Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Jake Clasen - vocals
Mike Dulay - guitar
Jordan Woolley - guitar
Zack Orr - bass
Seth Donchess - drums
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Alteras? How long has the band been around?
I know off hand Mike, Zack, and Seth have been in a few different bands prior: Defeat the Weak, Ugly Kids With Cute Features, and Northern Whale just to name a few. Jordan and I (Jake) have always been in some form of Alteras.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
Alteras is a Spanish/Latin word meaning "you change", the name is descriptive of our sound because we don't truly prescribe ourselves to any one specific genre. We did change the name once about 8 or 9 years ago, the band use to be called "Hallowstone" which literally meant nothing at all, we were just 13 at the time.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
We all actually do a portion of the writing these days. Jordan did a large portion of the composition for the core contents Grief and Jake did all the lyrics and vocals. Our topics for our music are always organic, whatever we are feeling at that time or have been urging to write about is what we aim to produce. I definitely think our music will evolve down the road because life is always changing and there's always new things to discuss!
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
Currently I've been very influenced by Movements, The Wonder Years, and Microwave. We all have our own individual influences though, I love it. It makes for a really interesting blend when we start writing.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
I remember spending a lot of time on YouTube watching live performances by the Foo Fighters, Slipknot, and Avenged Sevenfold. They were really what made me want to get up on stage and perform.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Vocal warm ups are a must! We always try to warm up the pipes an hour or so before performing. We usually try to squeeze a shot of whiskey in as well, but that one isn't always a must. Hahaha.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Signing to Revival Recordings and releasing Grief has most definitely been the highlight for me. Since we've signed our reach and growth has enhanced tremendously, our goal now is to keep that momentum snowballing the best we can.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
I would love to tour with Pierce the Veil because I've seen them live a million times and would love to be a part of the show instead of attending OR The Wonder Years because seeing them live in Cleveland last year was quite literally the BEST and most spiritual concert I've ever been to.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thanks so much for the opportunity, we can wait to see everyone's reactions to Grief, which still is available in bundles at Alteras.merchnow.com, and hope to see everyone on the road very very soon!