# "Intervals" (Aaron Marshall stands alone)



## neoclassical85 (Dec 30, 2013)

I just found out today via facebook that my favourite instrumental metal band "Intervals" just added a singer to their lineup and released their first single from the new album with vocals, its kickin up a bit of a sh1t storm on facebook with some angry/disappointed fans and others are taking it well and supporting the idea. Personally I love these guys as an instrumental band and their first two albums are amazing, Im pretty open to the idea of them adding a vocalist, though some people argue that they should keep making instrumental albums and have the singer stuff as a side project under a different name. The new single is called Ephemeral, it can be heard on youtube.. Discuss!!


----------



## Rick (Dec 30, 2013)

I think it's great, I just can't really get into instrumental music.


----------



## neoclassical85 (Dec 30, 2013)

I gotta say I love this band instrumentally, the music speaks volumes to the point that it doesnt really need vocals, but obviously on the new tracks they are writing around the idea of having a vocalist. Im stoked for whatever these guys bring out, super talented group and proud to have a band like this coming from Canada!!


----------



## silent suicide (Dec 30, 2013)

They are awesome, and I loved the song.
They can only improve IMO.


----------



## angelbear (Dec 30, 2013)

i liked them better when they were instrumental but theyre still kick ass


----------



## AuroraTide (Dec 30, 2013)

Is he still the bass player? Maybe they will still have new instrumental songs, either way I dig his voice!


----------



## Edoris (Dec 30, 2013)

Personally i love it! I was wondering why his voice sounded so familiar and then realized he's the ex-vocalist for Vestascension (who are awesome!!).

It's a hard task going from an instrumental band to having a vocalist in a tasteful manner but they seem to have done it well. Hopefully they still have a few instrumental tracks but it looks like i'm gonna love it even if they don't haha

Well done Intervals, well done indeed.


----------



## BIG ND SWEATY (Dec 30, 2013)

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/general-music-discussion/258384-new-intervals-song-ephemeral.html


----------



## rjnix_0329 (Dec 30, 2013)

If Intervals wants a singer, they get a singer. And they did! 

They might lose or gain a few fans, but they are following their own artistic vision. Sounds great to me.


----------



## neoclassical85 (Dec 30, 2013)

Agreed man Im actally stoked that its clean vocals too


----------



## angelbear (Dec 30, 2013)

im still disappointed in the lack of guitar melodies


----------



## spawnofthesith (Dec 30, 2013)




----------



## Watty (Dec 30, 2013)

This is liable to be merged with the other thread, but for now:

A) I felt like the guitars could only carry their tunes so far with their writing style, and the singer helps push it over the edge. (In the right direction)
B) They didn't kill the style by adding harsh vocals.
C) Mike is a beast of a singer.


----------



## GunpointMetal (Dec 31, 2013)

Yeah, I kinda felt like a lot of the leads were there "in place" of vocals...the songs were already designed for them, it seemed to me.


----------



## Rick (Dec 31, 2013)

AuroraTide said:


> Is he still the bass player? Maybe they will still have new instrumental songs, either way I dig his voice!



They're bringing someone in for live.


----------



## RagtimeDandy (Dec 31, 2013)

To me, instrumental metal is just masturbation. I can't listen to it and it gets redundant (though I must say an extremely rare exception is Modern Day Babylon, their new album is amazing as is). I always feel that the vocal element makes or breaks a band, and to leave it out entirely isn't doing the music justice. Thankfully for Intervals, Mike is a phenomenal singer/vocalist instead of some whiny kid with 6 months of singing under his belt. That combined with top notch musicians? I can't see it being anything short of a stellar release. I always dug Intervals but also felt they REALLY need vocals to fill in that missing space, and Mike is absolutely perfect in that space. 

Set aside the fact you're likely a guitar player for a second and listen to the song as a whole. Does it not sound significantly more "full" and fulfilled than an instrumental wank session? Anyone can play guitar with enough practice, but writing a quality song is something else entirely - and this shows that Intervals is more than capable of it.


----------



## angelbear (Dec 31, 2013)

RagtimeDandy said:


> To me, instrumental metal is just masturbation. I can't listen to it and it gets redundant (though I must say an extremely rare exception is Modern Day Babylon, their new album is amazing as is). I always feel that the vocal element makes or breaks a band, and to leave it out entirely isn't doing the music justice. Thankfully for Intervals, Mike is a phenomenal singer/vocalist instead of some whiny kid with 6 months of singing under his belt. That combined with top notch musicians? I can't see it being anything short of a stellar release. I always dug Intervals but also felt they REALLY need vocals to fill in that missing space, and Mike is absolutely perfect in that space.
> 
> Set aside the fact you're likely a guitar player for a second and listen to the song as a whole. Does it not sound significantly more "full" and fulfilled than an instrumental wank session? Anyone can play guitar with enough practice, but writing a quality song is something else entirely - and this shows that Intervals is more than capable of it.



animals as leaders, scale the summit and angel vivaldi would like to say otherwise


----------



## Hybrid138 (Dec 31, 2013)

I like them with vocals too but I wouldn't say better or worse than before. It's just different. I don't agree with this though 

"Does it not sound significantly more "full" and fulfilled than an instrumental wank session?"

It feels like people use "wankery" and it's various far more liberally now than they used too. Wankery seems to mean "someone played a fast solo and I didn't like it" now...


----------



## TIBrent (Dec 31, 2013)

Man the search button is just not recognized on this site


----------



## Jonathan20022 (Dec 31, 2013)

RagtimeDandy said:


> Set aside the fact you're likely a guitar player for a second and listen to the song as a whole. Does it not sound significantly more "full" and fulfilled than an instrumental wank session? Anyone can play guitar with enough practice, but writing a quality song is something else entirely - and this shows that Intervals is more than capable of it.



Took the words right out of my mouth, I've stopped listening to music with the mentality of a guitarist. You can really appreciate and listen to more that way.


----------



## innovine (Jan 2, 2014)

I hate vocals. 90% of the time its just some clown going urrrrgh, urrrrrgh, me badass, urrrgh. ....ing stupid. Done right they can be ok in small amounts, but that is rare.


----------



## Yousef (Jan 2, 2014)

I really like it. The song is great. 

