost we are excited to be sharing the stage with such amazing bands. But at the same time, we are a bit nervous. Kingston, Ontario has the bad tendency to not give these bands the attention they really deserve. I hope the locals will come out and support them. I know we’ll be a bit nervous to open, but like every time, we’ll get over it and truly kick the shit out of the performance.

What else has the band in store for the rest of the year leading into next?

Lots of big plans! Once the EP is out, we’re going to do our best to get it into the hands of people we don’t know and get the name out. Touring is a definite possibility. And of course, we’re always looking ahead to the next big step: our album. The ball is always rolling with us.

Thanks again for sharing your time, anything you wish to shout out to finish off with?

Thank you again for the questions! All I have to say is we are This Burning City! Check us out at www.facebook.com/ThisBurningCity or go to our website at www.ThisBurningCity.com. Check us out at a show near you and listen to the newest single, Ignorance.

Pete RingMaster

The RingMaster Review 14/11/2014