Eight years together with many line-up changes From Autumn To Ashes are still going strong. From New York they're ready to brace the UK as a support act for Hundred Reasons January tour.

If there is one genre that has to prove itself to me time and time again, it's screamo. Over the past few years there has been an exponential growth in the number of bands padding out the genre. However From Autumn To Ashes add a unique sound to the popular genre. They took the stage by force, playing their heavy flavor of post-hardcore. I have to say the heavy music hooked me and the drumming was phenomenal. The band gave an energy filled performance which the crowd really appreciated. Vocalist Francis Mark was giving his everything into every song, even frequently sharing his mic with some of the crowd.


I am sure they will be back on the road soon getting the word out and bringing the energy of the music to the stage. From Autumn to Ashes are probably one of the best bands you'll ever see live.

I caught up with Robbie Lauritsen before the show, to find out a little bit more.

Sophie: How would you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard it?

Robbie: It's like a hard rock metal sound with a sort of punk thing going on and that's pretty much it. I mean people like to stay away from labels but if I had to label it that's what it would be.

Sophie: How are things so far on the tour and what's your opinion on playing with Hundred Reasons?

Robbie: Everything's been great! Hundred Reasons are great to tour with, were sharing a bus with them too. They put on a great show every night, and it's been real fun. The shows have been good and they're really good guys.

Sophie: Have the audience's been good?

Robbie: Yeah the audience's have been really good, no complaints there. Sometimes as a support act we go on and you're put up with a lot. They've been good all the way in general the whole UK are great.

Sophie: Where is your favourite place to play in England?

Robbie: London because London is always like a big deal. I like Manchester too, but I've never personally played in Newcastle before so it's a first time tonight. I also like Brighton down by the water it's a lot nicer in the summer when it's warm, and its always a good show.

Sophie: How did you get the name "From Autumn To Ashes"?

Robbie: It just popped up there one day. Our singer was working on something and the name was based around something he was doing, and we pretty much took it from that.

Sophie: How was writing the new album, "Holding a Wolf by the Ears"? Was it any different than writing your previous ones?

Robbie: No, not really. We had one of our singers depart but that was definitely for the better. It wasn't much different you just write the songs and bang them out!

Sophie: Is there anything new for the band this year, what festivals do you hope to play?

Robbie: We've been on tour pretty steady for about the past year so were doing the Soundwave festival in Australia. After this were going to Brazil and were going to be working on a new record. Hopefully hit the road touring again in the summer sometime and In June have the record wrote and recorded, just keeping it going.

Sophie: What was the last book you read?

Robbie: The last book I finished was one about baseball in America and about how general managers work. It has to do with the finance and the general managing behind a baseball team. I'm really into that kind of thing, it was really good book.

Sophie: What's your inspiration for song writing?

Robbie: My inspiration is really whatever's going on around me at the time, and the same goes for the other band members. You have the bands you always listen to and you like but the song writing is whatever's going on in your life at the time. That's really where the basis of the inspiration comes from whether it is good or bad. If you're honest that's where it comes from.

Sophie: What bands would you like to play with in the future?

Robbie: There's so many, I like the new Down record a lot it would be fun to play with them. Queens of the Stone Age would be fun to play with. We played a show with Gallows in September over at the barfly in London and that was great. So do more shows with them, they're cool guys.

Sophie: Looking forward to tonight show?

Robbie: Yeah, just like every other show, I'm just glad to be doing this it's a good job. You just go out and play shows it's pretty awesome it's not a bad thing. Some days you forget where you are in the morning and you have to check your pass to see where you're at. This is pretty cool and I'm really looking forward to it.

By Sophie Stratford