OF VIRTUE – AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH THE BAND
Of Virtue is a hard hitting four piece based out of Michigan. They have just released their new full length entitled Omen via Arising Empire Records to rave critical reviews. AMP featured Of Virtue in 2019 when they dropped their last record, What Defines You (see related below). Their sound is intense and ruthless. Every note they play cranks with kinetic vigor. All the tracks on the new record demand attention. The guitars attack with sonic precision. The vocals soar to explosive heights. With Omen, Of Virtue have created an aural masterpiece with barrages of melodic intensity.
Of Virtue is Tyler Ennis (Vocals). Damon Tate (Vocals/Guitar), Mike Valadez (Guitar) and Ryan Trinh (Drums). The band has toured extensively and their music has resonated in over 30 countries with multiple Billboard chart successes and massive radio play. Of Virtue is the real deal. They are poised to take the world by storm. There is no shelter from their masterful turmoil and infectious rhythms.
Of Virtue was kind enough to take time from their busy schedule to give AMP this in-depth interview.
AMP: We last featured the band in 2019 when you released your third album, What Defines You. Do you feel that your new record Omen is an evolution in style from your previous material?
OF VIRTUE: Absolutely! With our last record, we were still experimenting with a lot of sounds and really finding out what we were capable of. We had the opportunity to tour in between recording sessions so it was great to see what was fun to play for us and what connected with the audiences we were reaching. Since the bulk of this record was made over COVID, all of us took every idea we had and again, pushed ourselves to create and find our most authentic voice. The depth of emotion that was tapped into wouldnt have been possible if we tried to make the same album twice!
AMP: Is there a specific track on Omen that you feel will turn people’s heads?
OF VIRTUE: Oh man! There’s quite a few…..”Sinner” has always been somewhat of an oddball but the versatility and craftiness of that song really sets it apart from anything else we’ve made. Another one that may surprise people would be “Floating” which features Rory Rodriguez from Dayseeker. This is our version of a ballad and is one of the most emotional tracks on the record.
AMP: What are some of the social issues you have embedded in your lyrics?
OF VIRTUE: Addiction, mental health and some of the stigma that surround both are topics that come up a lot on this record. We all deal with these even to this day and its been a priority for us to shine a light on our struggles to let people know (including ourselves) that you do not have to be alone in that fight. For so long, a lot of these stories were bottled up and may have never seen the light of day if we had listened to all of the negativity and those nasty voices that tell you that you arent good enough.
AMP: How would you describe your sound?
OF VIRTUE: Heavy but with a healthy amount of soul. We all have different backgrounds and love so many different styles that for us, we wanted to showcase it all. Huge riffs, monster choruses, epic singalongs….anyone at any age can find something to sink their teeth into when it comes to our sound.
AMP: What do you want your fans to take away from your music?
OF VIRTUE: That the 4 of us have given everything we have to this life and this passion. The words that we sing, the songs we play are our lifeblood and without that, I’m not sure where any of us would be. Since the beginning of this band, our mission has been to be a light in a world that can be so dark for so many of us. Our favorite artists did that for us growing up and now, it is our responsibility to give back and do the same. You never know who is listening or who you can inspire next as long as you are open, honest and true to your convictions.
AMP: If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
OF VIRTUE: Chester Bennington from Linkin Park. He was the first person I listened to that I felt “heard” me and the connection to those first 2 LP records is unbreakable.
AMP: Is there a live venue you truly enjoy playing?
OF VIRTUE: There are a few. We just played our newest hometown venue Grewal Hall and that place has such a bright future. Backstage in Munich, Germany has also always been one of our favorites as well! There is something in the water in Germany because there’s never been a bad show there!
AMP: Keeping in the same vein, what’s your favorite song to play live?
OF VIRTUE: One of my personal favorites to play live is “Cold Blooded”. That one has such a haunting and hypnotic vibe – it feels like whenever we do play it, I fall into a trance! The riffs are thick and the chorus is so catchy. Its been great to see people singing along full blast with us for that one on our last tours.
AMP: Michigan seems to be a hotbed for extremely good metal. Just look at yourselves and Heart Of Jordan. Is there something in the water?
OF VIRTUE: It is cold a lot of the time so there isn’t much else to do when the weather turns (so we sit inside and make sick riffs!) Honestly, I think Michigan can be slightly underrated when it comes to the bands and artists we have to offer in heavy music but as long as it happens, well keep that chip on our shoulder and keep showing the world what were made of.
AMP: What’s next for Of Virtue?
OF VIRTUE: We have some tours – Europe, Asia, and some stuff Stateside we’re working on too. In between all of that we may even squeeze in some time to write our next record. Keep your eyes and ears peeled!
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