I'm glad they went with clean vocals instead of the screaming style of other djent style bands... but then again they've only shared one song so far so we don't know what the style will be for the other songs.


----------



## downburst82 (Jan 2, 2014)

Cant listen to the song right now (baby is sleeping and I cant find my headphones) but im pretty sure if its Mike Semesky its going to be a SOLID vocal performance, I will just have to hear how it works overall with there sound.


----------



## Colbear (Jan 2, 2014)

The song sounds GREAT. Killer performance and tight writing. Have to agree with the notion that the guitar melodies almost felt there in place of the vocals, but it still worked. Will definitely be keeping up with these guys much more now, very interested in that album!


----------



## nostealbucket (Jan 2, 2014)

I feel like the majority of Interval's songs were originally written to include vocals. I don't really like the singer, but I think this is good for the band in the long run...


----------



## Eladamri (Jan 2, 2014)

Urgh.... 

No thanks. I really can't handle cut and paste LOOK AT MY FEELINGS lyrics at the best of times. He doesn't need a bucket to carry a tune but there's much more to being a singer than just being in tune. I am just going to be bored now.


----------



## RagtimeDandy (Jan 2, 2014)

angelbear said:


> animals as leaders, scale the summit and angel vivaldi would like to say otherwise



I can't make it past 2 songs of AAL since the music is so dry. Good, but dry. Scale The Summit could easily add Tesseract-esque vocals and I'd love them, and I've never heard Angel Vivaldi so I can't say anything about that. Whatever the case, I think Intervals made a smart move


----------



## Joshua (Jan 2, 2014)

I'm excited for this! I love Mike Semesky's vocals, and adding them to Intervals is a great thing. Stoked to hear more of this!


----------



## iamjosan (Jan 3, 2014)

vocals killed it for me


----------



## Dcm81 (Jan 3, 2014)

I like the new song but it just doesn't have that same signature sound that the instrumentals had. With the extra element of the vocals there is now less space for guitar melodies and such.

Aaron said that he still views Intervals as an instrumental band with the vocals just being an extra "instrument".......if that is the case then why only clean vocals? Semestry is an excellent "instrument" in my opinion but if it's all clean then you're missing out on a lot of different nuances your instrument has to offer.
Don't get me wrong - I don't need screaming or shouting all the time, on the contrary, BUT this is heavy music and well placed growls or screams can really add to the dynamic of a song. IMO he did a great job of that with the HAARP Machine.

BTW: All tracks will have vocals on them and for their live shows they've got the bassist from The Human Abstract.


----------



## Santuzzo (Jan 3, 2014)

I liked them better as an instrumental band, I really love their first two albums and I'm a big fan of instrumental metal in general.
That said, I can totally understand their decision to add a singer, as this way they will most likely address a much bigger audience, so it does make sense.


----------



## thatguyupthere (Jan 3, 2014)

Aaron actually said that intervals was intended to have a singer in the first place ( their first album would've had a singer ), but they couldn't find the right one so they went on with writing instrumental music until they found one. I like the idea actually  I'm very exited to hear the rest of "a voice within". We still have "the space between" and "in time" to listen to (for instrumental).. I can't wait to hear what else is in store!


----------



## Nonservium (Jan 3, 2014)

So I just sat through the song they released with the singer on it. It wasn't all that bad, I don't care for his style of singing personally but it fit the song pretty well and didn't detract from the overall vibe. He managed to stand out without over doing it. I'm not a huge Intervals fan or anything so perhaps I don't have enough of a dog in the fight for this to be a big deal.


----------



## Stijnson (Jan 3, 2014)

I'm personally very picky about singers and tend to dislike many of them, but you can learn to block them out, or to start enjoying them. This is what happened to me when I listened to Periphery, at first I blocked the vocals mentally because I didn' care for them, but they grew on me and now I enjoy them. 

I'm sure the same will happen with Intervals. Despite the fact that I love Intervals because they were instrumental and like the band said, they let the guitar be like a vocal melody, and as a guitarist, I love that. So I was partially dissapointed, but either way they're great musicians and Mike is also a good singer, so I'm sure the songs will still be very Intervals, just not as much as before perhaps because they leave space for the vocals. This is very noticeable on the newly released track, when there are no vocals it's instantly Intervals, but when he's singing, I will admit, it could have been another band.


----------



## coreysMonster (Jan 3, 2014)

That was surprising. I was expecting a Tompkins/Sponce type screamer/siren, and instead got something rather ballsy and fantastic.

I'm not a fan of Intervals, tbh, but this singer definitely sounds good to me.


----------



## Sferic (Jan 3, 2014)

thatguyupthere said:


> Aaron actually said that intervals was intended to have a singer in the first place ( their first album would've had a singer ), but they couldn't find the right one so they went on with writing instrumental music until they found one.



Yep, he's said this in interviews from the beginning, although to your last point, I didn't think they were necessarily actively looking for a vocalist.

To whoever said instrumental music is just masturbation, have you ever listened to Intervals? Aaron is fairly restrained and tasteful in a lot of his melodies--that's actually one of the main reasons I liked them so much.


----------



## Workhorse (Jan 4, 2014)

Aaron is a great guitar player. I definitely don't like this trendy singing EVERY BAND IS NOW DOING but to each his own, cant deny he is a fantastic guitar player.


----------



## Lillub85 (Jan 4, 2014)

I like how Aaron said that a singer is just another instrument and will add to the overall sound of the band. Personally, I like the addition of Mike, but also hope that it doesn't hurt the awesome guitar parts.


----------



## anomynous (Jan 4, 2014)

Yes, singing is totally "trendy"


----------



## Path (Jan 5, 2014)

yeh for sure


----------



## angelbear (Jan 5, 2014)

they were so unique before they had a singer. now theyre just repetitive and conventional


----------



## thatguyupthere (Jan 6, 2014)

I also love how this is the only song they've released, and people are already judging as if they know what else is coming.

and @angelbear. repetitive? no. if anything they're standing out in their genre (I guess people like to call intervals "djent", lol) by adding a singer and not just some guy who screams all the time. I think that screaming is getting a little repetitive, to be honest (although I think it adds character to a song in the right places, take the contortionist as an example). intervals, I think, is doing a good job of being _the_ _opposite_ of repetitive.

but hey that's just my POV. all people listen to the music differently.


