The Amity Affliction vocalist and bass player Ahren Stringer recalls the moment Atreyu turned him from a young punk into a metalhead.
The Australian singer says Atreyu’s track Ain’t Love Grand – from 2002 debut album Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses – struck a chord with him and eventually led him to form his own band.
On the third episode of Metal Hammer: In Residence on Spotify, Stringer was asked to pick the song that changed his life.
He says: “Honestly that was the first record where I’d heard screaming and singing and metal and breakdowns all in one and I fell in love.
“That was when I started drifting away from listening to punk rock all the time and started listening to metal and screamo and emo bands that were all coming out of the woodwork then.
“Poison The Well, Atreyu, Hatebreed – everyone that had passed by and I hadn’t paid attention to. Atreyu was one of the main reasons I wanted to start this band.”
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Stringer also reveals that The Amity Affliction even covered the song in their early days, before joint vocalist Joel Birch was a member.
He adds: “We covered this song back in the day before Joel joined the band. We got another friend of ours from another band called Knifefight Opus to sing this song because I couldn’t play guitar and sing and scream all at the same time.”
The Amity Affliction this week announced a European tour with Stray From The Path, Northlane and Wage War. It’s in support of the band’s upcoming fifth album This Could Be Heartbreak – due out on August 12.
The latest episode of Metal Hammer: In Residence on Spotify is available now and also features interviews with Black Peaks and former Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison. A Spotify Premium account is required to hear the interview segments.
The Amity Affliction tour dates 2016
Aug 19: Brisbane The Tivoli, Australia
Aug 26: Sydney Metro Theatre, Australia
Aug 31: Melbourne 170 Russell, Australia
Sep 10: Denver High Elevation, Colorado
Sep 18: Chester Rock Allegiance, Pennsylvania
Sep 24: Dallas-Worth Texas Mutiny, Texas
Nov 29: Leipzig Taubchenthal, Germany
Nov 30: Hamburg Gruenspan, Germany
Dec 01: Koln Live Music Hall, Germany
Dec 02: Antwerp Trix, Austria
Dec 03: Paris Fleche D’Or, France
Dec 04: Bristol O2 Academy, UK
Dec 05: Manchester O2 Ritz, UK
Dec 06: London Roundhouse, UK
Dec 08: Glasgow O2 ABC, UK
Dec 09: Birmingham Institute, UK
Dec 10: Norwich Waterfront, UK
Dec 11: Amsterdam Melkweg, Netherlands
Dec 13: Stockholm Fryshuset, Sweden
Dec 14: Copenhagen Pumpehusey, Denmark
Dec 15: Berlin Astra, Germany
Dec 16: Munchen Backstage, Germany
Dec 17: Vienna Arena, Austria
Dec 18: Karlsruhe Knockdown Fest, Germany
Dec 19: Solothurn Kofmehl, Switzerland
Dec 20: Lyon CCO, France
Dec 21: Barcelona Razzmatazz, Spain
Dec 22: Madrid Sala Arena, Spain
