Zak, one of the guitarists for Sworn In discusses The Death Card, pre show routines, and their time on We Are Triumphant.
Tell us your name and position in the band, please
Zak, guitar
What do you think draws people to your music, specifically?
I personally would say literature and film. However I can’t exactly speak for everyone else who is involved with writing our music.
What would you say is the biggest non-musical influence on the music?
Simple stretching really, it’s key to making sure we don’t pull any muscles.
How do you prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Tyler our vocalist doesn’t really do warmups, and I usually just do a few scales before we play to loosen up. Drinking a lot of water helps as well.
What is your favorite album or songs to play on the long travel days?
Everyone is different, but when I drive I listen to nothing but Deftones, Limp Bizkit, and Mars Volta. I’ll also be playing the new Boards of Canada album a lot the next tour.
Being in a band is a struggle even when things are going well. What keeps you driven and pushing forward?
You know, I ask myself the same question every day. As cliche as it may sound, I would say the kids who come to our shows, buy our merch, and offer us kind words are what keeps me driven.
When a band reaches any level of success, it’s not uncommon to find covers of their songs on YouTube. Do you listen to these covers? Have any stood out to you?
We often times have fans post covers on our wall and we always watch them. One that really stood out however, was a guitar and vocal cover some kids from Canada did. They completely rerecorded the song and did a great job. I thought that was so cool.
Any guest vocalists on The Death Card? Like say, Drew from Stray From The Path?
No, we were originally considering reaching out to vocalists for a guest spot, however we decided it would be best to have it all us instead.
Can you comment about your time on We Are Triumphant? I know they had a recent controversy with Silence having their FB likes cut in half. Did you guys experience anything similar?
I can’t go in depth as it would be too long, however, Greg Long is a very snaky person and I would suggest no band ever work with him in any way shape or form.
Any other tour dates this summer for those who missed you on this tour with FTFD?
We’re taking off July to prepare the release of our debut album ‘The Death Card’ however a tour to support its release in both August and September are currently in the works.