----------



## anomynous (Nov 25, 2014)

Mike Semesky is out of the band


----------



## inprognito (Nov 25, 2014)

What???!!!!???!!!


----------



## DC23 (Nov 25, 2014)

anomynous said:


> Mike Semesky is out of the band



Whoa! Just read Aaron's update on fb. Very cool that they're still interested in pursuing a vocalist. I really liked A Voice Within.


----------



## Thrawn (Nov 25, 2014)

anomynous said:


> Mike Semesky is out of the band



Bugger. I thought this voice was a great fit. Is it because of his Raunchy commitments? Anup isn't touring with Skyharbor at the moment either.


----------



## Hybrid138 (Nov 25, 2014)

Loved Mike's voice...


----------



## anomynous (Nov 25, 2014)

Thrawn said:


> Bugger. I thought this voice was a great fit. Is it because of his Raunchy commitments? Anup isn't touring with Skyharbor at the moment either.


Raunchy rarely plays shows, let alone tours so I can't imagine it being that. 



Good Buddy Elliot for vocals plz


----------



## Joose (Nov 25, 2014)

I hope this means Raunchy are ready to seriously promote themselves and get to the U.S.

I remember talking to one of their members last year (don't know who, it was on their FB page) and they said they're really wanting to do a U.S. Tour in the near-future, as opposed to a Euro tour. They rarely tour anyway, but jumping on a U.S. tour with the right bands could do wonders for a band that very much deserves more attention.

As for Intervals; shame.. Semesky was a great fit.


----------



## TIBrent (Nov 25, 2014)

Worst live band ever loses singer...oh well


----------



## Augmatted (Nov 25, 2014)

anomynous said:


> Mike Semesky is out of the band



good


----------



## schwiz (Nov 25, 2014)

One of my favorite bands. Saw them live when they played In Time from start to finish and that was purely magical. Saw them again after AVW released and it was still a good show, but nothing compared to the instrumental feels. I wish they were still an instrumental band.


----------



## AdenM (Nov 25, 2014)

Will Elliot Coleman please step up for them? The guy is phenomenal and I need more music with his vocals on it.


----------



## lewstherin006 (Nov 25, 2014)

AdenM said:


> Will Elliot Coleman please step up for them? The guy is phenomenal and I need more music with his vocals on it.



I dont know if elliot wants to be in a band again. I think his time with tesseract did a number on him.


----------



## Flemmigan (Nov 25, 2014)

Is it just me or does Semesky have an atrocious record of being in bands for like 2 weeks and then peacing out? Guy's a damn good vocalist, but really, it's a bit predictable at this point.


----------



## -DTP- (Nov 25, 2014)

lewstherin006 said:


> I dont know if elliot wants to be in a band again. I think his time with tesseract did a number on him.



What do you mean? Touring sucked or?


----------



## Emperor Guillotine (Nov 25, 2014)

Really confused about this. Definitely didn't see it coming after chatting with the guys for quite a while twice after seeing them.


----------



## lewstherin006 (Nov 25, 2014)

-DTP- said:


> What do you mean? Touring sucked or?



people kept giving him shit saying they wished Dan was still in the band. I actually loved Elliot in Tesseract. People just suck, plus I think he didnt like traveling to the UK all the time.


----------



## Zalbu (Nov 26, 2014)

Dunno, I remember a very strongly worded post from Elliot about how he never wants to join a band again. I'd imagine touring life isn't for him.

Regardless, a shame that Semesky left the band. Both In Time and A Voice Within kicks major ass.


----------



## thatguyupthere (Nov 26, 2014)

TIBrent said:


> Best live band ever loses singer...oh shit!


there ya go, that's better


----------



## Ramburger (Nov 27, 2014)

If Elliot Coleman steps up for this I think my next album of the year would be decided.


----------



## Nykur_Myrkvi (Nov 29, 2014)

Ramburger said:


> If Elliot Coleman steps up for this I think my next album of the year would be decided.


I'd love to see this happen.


----------



## Zalbu (Nov 29, 2014)

Yup, as I thought, Elliot have already said on Facebook that he's not the man for the job.


----------



## Hybrid138 (Dec 1, 2014)

Elliot would ruin this band for me. Thank the laud!


----------



## Zalbu (Dec 2, 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5BWEkiYAzc

#DrewsifStalin4President


----------



## lewstherin006 (Dec 2, 2014)

Zalbu said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5BWEkiYAzc
> 
> #DrewsifStalin4President



I actually like this better than the original. Whoever mixed/produced mike's vocals did a bad job. They could have been a lot better.


----------



## Mattykoda (Jun 22, 2015)

Looks like Aaron is going solo, from Intervals FB (long post content):

*Hey guys, Aaron here. I'm writing this update to bring everyone up to speed on things. This is a little lengthy, but to put this all in perspective, I would like to recap the last four years. For anyone with questions about anything, you will want to read this. This is super important, so thanks in advance for reading!*

* For those who don't know how this all started, Intervals is sort of an accident. In 2011, I began writing and recording my own music at home for the first time. After years of playing with local bands in Toronto, this was the first time I had written and recorded any of my own music. A close friend proposed the idea of filming me playing a tune (Still Winning) and cutting a video. Initially, I didn't understand the concept "Why would anyone want to watch me sit here and play guitar?" After being persuaded, I sat down and performed the tune a countless amount of times while he filmed me. I didn't think anything of it, but he was very adamant about getting this thing out there for people to see. After showing me the finished product, I still didn't really get it "So, its like, a music video, but with no low budget actors and fake cars?" From there, he prompted me to choose a name and create a YouTube and Facebook page. Being a perfectionist by nature, I was sort of reluctant to follow through, as I had intended to write an album's worth of material and put a band together, before venturing forward with music. After some coaxing, I sort of settled on the name Intervals and made all the necessary pages so he would stop hounding me to post this video. Having zero experience with anything like this, we were both taken back by the response this video was having. All of a sudden there was a surge of new people demanding more songs, new content, etc I had nothing more than that one song and no idea what I should do next.
As interest continued to grow, I felt that I owed it to myself, and anyone who cared, to follow through and see where I could take this thing. 

