Some songs feel like they were written in a rush. Others feel like they’ve been quietly waiting for the right moment. Chemical Sun’s new single Calm definitely falls into the second category.
The Springfield, Missouri alternative rock band are premiering the video for the track, and it lands right in that emotional modern alt and pop-punk space. Big hooks, gritty guitars, and a sense of weight behind every line, the kind of sound that feels nostalgic without sounding stuck in the past.
We caught up with the band to talk about the new release, the story behind it, and what’s next.
Congrats on the release of Calm — how does it feel finally putting this one out into the world?
Thank you! It feels amazing, we’ve had these songs written for over a year now. So to finally be sharing them with the world feels like a huge weight lifted off of our shoulders, but in a good way. It’s very exciting.
What’s the story behind Calm? Where were you at emotionally when this song came together?
It started with the main guitar riff. When I wrote that I was feeling a lot of different emotions, a good blend of frustration but also hopefulness I guess? I was listening to the demo of it on my way to rehearsals and the melody and lyrics just started pouring out of me naturally. I’m literally saying what the music was making me feel, and where my mind is at. I’ve always been worst enemy internally, and I’ve experienced a lot of personal growth and change over the last 4 years, found my wife, became a father, and this was my way of letting go, laying to rest the person I used to be and embracing the peace I feel inside now.
Sonically, it sits in that emotional modern alt / pop punk lane — was that a conscious direction, or did the song naturally land there?
This was definitely a very natural process when it came to writing, I just knew I wanted to write a song that made me want to slam around but also shed a couple tears in the process. As a band we are always searching for that glimmer of inspiration from different bands and genres. We all have very similar but very different tastes at the same time, yet we all come from a metal/punk background. Someone told us we remind them of a Pop Punk Linkin Park, so I guess thats not a bad place to fall haha.
Talk us through the video concept — how did the idea come together with Alex Zarek?
When we got in touch with Alex we didn’t really have a clear vision on where to go with the video, other than we wanted it to be very visual and represent how the song feels. After some back and forth on ideas we landed on showing the visuals of where we’re from (the ozarks) and how beautiful it is here, the calmness of the nature if you will. In the video there’s a cliff I’m singing on and that’s a spot I used to go to when my anxiety was unbearable and I needed somewhere to escape and decompress, I’d go up there and just look out over the water for hours and listen to music. I haven’t gone there in years so when we were trying to find a location for me I knew it had to be there, I’m just glad I remembered how to get there haha. At the end of the day I think we shot a really cool video that captures exactly what we wanted, Alex is amazing to work with.
You recorded Calm with Seth Henderson — what did he bring out of you in the studio that maybe hadn’t surfaced before?
Yes we did! The first day in the studio we were all just eager to start tracking, Seth included. We had the demo on and we started tracking drums over the demo version, which is very poor quality and as soon as the song came in and those drums hit it was like an explosion, I looked at the guys with wide eyes and we were all just like “WOW” haha we couldn’t stop smiling because it already felt like a real song and this was gonna be something special. We always demo with midi drums so to hear those real drums for the first time is incredible. Seth is amazing at what he does, always wants to push and get the best out of you and is always open to whatever is gonna fit and elevate the song to the next level.
He’s worked with bands like State Champs, Knuckle Puck and Real Friends — did that pedigree add pressure, or just excitement?
He’s worked with some pop punk legends for sure, and we’re not necessarily pop punk so when we came in and presented the songs to him, he was very excited to work on something a little different. There was no pressure at all, we spent a month in the studio with him and the entire time was a creative party, the whole process was very organic and that’s the way it should be. We had a vision and he knew exactly where to take it. I’ve known Seth for 10 years and worked with him 3 times in the past so to be back in a room with him it felt like being back at home after a long vacation, he brings out the best in me and I wouldn’t be the vocalist I am without him.
You’ve built a strong regional following already — what’s next after Calm? More singles, shows, or something bigger on the way?
Yeah it’s been amazing to see! Definitely didn’t expect it, our drummer Kevin puts in a lot of work when it comes to our social medias and online marketing, and having those platforms as a new band, along with playing a lot around our area has really helped us reach a pretty decent following. After Calm there will be more singles, and more videos! We have a bunch of shows coming up that we’ll be announcing soon as well, and we’re very excited to branch out and reach new audiences. There may more may not be a full album already recorded, so I guess we’ll see what the future holds.
With Calm, Chemical Sun are carving out their place in the modern alt landscape, blending early-2000s inspiration with a more current, emotionally driven sound. If this is the first taste of what’s coming next, it feels like the start of something bigger.
