Unsigned Spotlight: Chasing Airplanes
Fusing simmering breakdowns with soaring injections of melody and mesmerizing synths, Tampa Bay metalcore crew Chasing Airplanes deliver a dose of Sunshine State positivity.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Kyle Jeffcoat - Vocals
Jake Hodges - Guitar/Vocals
Kyle Budd - Guitar
Tyler Murin - Drums
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Chasing Airplanes? How long has the band been around?
We’ve all been part of other projects through the years. Notable ones are my (Kyle Jeffcoat) involvement in Solemn Vow in the mid 2000s, Jake Hodges time as drummer for Blaine the Mono, and Tyler Murin’s current involvement in metal band Ramtha.
The band started as my solo project in 2020, but quickly grew into a legitimate project in 2021 adding Jake, Tyler, and then guitarist Jared Bokish.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
Chasing Airplanes has been the name from the beginning. I have a fear of flying so to overcome that fear I make myself fly regularly. Likewise, getting back into music made me very apprehensive but I took the same approach as flying.
I made myself do it and made myself get into an uncomfortable position. I believe that being uncomfortable is the only way to grow. So chasing airplanes was the chosen name as it represents chasing that discomfort.
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?
The music on our forthcoming album was largely written by Jake with me coming in and writing lyrics and Melodies to each song. KB and Tyler also contributed to their parts along the way.
The main theme I’m often exploring is my departure from organized religion and overcoming much of that trauma and pain to find something positive. All of us grew up in religious homes and had similar deconversion stories so that message resonates with all of us.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
Sleep Token is one that Jake and I kept coming back to whole writing and recording. We also enjoy bands like Silent Planet and Erra.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
Three of the four of us are in our thirties so we come back to a lot of the same mid 2000s metalcore. Ghost inside, Underoath, august burns red etc
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …
Oh boy. We really don’t have any pre show routines. We should probably start some so I have a better answer for this question.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Opening for Woe is Me was a really strong point for us
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
The unequivocal answer to this is Taylor Swift. She needs a metalcore band from Florida to open those stadium shows. Bands like Kingdom of Giants or Erra would be really cool to tour with because of the genre similarities.
We honestly just like playing shows with cool people so anyone that is fun to hang out with before and after shows is a huge win for us.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Kaleidescopes comes out October 13th and is a bit of a departure from the djenty metalcore sound of Gnosis. The heavy parts are still there but you’ll find a far heavier reliance on melody and dynamics. We sincerely hope you enjoy it.