As a guitarist that also plays drums, it was very important to me, that I connect with a drummer on the same wavelength. I received an email from Anup about making a video for a tune and I was beyond excited. I had been following him on YouTube for some time and couldn't believe I would get to see him play one of my songs. Coincidentally, Matt Halpern (Periphery) and I had discussed that Anup would be an excellent fit and that perhaps we should consider working together. After he made his second video (Duality), I HAD to make this happen. This wasn't very easy, as I live in Toronto, Canada, and Anup lives in Maryland, USA, which isn't necessarily right around the corner Regardless of the distance, we were determined to make this work. After announcing that we would be working together, offers for shows and other ventures started to become a reality. We were invited to support Periphery in Toronto on their "Frak The Gods" tour with The Human Abstract, Textures, and The Contortionist. This was such a major opportunity that we absolutely could not pass up, but we needed another guitarist and a bass player in order to make the show happen. I was introduced to Lukas and original bassist Matt De Luca through a mutual friend, and we hit the ground running. The show was confirmed and rehearsals were set. I don't think we played music together as a collective for more than 5 or 6 hours before taking to the stage for our first performance. The show was a success and I was immediately hooked on this Intervals thing.*

* Next up, was officially releasing some music. The Space Between EP came first and was then followed up by the In Time EP, less than a year later. Somewhere between those releases, touring became a reality and we brought Ever Forthright to Canada for a string of dates with Mandroid Echostar. Next up, we supported The Contortionist for just shy of 2 weeks when In Time was coming out. Anup was on tour with Jeff Loomis in Europe, so Nathan Bulla of Auras filled in on drums for that tour. After that, we supported Between the Buried and Me for a few dates and those would be Matt De Luca's final shows with us. With no bass player, we weren't really sure what was next, but at NAMM 2013, I was introduced to Mike Semesky. Mike and I hit it off, and he expressed interest in filling in on bass, as he had just parted with The Haarp Machine and wanted to continue touring. Everyone felt that it was worth exploring, knowing that Mike could perform beyond the bass guitar, and we should see where it takes us. From there, we ventured across Canada for our first national tour with Structures, Texas In July and Northlane. The end of this tour also had us routing home from the west coast for our first ever US shows and we picked up a few dates with Glass Cloud. During this tour, it had been proposed that the collective felt we should explore the potential of Mike singing on our next release. Admittedly, this was something I had brought up before we had even started to tour with Mike, but I was still somewhat reluctant to do so. I was really becoming comfortable with my role and excited to explore where we could take instrumental music. After a long period of deliberation, I decided it would be closed minded not to explore the option, and agreed to move forward with Mike singing for the band. We convened at Anup's to prepare for a tour with Misery Signals, The Color Morale, and The Kindred. This was Mike's last tour on bass and from there it was time to focus on the record. After about 5 months, we were ready to make AVW. As per usual, drums were recorded at Anup's and I recorded bass with Cameron McLellan (Protest The Hero), who also produced and co-wrote Mike's vocals for the record. I recorded all guitars with Jordan Valeriote and some additional clean and acoustic guitars were recorded there by Lukas. Feeling good about everything, we geared up to put out our first full length record.*

* 2014 was shaping up to be our busiest year yet, having already confirmed a full Europe/UK tour with Protest The Hero, Tesseract, and The Safety Fire, as well as a full North American tour right afterwards with the same line up, sans Tesseract, plus Battlecross and Night Verses. We played our first show with Mike as day 1 of the Europe tour in Karlsruhe, Germany. Everything was going great and we couldn't wait for the album to come out. After releasing the record in March of that year and finishing up nearly 80 shows with PTH and The Safety Fire, we were pretty shot and homesick. Apart from a few dates in June 2014, we took the summer to recharge before heading out for two months with The Contortionist. The first leg was with Periphery and Toothgrinder, and the second leg was just us, The Contortionist and Polyphia. This is where things get a little delicate, as I'm doing my best to be completely honest here, but at the same time, not everything is for sharing. In a nutshell, this tour was a major indicator that things weren't working out with Mike. The band was experiencing some issues that were not easily reconciled and everyone had mixed emotions about how things were going to play out. Personally, I was becoming uncomfortable with some things and everyone's performance was being impacted by this. After discussing things as collective, including management, we decided that everyone needed some time to think about things and we would convene after some time had passed. During that period, it had become very clear to me, that not only were there issues with the current dynamic, but I was also longing to front the group again and that I was feeling the most confident to do so, then ever before. After tirelessly deliberating, we had decided it would be best to let Mike go. We had also decided that it would be best not to leave any stones unturned, so we made auditioning for the group a public affair. With one more show in 2014 with Protest The Hero and Unearth, this was the first time in well over a year that we were returning to our roots and performing as an instrumental band again. For me, the show felt like a place that I had been missing for so long. It felt like coming home and I was ecstatic. The new year passed and Anup, Lukas, myself, and our manager met to discuss our course of action. I expressed how excited I was about the show and how it felt. I conveyed that I was more confident than ever to grab this thing by the horns and return, refreshed and recharged. It was clear that the same sentiment was not shared between us. Anup and Lukas wanted to continue searching for a new frontman, and myself and our manager were not comfortable with this. We went back and forth for some time and there was no clear resolution, but I couldn't deny my instinct to resume playing instrumental music, the way this all began.*
* 
In January 2015, I underwent heart surgery. I was rattled, to say the least. This was a very dark time for me, but all I could think about, was how strong I was going to be when I came back, and how badly I want to make a new record. Months went by, as I spent day in, day out, writing new songs. It was becoming clear that the dynamic had changed and communication was at an all time low. Admittedly, that's a two way street, but I was just so focused on writing that I figured, "its all good, we'll get caught up" Once we finally all touched base, it was very clear that everyone's expectations for this record were quite opposed and after talking it out, we decided that it would be best to part ways. I want to be clear, and say that without Anup and Lukas, none of this would be possible. They helped me make this thing a reality and together, we accomplished more than I could have imagined. I love those dudes like brothers and I wish them the absolute best. Sometimes, that's how things go. People change, everyone has different goals and expectations. The most important part, is realizing that some things aren't worth forcing, and its time for a change.*

