2 SHADOWS – AN INTERVIEW WITH GLEN BRIDDEN

Glen Bridden is the exceptional lead singer of Vancouver’s dynamic 2 Shadows.The band was formed in 2015 by Bridden and guitarist Tryst Germaine. In the seven years of their existence, the duo has meticulously and methodically honed their music. Their sound is ruthless. They combine the raw energy of industrial with the intensity of metalcore to create a mixture that is darkly profound yet still melodic. 2 Shadow’s songs carry emotional depth and brilliant songwriting. In addition, the group is extremely visual. Their live shows and videos are standout cinematic triumphs  Speaking about their shows, Bridden expounds:

“Our live shows are just as important as our recorded music. We try to make our live performances a visual representation of our songs. We are constantly building and evolving our stage show so our fans can always expect something different and exciting“.

Guitarist Braidyn Michaels and drummer Josh Lauzé round out the current line-up. 2 Shadows just released a new 7 song album entitled Bring The Cold Inside (Rock Shop Records) where they deliver a monstrous rendition of Green Day’s “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams”.  In addition, the song features a guest appearance from Ryan Hayes of Righteous Vendetta. The LP was also produced by Crispin Earl of The Veer Union.The music on the record is audacious and propulsive with sublime arrangements.

Glen Bridden was kind enough to give AMP an extensive interview. Hope you enjoy.

AMP: Can you tell us a little about your latest release and what might a listener miss on the first listen?

GLEN: Nice question! Awesome! The new release is called Bring The Cold Inside. There are 7 tracks. One is acoustic. It’s a bit of a storytelling piece. For us, it was a real big science project. We experimented with creating sounds that we constantly had swirling in our heads. We listen to it all the time and are still amazed at all the little details we played with.

Something you wouldn’t get on the first listen is the fact that there are layers upon layers of sound that are embedded in the record. We’ve been working on these songs for years due to the pandemic. The first song we wrote was “Blackened Wings” which is the second song on the LP. We started writing it in 2015 and along the years we added so much detail and nuances to the mix. All the songs have little extras interwoven into them. We hope that on every listen you find a new hidden gem.

“Screamworks” is another good example. There is so much random sampling that we snuck into the track. In one part of the song, there is a beer can crack. We kept cracking cans in order to create a particular sound. I think it got layered in with a drum strike but it’s in there.

AMP: Your music is powerfully forceful. How would you describe your music?

GLEN: Yeah! That’s good! I would also add “endearing” because all the songs are stories about events that actually happened. We embellished them with somewhat of a supernatural feel to help people realize that they can get through the rough times. The real concept of the album is for people to look back at their past experiences and just let go. We want everyone to move forward. Endearing and cathartic are two good words to describe the project.

AMP: The songs on the new album seem to expose some of society’s ills. What were some of the underlining messages you wanted to convey?

GLEN: A lot of the songs touch on mental health issues. Isolation is a big one we wanted to attack. We hope the songs brings some solace to the listeners during these crazy times. We stress the message that “you are not alone”. There is always help. Another ill we focus on is addiction.

AMP: All your videos have a cinematic quality. Is that an important part of the band?

GLEN: Yes! We are very visual. In 2 Shadows, we do make up every night. The visual aspect is important to us because we want to connect with our fans in every which way possible. Tryst and I are passionate about our videos. We both have unique skills that we combine in order to create something surreal and beautiful.

AMP: How did the band decide that Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was a perfect song to cover?

GLEN: It was an interesting process. We demoed a bunch of songs. Tryst kind of spearheaded the whole cover project after the band discussed it. We were going through song after song and nothing was sticking. When we got to “Boulevard”, we tried it in a dub step feel and everyone got excited. It snowballed from there. Then we brought in a synthesizer and started to slow the tempo down. We added heavy rock guitars in the studio. It was a weird amalgamation of everyone’s ideas smashed together. The finished product sounded nothing like our original demos. It completely knocked our socks off when it was done. It was so cool making that song!

AMP: You worked with Crispin Earl from The Veer Union on the record. How was that and how important was his input?

GLEN: It was awesome. And his input was fantastic. He really changed the game for us. In the past, we always worked by ourselves and it was hard to choose the right trajectory on things. Crispin is a seasoned musician who is also a great writer. He was able to mediate our differences and he contributed greatly in the recording process. He even co-wrote a bunch of songs with us. Crispin left his stamp on the record. It wouldn’t have sounded the same without him. Plus, he was a ton of fun.

AMP: The band recently signed with Rock Shop Records. Is the band excited and why is it a good fit?

GLEN: We are stoked! At the beginning we weren’t sure we wanted to sign with a label but now we see how important it is to get that inside knowledge. Before, we really didn’t know what we were doing. Working with Rock Shop and Crispin totally upgraded our position to a whole new level. It opened so many doors. It was challenging at first but the plusses are amazing. We love the guys at Rock Shop. They’re so great to work with!

AMP: What is the one question you always wanted an interviewer to ask and what question are you sick of answering?

GLEN: That’s great! Sick of hearing…I don’t know. I guess it would be either, “favorite band” or “your favorite gig” because each show is memorable and there’s a ton of bands I like. Also, “where does your name come from”. It’s actually a philosophy quote. Question I always wanted to be asked is hard. I enjoy the unexpected ones. Questions that I have to think about. Like this one! The spontaneous and left field questions are challenging and I like challenges.

AMP: What’s next?

GLEN: More shows, tours and music. We want to see our fans. We’ve been secluded for way to long. It’s just great to get out there and play our music.

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To learn more about 2 Shadows, Check out their Website!

Follow on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram  / YouTube / TikTok

Stream music:  Spotify / Apple Music

Purchase: Amazon / Bands in Town

 

 

 

 

 

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