AfterTime- Symphonic/Cinematic Metal band
Interview conducted April 25, 2021
By Dan Locke
Sarah Wolf- Vocal
Brad Sturgis- Rhythm guitar/Harsh vocals
Chris Radke- Lead guitar
AJ Blakesley- Drums/Percussion
Minneapolis-based Cinematic Metal Outfit AfterTime showcase a potent blend of Symphonic Metal and vibrant score-driven influences. The group’s music is larger-than-life and unapologetically epic, with a special focus on memorable arrangements and ambitious song structures, akin to cinematic scores.
What is your upbringing?
Sarah- I was blessed to have a very supportive musical family growing up. My mom is an incredibly talented flute player and my dad is a drummer who played in a band himself back in high school. As soon as I could sit up on my own, my grandma had me at her upright piano. She is the one who gave me my passion for music. I have fond memories of playing piano duets with her at family gatherings and seeing her in the crowd at piano recitals and choir concerts. Unfortunately, she never made it to an AfterTime show, but she did get to meet the guys. And now I know she’s with me at every show.
(Chris) I was actually brought up on country music and to a lesser degree classic rock. It wasn’t until I was in 9th grade and one of my friends bought Guitar Hero II that I was exposed to modern metal. By way of Avenged Sevenfold’s “Beast and the Harlot” I started learning guitar and got into bands like Avenged Sevenfold, My Chemical Romance, and Rise Against. When I met Brad a few years later I learned about Symphonic Metal.
How did you discover music?
(Brad) When I was little, I mostly just listened to whatever my parents were listening to. It was mostly classic rock. It wasn’t until I was about 12 or 13 before I began to branch out and find my own interests in music. Like many people, my introduction to the symphonic metal genre began with Evanescence. From there branching out into bands like Within Temptation, Nightwish, Leaves’ Eyes, etc.
How did you start to write music?
Sarah- When I was in 3rd grade, my parents enlisted me in piano lessons. After I’d gotten the basics down, I started to write my own simple songs and present those to the teacher in lieu of my lesson material. It was cute at first, but the teacher had to keep reminding me to ALSO practice the lesson material! In high school, my parents bought me a Yamaha Clavinova keyboard. This was so much more than a piano- it had hundreds of different instrument voices and multi-track recording capabilities. This meant that I could now expand my compositions from piano-only to fully orchestrated tracks. As a member of a very nerdy “gamer family”, all of my compositions were inspired by video game music. I had battle themes, character themes, menu themes, etc. After I joined AfterTime, it was a very different experience to write for a metal band in addition to orchestra. Luckily, Brad and I make a great team and we often fill in each other’s blanks.
(Chris) I started dabbling in writing music soon after I picked up guitar. While in high school I tried starting a couple different bands with friends, but nothing ever stuck until AfterTime formed. I’m certainly not the biggest contributor, but having played viola in orchestra throughout middle and high school, I’ve been exposed to lots of classical music and am very familiar with string parts.
(Brad) I started writing music, mostly just short piano melodies and lyrics, when I was in high school. I didn’t really start seriously writing music until I met Chris in 2011 and we began composing for what would become “The Fall of Light”.
Sarah- How did you begin to start singing?
(Sarah) I started singing as soon as I could talk! From a very young age, I would tell everyone around me that I wanted to be “a singer” when I grew up. Throughout school, I participated in choir, band, and various theatre productions. In middle school, I passed my audition for the Honors Choirs of Southeast Minnesota. I didn’t start to hone my skills in non-choral singing until I joined AfterTime in late 2014, however.
Your band is from Minneapolis, how did your band form?
(Brad) The band was originally formed back in 2011 by Chris and myself. In 2012 we met AJ and he joined in as our drummer. We were slowly starting to write songs, building up enough of them for an EP by the time we met Sarah in late 2014. When Sarah joined the band, we were finally able to begin production on our first EP “The Fall of Light” which was eventually released in April of 2016.
How did you get your bands name?
(Brad) When Chris and I first started writing music together, we were doing so without a band name. Maybe six or seven months into working together we started brainstorming names that we could use. There were a couple of names that we were considering, one of them being AfterTime. At some point, I made a mock-up logo using that name and it was then that we decided that it was the one we wanted to go with.
Describe your music.