* So, where does that leave Intervals? Well, as you guys can probably tell, I've been in the studio making a new record and I am beyond stoked to show you guys these songs. I am also excited to announce that the album will feature Cameron McLellan (Protest The Hero) on bass guitar, Travis Orbin (Darkest Hour, Periphery, Sky Eats Airplane) on drums, and all other instrumentation by yours truly. There are also a few guest features, but I'll get around to announcing those a little later. Moving forward, I am excited for Intervals to become my outlet for all things guitar and music related, as it was in the very beginning. My goal is to create more frequent and focused content, (lessons, vlogs, etc) and of course, return to playing shows, when the time is right. You can expect collaborations with various personnel and lots of other fresh new opportunities. Its very exciting for me to take a new approach with Intervals and that's what this whole thing is all about. People change, things change, and we all grow. Life happens.*
* 
If you've made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read and make sense of all this. I know there has been a lot of speculation regarding why things are the way they have been, and I felt that I owed it to those who care, to be completely honest about everything. Throughout all of this, I have maintained Intervals as 100% independent, because I truly believe in the support you've all shown over the past 4 years and you are all the backbone that keeps this thing standing upright. You all helped a kid from Toronto and his friends see the world and make music for you. How amazing is that? It doesn't stop there either. This is just a new beginning and I can't wait to show you guys what comes next.*

* Love and respect,*
* //Aaron*


----------



## aesthyrian (Jun 22, 2015)

I'm a fan either way, but while reading that I couldn't help but get the impression that Aaron simply wants more attention or ego fulfillment. Like, he wants the attention that a vocalist gets, but he is not a vocalist. Maybe he can call it the Aaron Marshall Project and then have a vocalist? 

I wonder if he even bothered viewing any of the vocal auditions, since it seems he really never wanted to replace Mike?

On a more positive note, now Anup can focus 100% on Skyharbor which I feel he should have been doing the whole time.


----------



## anomynous (Jun 22, 2015)

aesthyrian said:


> I'm a fan either way, but while reading that I couldn't help but get the impression that Aaron simply wants more attention or ego fulfillment. Like, he wants the attention that a vocalist gets, but he is not a vocalist. Maybe he can call it the Aaron Marshall Project and then have a vocalist?



Glad I'm not the only one reading it this way


----------



## QuantumCybin (Jun 23, 2015)

Yeah, I'm not sure how to feel about the news. I mean Aaron is an awesome musician so I'm sure the new album will be good. But still, I was getting used to this little trio.


----------



## QuantumCybin (Jun 23, 2015)

Oh and sorry for the double post but it seems like Anup is no longer the drummer for Skyharbor either. Jeez, that's rough.


----------



## Glass Cloud (Jun 23, 2015)

I'm pretty stoked about whatever is going to come from him. I only ever really thought of intervals as him, with anup recording real drum parts. I love the full length but honestly once I found out there was an instrumental version I haven't listened to the songs with vocals since(except the playthroughs videos with them). Not that the vocals are at all bad but with this type of music I always prefer it without vocals. Can't wait to hear what's next.


----------



## Adam Of Angels (Jun 23, 2015)

I don't think its a purely ego-driven notion. I think what he means more than anything is that he has a vision where his guitar work is the focal point, and the vocalist setup detracts from that vision.


----------



## aesthyrian (Jun 23, 2015)

QuantumCybin said:


> Oh and sorry for the double post but it seems like Anup is no longer the drummer for Skyharbor either. Jeez, that's rough.




GOD DAMMIT NOOO! 

At this point I think it's fair to share Anup's facebook post about this ordeal. https://www.facebook.com/anup.sastry.3/posts/10206279577043929

"Im going to be as honest as I possibly (and acceptably) can, and Ill skip the history lesson..
As of yesterday, Lukas and I are officially no longer a part of Intervals. Id say this is unfortunate, but I have absolutely no regrets. 

The entire situation has left me completely speechless, which is interesting because I wanted to announce this news as soon as possible, so I personally could move on from this chapter. When time came to actually write this up, there was SO much I wanted to say, but so much I knew I shouldnt or couldnt say. It was really tough writing this statement because I didnt know where to begin, or how to begin...

From my perspective.. Over time, the inevitable became clear that Intervals just no longer was a collaborative effort. For 4 years, I had been chasing and believing in something that simply didnt exist. It was clear that Aaron had his own vision for the group, and it was even more clear that he was going to pursue that vision leaving very little to get in his way. Staying in the band wouldve only held him back, but more importantly wouldve held me back from what I truly want to accomplish musically.
Through this experience Ive learned a lot about my self, and Ive also learned much more about people and trust. 

Subsequently, Im no longer a part of Skyharbor. My schedule with Intervals over the past few years made it very difficult, and keeping up with Skyharbors touring and writing aspirations just wasnt possible anymore. This is really upsetting because I had (and still do have) a huge emotional attachment to the music, and more so playing it live. Theyve moved on with a new drummer, Aditya Ashok, which I think was the best decision for Skyharbors future. It makes the most sense for the band, and it allows them to chase their dreams freely. 

Unfortunately for me, the timing couldve been better But I do believe these things happen for a reason, and Im going to do everything in my power to embrace this change. I feel like this was a much healthier outcome for me, and Im absolutely thrilled to be able to have this fresh start. I wish Skyharbor and Aaron Marshall fruitful careers and all the best with their musical endeavors. 

I want to thank Lukas Guyader because him and I stuck together every step of the way through this situation, and Im very fortunate to have such an amazing friend. I also want to thank everyone who has supported me through out my career thus far. Its a privilege to have such a beautiful support system, and I dont ever take it for granted. Im not one for long speeches, and I never rant on social media, but I felt that this was an exception. Theres still so much that I want to say, but it wouldnt be conducive to me moving on with my life. If youve read this far, I really do appreciate your time.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for your continued support."

Doesn't sound like a very happy split, unfortunately.


----------



## GalacticDeath (Jun 23, 2015)

aesthyrian said:


> Doesn't sound like a very happy split, unfortunately.



