Featuring an ex-member of Ever We Fall, It Prevails from Portland, OR has just released their debut collection of tunes on Rise Records. The Inspiration is a tremendous prologue for a band ready to expand their fan base well beyond the City Of Roses. We recently spoke with vocalist Ian about the hardcore scene in their area, Christianity in hardcore, their new CD, and many other topics of interest…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in It Prevails, and how long the band has been together?
What’s up HD? I'm Ian, the vocalist in It Prevails. We have been together since late 2004 and haven't stopped since!

What is the Portland hardcore music scene like, and are there a lot of places to play?
The Portland Hardcore Scene is by far my favorite I’ve seen across the US. Granted I might be partial due to the fact I love the other bands and our fans, but I find it is truly one of the only cities where the hardcore kids actually know what they want to hear and are not afraid to dance and show love in fear of judgment or being "cool". It’s kind of rare these days. As far as venues, there have been many in the past few years; but the all ages venues we have running right now are all very cool and they are all run by very cool guys and girls.

Where do you get the ideas for some of your lyrics and please cite a few song examples.
That’s a good question, because I find lately in hardcore and other akin genres, lyrical content has slowly been diminishing away. I find my ideas for lyrics in life experiences both that I have been through and seen; for instance on the first song on the new album, Explanation: Content; I based the ideas off of my standpoint on the Christian religion, and I know that this can be a touchy subject for some, especially considering a lot of bands that are out and a lot of bands that I love are Christian. But that’s another reason why I chose to express on it; the lyrics are not bashing Christianity by any means. They are simply showing my thoughts, on how a lot of my friends are Christian, but we can still be friends and it truly is nothing but I’m content being an atheist. "And my friends knees, they grow calloused, but their passion does not seize, and our friendship it succeeds..." I think that snippet pretty much sums that song up. Other songs like At Least Understand and Change Today are about people’s thoughts on me and how they can judge or try to tear me down, but I will remain who I am and keep pushing for unity and strength in the hardcore scene and life in general. Another thing I find lacking lately...

What kind of touring have you done so far and do you have any road horror stories you could share?
Haha, I think everyone who has toured has a horror story or two, but our most recent was our rear end on our van blowing up and it rolling on two wheels for about a hundred feet in Florida coming into Panama City. We all thought we were dead, ha ha. We've toured the US once now and a couple west coast runs last year, but we have A TON of touring planned this year, so everyone keep your eyes and ears open because we have no means of stopping ANYTIME soon!!!

What do you think sets It Prevails apart from other hardcore bands?
I think the reality factor, the passionate lyrics along with the emotional drive and the technical edge is what drags IP fans in on their knees. We all think that bands we grew up loving and adoring have diminished and almost all traces can’t be found. That’s why we're here. Not to be huge, not to be glamorous but to give back to hardcore what it has been missing. This is also something I write about in our lyrics, the song Change Today has a chant that goes "We’ve Taken Nothing, We’re giving everything back..." I don’t think I can sum us up anymore than that except that we’re here for the people that have heart. And the people that are passionate about their lives.

How did you wind up signing to Rise Records?
Well I've known Craig(C) at Rise for about four years now. I used to play bass in a band called Ever We Fall on Rise so that’s how we initially met. When I showed him my project that I had been working on since I left that band and I saw the direction that his label had gone since then, we both agreed, its a great fit. And we couldn't be happier, Rise treats us like gold.

How long did it take to record the new CD and what did producer Kris Crummett (Fear Before The March Of Flames, Drop Dead, Gorgeous) contribute to the sound of your band?
We were in Interlace audio studios for a month solid. Kris Crummett helped us out soooo much. Even though there was no pre-production involved, I think that going into it with a producer that is not only a fan but truly understood what we are about, was a big help. Kris, being a fan and knowing what we were all capable of, wouldn't let us settle for anything but what he knew would make us happy and make music that would last. His ideas with drums, guitars, vocals, hell EVERYTHING were ALL awesome. We couldn't ask for a better debut, Thanks Kris.

Who in your band is the biggest Myspace whore?
Hahahahahaha! Probably Aaron, the drummer of course who is now a part of the Shine Drum roster; which is now only going to increase his Whoring on the daily, hahaha, but we love the guy!!! And next up would probably be me, I ain't gotta lie to kick it!!!

Are there any It Prevails groupies wandering around the City Of Roses or beyond?
We all have "friends" in the Portland area and surrounding cities, but NO girlfriends. We gotta keep our heads on straight and women just seem to do the opposite! So yes, they are everywhere! And the mass population of IP groupies will never cease in size!!! But, wait ladies, we’re really nice guys, ha ha

When the CD spins to an end, what is it you hope a listener has gotten out of your music?
A sense of refreshment and upliftment. We create our music to motivate people. To see and understand things a little more clearly. I want people to listen to our CD and either sit down and cry, realize what has been missing in their lives, or be inspired to get the fuck up and conquer mountains, and make a difference in this world. TO BE A BETTER PERSON!

Do you plan on playing here in the LA/OC area anytime soon?
We were in Lancaster in January and we’ll be in LA with Catherine and Underminded in March! And continuously throughout the years to come!!! We will continue to do what we do until we are dead, ha ha.

Which member of It Prevails is most likely to own an Ashlee Simpson CD? What about Slayer?
Ashlee Simpson? Probably me, not that I do, but I’m a sucker for catchy shit and production. As far as Slayer DEFINITLY Brian Blade (Guitar) he’s the metalhead at heart for sure!

Do you have any messages for people reading now who might be interested in checking out your music?
If you have an open mind and enjoy music that is a little off the beaten path, then give us a shot. If you feel like something is missing in the music you have been listening to, then give us a listen. If you need inspiration in your life and you’re sick of what the general, typical hardcore has become, take a listen. Get into it. Were here for one reason, to change people and become close to their hearts. We wanna see you at a show singing along with us. Take Care and be positive. (Kenneth Morton)

It Prevails links

Rise Records: The Record Label for It Prevails!
It Prevails on Myspace: Their Official Myspace Page!
The Highwire Daze Home Page: Return to the Main Page!

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