Emerging from the United States NJ/NYC area, LIFE CRIED was founded & conceptualized by frontman/composer Chris Reject. Pushing the boundaries & deviating from the norms – merging heavy industrial electronics with alternative, goth rock & black metal elements. Having toured in the USA & Europe, playing in major music festivals & concerts LIFE CRIED continues to carve its path into the future.

 

GGM> Thank you for finding the time for this interview with Gothic Girl Magazine. Let’s start off with a warm-up question, tell me about the beginning of Life Cried and how do you remember the very first years of the Life Cried?

CR> So, I pretty much started Life Cried as soon I was able to make complete songs on my own that were worth showing anyone. I did the usual and made a demo and then played as many clubs as I could until eventually getting signed to an indie label. Right now I put everything out myself but at the time that was very necessary if you wanted to get your music out there. Shows were also pretty chaotic because even though I do all of the music I had a bunch of my angry friends in the live band playing and running around on stage. We were pretty lucky to get some really big shows early on and got a quick following after the first album came out.

CR> I was in an industrial/coldwave band that I played guitar for from when I was 15 until I started Life Cried. We played shows and did some recordings before we knew exactly what we were doing but eventually got it all together and made it work well. I learned a lot from that and from the other members in that band. Everything else I just picked up from listening to stuff I liked and figuring it out along the way. That got me to a place where I could do my own thing which became Life Cried.

CR> I’ve been asked this a few times and it’s really kind of a blur. I think I was making music and someone had asked me what my band name was (before I had one) and it just came out as I said it. I know I wanted an unusual band name and I guess that mixed with the gothic influence made that happen. It just flowed right and fit with the music perfectly so I kept it.

CR> Not for your parents! Naa, I guess harsh industrial rock that is also melodic and noisy? That works. My earlier stuff was mostly electronic but I later brought in more of the live instruments that I was so used to when I first started doing this music thing.

CR> Usually I am just messing around on my guitar or piano until something comes out of nowhere that I like. Then it’s easy for me to tell when I’m playing if it’s something I’m going to use for a song or not. Writing a chord progression or riff I like is the easiest part for me. The annoying part is when I have to find sounds for everything and record it all. There is a new song I have called “So Depleted” that I did differently than I usually do and will probably try again. I wrote the entire song in my head before picking up an instrument or hitting a note… the riff, beat, keys, everything. After I thought it up I programmed the drums real quick then the strings and cut the guitars. Not sure if that will ever happen again or even work but it ended up being one of my favorite songs that I’ve done.

CR> Lately I’ve found myself spending much more time on lyrics. I think I used to think of them last but now I think of them as equally important as the music itself. I’m not saying that I am doing it right or anything but I do look at it differently than I used to. 

CR> Ohh, I have no idea. I am so used to writing and recording everything myself at this point that it hasn’t crossed my mind. But who knows maybe I will eventually do another collaboration. It would probably/definitely be with one of my friends bands or live members if I did because they all slay it. We will see!

CR> I’m not so sure that I have favorites anymore so picking 6 would be tough, but the first few that come to mind are Nine Inch Nails, Wumpscut and The Cure.

CR> I just recently put out a new album called WORN that I had been working on. Now that that is out I will probably just start from a clean slate and go back to making singles until I get in the zone to want put another album together. There are usually a few songs that I write and really like that would never be able to be called a “single” and when that happens it’s time for another album.

CR> No, no, Thank you! I usually wince when I’m asked to do these things because I have no idea how to explain myself properly (as you can tell). So thanks for making me give it a shot!