Yeah obviously not. Looks like they just had different visions and ultimately ended in a mutual split. However, I'm excited to see where Anup will go from here. I was never a huge Intervals fan but Anup is a very good drummer and I'm sure he will not have trouble finding a band.


----------



## Guamskyy (Jun 23, 2015)

To me it sounded like Aaron pretty much said "This is my band, and we're going to do it my way- If you don't like it, the door is over there," after piecing the puzzle from reading both Anup and Lukas' posts about the whole ordeal.

It's a shame really, I enjoyed Intervals with Mike doing vocals and such & the whole band doing what they did- it was definitely a lot different than past Intervals stuff and I can see how early fans would be put-off from the change, but I enjoyed it while it lasted.


----------



## aesthyrian (Jun 23, 2015)

I'm also excited for Anup's future projects. Maybe he will tour on his solo work with Lukas playing guitar? A boy can dream..


----------



## elkinz (Jun 23, 2015)

This has definitely given me a new perspective on Aaron. Hes an incredible guitar player, but it always kind of bums me out when theyre not the open-minded brotherly musician you get the impression of. 

Regardless, hes a great player and I look forward to what is next. Just a bit bummed about it.

More so, im REALLY excited to see where Lukas and Anup go from here! Anup is easily one of my favourite drummers  Cant get enough of his playing and hilarious drum faces. 

Super sad about him leaving skyharbor! He really contributed awesome stuff to that band.


----------



## Mattykoda (Jun 23, 2015)

It would definitely be awesome to see Lukas and Anup do something together. I'm not sure how much he contributed in writing but hopefully he at least has something lined up.


----------



## anomynous (Jun 23, 2015)

in b4 Anup, Lukas, & Mike form a band. 



Going by Lukas's post it seems Mike leaving had nothing to do with him & Anup.


----------



## Lemons (Jun 24, 2015)

Judging from the little clips Aaron's posted on instagram I'm stoked to hear intervals as a solo project again.


----------



## spawnofthesith (Jun 26, 2015)

Thank ....ing god, I'll actually be able to listen to to these guys again


----------



## AdenM (Jun 26, 2015)

elkinz said:


> This has definitely given me a new perspective on Aaron. Hes an incredible guitar player, but it always kind of bums me out when theyre not the open-minded brotherly musician you get the impression of.
> 
> Regardless, hes a great player and I look forward to what is next. Just a bit bummed about it.



I agree and disagree with this. I fell in love with Intervals in their instrumental form and thought Mike was a great addition to the band as well, but I just want to say that just because someone doesn't want to compromise themselves creatively doesn't mean they're not open-minded or brotherly, etc. There are plenty of musicians out there who want to be in bands, to write with their bandmates, and there are those who want to do solo work. To those who want to create solo music, to be forced to compromise your art would basically be not being true to yourself, and since he built the Intervals "brand" if you will from the ground up... I think its a little different from questionable people who kind of start bands per se and then end up being the only founding member because the rest of the lineup leaves every two years.

All but the best to Lukas and Anup, and I hope Aaron's new Intervals album is just as great as the previous material. Who knows, maybe Aaron will end up in a band again, and I'm sure he'll have great musicians to back him up live!


----------



## lewstherin006 (Jun 26, 2015)

AdenM said:


> I agree and disagree with this. I fell in love with Intervals in their instrumental form and thought Mike was a great addition to the band as well, but I just want to say that just because someone doesn't want to compromise themselves creatively doesn't mean they're not open-minded or brotherly, etc. There are plenty of musicians out there who want to be in bands, to write with their bandmates, and there are those who want to do solo work. To those who want to create solo music, to be forced to compromise your art would basically be not being true to yourself, and since he built the Intervals "brand" if you will from the ground up... I think its a little different from questionable people who kind of start bands per se and then end up being the only founding member because the rest of the lineup leaves every two years.
> 
> All but the best to Lukas and Anup, and I hope Aaron's new Intervals album is just as great as the previous material. Who knows, maybe Aaron will end up in a band again, and I'm sure he'll have great musicians to back him up live!




This is what kinda rubs me wrong. Yes intervals is Aaron's band 100%, but he was the one who let mike in on vocals. He created the monster of having a vocalist, and when lucas and anup wanted to keep that train going, he nuked the band. Aaron has every right to do that being that it is his project. It just kinda sucks that anup left skyharbor to commit to intervals and it backfired on him. This all might be for the best for all parties involved I just hate it when good dudes fall on hard times.


----------



## bhakan (Jun 26, 2015)

From Aaron's post I don't really get the feeling of him being a controlling dick, more just that he started a solo project which ended up getting a mind of it's own and getting away from what it was originally intended to do. IIRC, Mike was originally in the band as a bass player, and then just ended up on vocals. I'm guessing someone other than Aaron pushed for that, and he gave it a shot. Then with Mike's departure it gave him a chance to bring Intervals back to it's original vision.


----------



## anomynous (Jun 27, 2015)

bhakan said:


> *From Aaron's post I don't really get the feeling of him being a controlling dick*, more just that he started a solo project which ended up getting a mind of it's own and getting away from what it was originally intended to do. IIRC, Mike was originally in the band as a bass player, and then just ended up on vocals. I'm guessing someone other than Aaron pushed for that, and he gave it a shot. Then with Mike's departure it gave him a chance to bring Intervals back to it's original vision.



Of course you're not going to get that from his own post. Anup & Lukas's posts certainly hinted at it though.


----------



## spawnofthesith (Jun 27, 2015)

I don't think anyone was saying that anyone was being a dick... Creative differences happen and Intervals is Aaron's baby 


I for one eagerly anticipate the return of music that hasn't been watered down to cater to whiney vocals being the focal point


----------



## aesthyrian (Jun 27, 2015)

Like Mike or not, but his voice is not "whiney".


----------



## spawnofthesith (Jun 27, 2015)

We have very different definitions of that word in that case 

Sure it's lower in pitch than a lot of other whiney sounding singers, but it's still defined by that angst whiney drawl


----------



## Jonathan20022 (Jun 28, 2015)

Whiney is absolutely not the word to describe Mike, that's just what people call any clean vocals nowadays


----------



## canuck brian (Jun 28, 2015)

To anyone calling Aaron a controlling...whatever...he's not and on top of that, he's an incredibly nice guy.


