Displaying catchy hooks and booming breakdowns, Amoura showcases the best of modern day metalcore; a sound that has been met with resounding acclaim from the alternative music fans and critics.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Jesse Curtis - Vocals
Mike Brumm - Guitar
Patrick Young - Guitar
Scott Werner - Bass
JR Kotrč - Drums
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Amoura? How long has the band been around?
Amoura became official in early 2012, so just over 7 years! Outside of Amoura, most of our members were in bands prior. Jesse was also in a band called ‘Oh, August’ and Mickey Lane, which ended up becoming Amoura. Mike Brumm was in several bands; From Huron Out, City of June, and Mickey Lane. Patrick was only in Mickey Lane prior to Amoura. Scott Werner played in With Wings of Lead and Misfortunate Sons. And finally, JR was part of We Call This Irony & Northern.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
We ended up coming up with the name Amoura through a brainstorming session. After tossing out a few ideas we collectively agreed on Amoura, after thinking of the Aurora and slightly tweaking the word. There wasn’t necessarily a specific meaning to the name. We thought it was unique and fit the style of music we were aiming to make. Technically, we did change our name from Mickey Lane to Amoura, but it was more of rebranding into a new product in our minds.
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 contribute different ideas and themes. Typically either Patrick or JR will come up with a riff to build on, and from there we all collaborate and throw ideas together. One thing that we all agree on is that we want to write emotionally powerful music that people can relate to. Jesse really does an amazing job writing lyrics that can portray a feeling in-depth without divulging the topic he’s writing about, which allows the audience to really grasp that feeling and apply it to situations that are familiar to them.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
Currents, Make Them Suffer, Thornhill and Architects are really killing it right now, and they’re doing some really cool things with the genre. Emarosa’s last album Peach Club was also super catchy, and it would be fun to incorporate those elements into our next release.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
I grew up with a family that was big into music and I’ve always had an interest or an instrument in my hands. Misery Signals and Slipknot really got me wanting to play music and that’s about when I started taking it seriously.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc…
We all have separate routines that we like to do. We all stretch before hand though. Scott likes to take a shot of whiskey to help loosen up. Patrick typically takes a second with some breathing exercises to relax and get into the mindset, while Jesse runs through some vocal exercises in addition to the physical ones. JR typically works on working his feet and hands up, and Mike likes to have a beer and practice through the set before hand.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Honestly just the growth we’ve seen in this past year. We’re all really proud about what we’ve released in the past 12 months, and seeing how far we’ve come since our last release in 2016 (EP: Wishful Sinking).
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Misery Signals, Prada, Currents, Make Them Suffer, Architects, etc. This list could go on for days. There would be so much we could learn from all these bands.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Nope!