----------



## spawnofthesith (Jun 28, 2015)

Jonathan20022 said:


> Whiney is absolutely not the word to describe Mike, that's just what people call any clean vocals nowadays



No


----------



## Thorerges (Jun 28, 2015)

Well, I am not a huge fan of Intervals, I'm more of a death metal guy - but this doesn't surprise me at all.

Look lets face it, the hard rock/metal world is driven mostly by people who really love what they do, there is very little financial gain in the short or long run out of it. So it is only natural that people do exactly what they want to do and nothing else. 

What Aaron did is not unique nor does it reflect on him as a person. He simply has a complete vision of what he wants Intervals to sound like, and thats that. Anyone remember Necrophagist? Muhammed wrote the entire debut and second record, and besides the solos Christian Muenzner wrote (who himself is an unbelievable player), no one wrote anything in the band. True, musicians have come and gone and his project is in ...., but thats for different reasons.

Same applies to Michael Keene of The Faceless and Steffen Kummerer of Obscura. Now these are extreme metal guys, but their situation is the same. They both had a vision of what they wanted to sound like, and this is why in the extreme metal world, these bands are pretty ....ing famous (despite being pretty young). 

I don't doubt that Intervals will be very successful in the future, and Aaron is a great guy who will make it work. At this point in time, it is all about him finding the right members who understand his vision, and avoiding the caveats of being too focused and determined to the point where you become another The Faceless and keep losing members.


----------



## MrYakob (Jun 29, 2015)

canuck brian said:


> To anyone calling Aaron a controlling...whatever...he's not and on top of that, he's an incredibly nice guy.



This could not be more true. I've hung out with him a number of times for lessons when he's been in town here and he couldn't be a nicer guy. It was also very obvious to me that he has a very clear vision of the direction for Intervals and I'm glad that he's sticking to his guns on that, even if it means no Anup or Lukas.


----------



## rapterr15 (Nov 12, 2015)

Surprised these haven't been posted yet. I'm really looking forward to instrumental Intervals again. Wasn't super crazy about the new track on the first listen, but now I can't stop replaying.


----------



## wannabguitarist (Nov 12, 2015)

Zalbu said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5BWEkiYAzc
> 
> #DrewsifStalin4President



Jesus. I was always under the impression that this guy was kind of a twat but damn I love his voice


----------



## Santuzzo (Nov 13, 2015)

oh, I totally missed this.
Last thing about intervals I heard was them having a singer join, which is where I lost interest in the band...

So, are they back to being an all-instrumental band again?


----------



## Guamskyy (Nov 13, 2015)

Santuzzo said:


> oh, I totally missed this.
> Last thing about intervals I heard was them having a singer join, which is where I lost interest in the band...
> 
> So, are they back to being an all-instrumental band again?



Pretty much. It's more of a solo project now, with Aaron getting Travis Orbin on drums and the bassist from Protest the Hero for the studio sessions.


----------



## Zalbu (Nov 13, 2015)

So what was the aftermath after the whole shenanigans that went down after The Voice Within was released? It looked like things got messy when Anup and Mike left, is it just back to being Aarons solo project now? The new song is nice and all but it feels like Aaron came across as a bit of a control freak/dick back then.


----------



## Santuzzo (Nov 13, 2015)

Guamskyy said:


> Pretty much. It's more of a solo project now, with Aaron getting Travis Orbin on drums and the bassist from Protest the Hero for the studio sessions.



Thanks!
For me this is good news as I really like their two instrumental albums. When they added a singer, I listened to a track, and while it also sounded good, I was not very much into it and I preferred their instrumental sound!


----------



## lewstherin006 (Nov 13, 2015)

Zalbu said:


> So what was the aftermath after the whole shenanigans that went down after The Voice Within was released? It looked like things got messy when Anup and Mike left, is it just back to being Aarons solo project now? The new song is nice and all but it feels like Aaron came across as a bit of a control freak/dick back then.



Yea aaron is solo now. Anup and lukas wanted to keep a vocalist and aaron didnt, so he fired them. Anup in now in monuments, dunno what happened lukas. Honestly this is the best thing for Intervals as a band, even though some fans didnt like how everything went down. Aaron will sell a lot of records and have tons of students.


----------



## Guamskyy (Nov 13, 2015)

Zalbu said:


> So what was the aftermath after the whole shenanigans that went down after The Voice Within was released? It looked like things got messy when Anup and Mike left, is it just back to being Aarons solo project now? The new song is nice and all but it feels like Aaron came across as a bit of a control freak/dick back then.



Yeah, I think coupled with health concerns (he had heart surgery late last year/ earlier this year) and seeing his band that he created go in a direction that he didn't want it to go to (let's face it, a voice within's guitar work was pretty toned down compared to epiphany in order to accommodate the vocals) that he had to make changes and assert why he was doing so, making it seem like he was being a little harsh about it.

Aaron personally told me that Intervals is probably on it's final run, and any releases from him here on out will probably be under his name and not Intervals. End of an era.


----------



## chevymeister (Nov 13, 2015)

That's a shame to hear. I didn't know anything about the drama with this band but A Voice Within was amazing and I spin it a lot. Not so much the older stuff.


----------



## Guamskyy (Nov 14, 2015)

chevymeister said:


> That's a shame to hear. I didn't know anything about the drama with this band but A Voice Within was amazing and I spin it a lot. Not so much the older stuff.



I agree with you, A Voice Within was an amazing album, and it does suck, but train gotta keep on chugging....


----------



## lewstherin006 (Nov 15, 2015)

Guamskyy said:


> Yeah, I think coupled with health concerns (he had heart surgery late last year/ earlier this year) and seeing his band that he created go in a direction that he didn't want it to go to (let's face it, a voice within's guitar work was pretty toned down compared to epiphany in order to accommodate the vocals) that he had to make changes and assert why he was doing so, making it seem like he was being a little harsh about it.
> 
> Aaron personally told me that Intervals is probably on it's final run, and any releases from him here on out will probably be under his name and not Intervals. End of an era.



IF he wants to kill the intervals name, why not just make Intervals the band with vocals and just release instrumental stuff under his name? I have been saying that for a while.


----------



## Guamskyy (Nov 15, 2015)

lewstherin006 said:


> IF he wants to kill the intervals name, why not just make Intervals the band with vocals and just release instrumental stuff under his name? I have been saying that for a while.



Maybe because he never wanted vocals to begin with? I'm not too sure honestly and I'm not saying that in a sarcastic way either. I'm betting that it was the "bands" decision to let Mike do vocals and not Aaron's decision. Probably a "been there, done that" scenario.


----------



## lewstherin006 (Nov 15, 2015)

Guamskyy said:


> Maybe because he never wanted vocals to begin with? I'm not too sure honestly and I'm not saying that in a sarcastic way either. I'm betting that it was the "bands" decision to let Mike do vocals and not Aaron's decision. Probably a "been there, done that" scenario.



He was always open to vocals because in his very first EP it came with a note saying they were thinking about trying out vocalist and to email him if you wanted to try out. I think he wanted vocals, but it just didnt go how he wanted it to go.


----------



## Guamskyy (Nov 15, 2015)

lewstherin006 said:


> He was always open to vocals because in his very first EP it came with a note saying they were thinking about trying out vocalist and to email him if you wanted to try out. I think he wanted vocals, but it just didnt go how he wanted it to go.



Couldn't have said it better myself.


----------



## Jonathan20022 (Nov 15, 2015)

I think there's a lot of assumption going on here, maybe this wasn't left completely out in the open for people to know the full story for a reason?

I personally don't care for the drama and personal stuff going on, but the music is fantastic and all I honestly cared about going into this band.


----------



## prh (Nov 16, 2015)

the new album rules


----------



## QuantumCybin (Nov 16, 2015)

If Plini says it, it's true. I enjoyed AVW but I definitely preferred the instrumental stuff. The new track is awesome, the main riff with those natural harmonics is just sweet.


----------



## Guamskyy (Dec 1, 2015)

So Aaron has the whole album streaming on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuj-WzKNCr7-QfPCi5VEkvFErx2oCwxof

I think it is a damn solid album! Definitely a lot of catchy parts, so far my favorites are I'm Awake, Sure Shot, Sweet Tooth, & Slight of Hand.


----------



## Thorerges (Dec 1, 2015)

I listen to this and immediately think how much better it would be with a vocalist.


----------



## anomynous (Dec 2, 2015)

I listen to this and immediately think how much it sounds like Polyphia. Kinda disappointed.


----------



## Lemons (Dec 2, 2015)

New album is tops


----------



## Khoi (Dec 2, 2015)

Love all of it. Libra especially, so groovy and tasty!

Aaron really shows he doesn't need a vocalist, I can't think of any other modern guitarist who can make the guitar sing like he does. His note choice is perfect.


----------



## Flemmigan (Dec 3, 2015)

Based on the stream, I think Aaron should've renamed the band Sithu Ayentervals. 
I enjoyed the album, it just sounds nothing like what I've come to know from Intervals. Makes me a little bit bummed. But it is a good "happy prog metal" album.


----------



## schwiz (Dec 4, 2015)

The new album is ridiculously good but it will never be In Time.


----------



## Jonathan20022 (Dec 4, 2015)

^ I don't think that was ever the goal


----------



## schwiz (Dec 4, 2015)

Oh for sure. But in my opinion, that album resonates more to me personally, than the new album. Personal preference.


----------



## Zerox8610 (Dec 7, 2015)

schwiz said:


> Oh for sure. But in my opinion, that album resonates more to me personally, than the new album. Personal preference.



Right there with ya. In Time is by far my favorite release from Aaron. I definitely like this new album, but it just feels a little too Polyphia-ish for me without the classic Aaron. Part of this could just be his switch from the down-tuning that we've grown accustomed to, to E standard, but who knows. AVW was great too, but I have yet to hear anything from them (him) that resonates with me as much as In Time did the first time through. 

That being said, Aaron is still one of my favorite guitarists in the scene, and I'll probably support everything he ever releases.


----------



## Thorerges (Dec 9, 2015)

lewstherin006 said:


> Yea aaron is solo now. Anup and lukas wanted to keep a vocalist and aaron didnt, so he fired them. Anup in now in monuments, dunno what happened lukas. Honestly this is the best thing for Intervals as a band, even though some fans didnt like how everything went down. Aaron will sell a lot of records and have tons of students.



Don't know how many records he will sell, instrumental bands tend to do very poorly in that area. But, he is a marketing guy, so he might do better than average. 

Even though I can't stand reading what Aaron writes on social media, he is a super talented guitarist.


----------



## revivalmode (Dec 10, 2015)

Ugh, need to train my ears more! Trying to figure out Fable but still struggling with some parts in the middle of the song. Barely listened to the other songs on the album because I've been hooked on this one since I heard the new album.


----------



## QuantumCybin (Dec 10, 2015)

Thorerges said:


> Don't know how many records he will sell, instrumental bands tend to do very poorly in that area. But, he is a marketing guy, so he might do better than average.
> 
> Even though I can't stand reading what Aaron writes on social media, he is a super talented guitarist.



Haha just out of curiosity, what don't you like about his social media postings??


----------



## InHiding (Dec 11, 2015)

Just listening for the first time. I'm Awake has some nice riffs (a lot of them).


----------



## InHiding (Dec 24, 2015)

I hope a tab book for this is released. There is one for the previous albums so I guess it might be coming.


----------



## MrYakob (Dec 24, 2015)

^ He has already said there will be a tab book


----------



## InHiding (Dec 24, 2015)

Cool, for me it's worth buying. This album is the perfect combination of older Satriani style and some newer elements.


----------



## Veldar (Jan 25, 2016)

I think someone, maybe metalsucks, described this as a sonic soundtrack.
I would completely agree with that & I really love the album because of it, however sometimes I kinda go "that part sounds like Chon, that part sounds like AaL" I'm not familiar with previous Internals material but I think Aaron doesn't have a completely unique voice on the instrument, I'd love to hear another album where he has a better sense of his style.


----------



## Chrisjd (Jan 25, 2016)

This new album sounds so neutered compared to "In Time". It's like a little jazzy wankfest. Maybe I need to give it more time.


----------