(Sarah) We call our music Cinematic Metal. This means we combine epic orchestrations and choir with pounding drums, melodic guitars, monstrous growls, and soaring vocals. Our music focuses on escapism- we like to take our listeners on a journey to faraway places and times. We place an emphasis on memorable melodies and heightened lyrics. In other words, we are storytellers.
(Chris) Being so heavy in the orchestral aspect, we make sure our songs hold their own without the band overtop. I highly recommend anyone who enjoys our music to listen to the orchestral versions. There are many layers that get hidden beneath the band that everyone should hear!
Sarah- How was it to sing the National Anthem for RCTC Commencement Ceremony?
(Sarah) I was honored for the opportunity! I participated in the music department at RCTC from 2011-2015 and those were some of the best years of my life thus far! Chuck Blattner, the director, made sure to encourage every musician and gave opportunities to the ones that stuck out. That graduation ceremony was my largest audience up to that point! I later found out that that video was one of the reasons Brad and Chris decided to approach me to join the band.
What was your first performance as a band like?
(Brad) Our first show was at a venue in Rochester, MN, not too far from our rehearsal space at the time actually, in 2015. From what I remember we could only do 4 or 5 songs that night, but we rehearsed those songs endlessly in the months leading up to the show. By the time we actually were on stage we were thankfully quite prepared. I think for me personally it was both a lot of fun and kind of a relief that we could finally play a live show after already being a band for a few years without doing so.
Sarah- I’ll never forget my first performance with AfterTime. It was a Battle of the Bands competition and we made sure to prepare extensively for it. Part of the competition was an “audience vote”, and we certainly had the biggest presence in the crowd! It was so encouraging to see friends and family cheering in their AfterTime t-shirts. When the moment came to step onto the stage, all of my nerves melted away and it truly felt like a moment of “no going back”. It felt surreal at first to be the one on the stage, vs. being in the audience. Time almost seemed to come to a standstill in those first moments. In the end, we certainly gave our best performance we could and wound-up taking 3rd place in the competition.
Royalties never appear like magic. Royalties are only sent to you through work undertaken by a PRO to ensure that their members are getting paid. If you’re not yet signed up to a Performing Right Organization like ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, you may not be receiving all the royalties you deserve.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
(AJ) Interesting that you ask that question. We are in fact registered with ASCAP, as well as Songtrust for international royalty collection, and Sound Exchange for radio play. Being independent as we are, we need to ensure we are covering as many bases as possible, and spreading awareness and these companies have been a huge help.
What makes a good songwriter?
(Brad) I think it is someone that can properly absorb and understand how something influences them. They need to fully lean into whatever message or musical idea that they are trying to present. If they aren’t doing that, the music isn’t going to feel authentic.
Sarah- You need to be able to let the music speak for itself. When in the writing process, follow where it leads you and don’t try to conform it into what a song “should be”. You should also be able to give each of your songs its own identity- its own character. Too often, I see bands who have found an original and likeable sound, but then cling to that sound and wind-up writing albums where every song just blends into the next. Variety and experimentation are profoundly important.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
(Brad) The first song that we wrote was actually “Skeleton Key”. And yes, it was recorded and released on “The Fall of Light”. Though, it had gone through several rewrites and lyric changes by the time it was released.
What is the process of writing your music?
(Brad) I usually start off with a basic melody idea, branching out from there. Usually, after I have that melody, I will add in a basic chord progression and rhythm that goes with it. Usually, this is where we add in the guitars, bass, drums, etc. The metal part of the song, so to speak. Once we have an instrumental outline made, then we will go back and start working on vocal melodies and lyrics. After we are happy with the basic vocal parts that have been written, I usually go back in and add more to the orchestra, filling in around the vocals. Then, in the last stage of writing, which usually coincides with the demo recording, Sarah and I will sit down and try to find various backing vocals and sub-melodies that can enhance the vocal section. Once all those things are done and we have a rough demo that we are happy with, we send the song off to our orchestrator, Lukas Knoebl, and he really kicks the symphonic elements into high gear, creating a memorable soundscape that highlights all the best parts of the song.
Tell me about your latest album “The Farthest Shore”?
(Brad) The Farthest Shore is a beast of an album for us. It is something that we worked tirelessly on for several years, polishing each song until they were the best that they could be. The concept of the album tells the story of a group of travelers that have left their mundane and uninspiring homeland in search of adventure. Along the way, they run into several obstacles that threaten to stop them (Battle of the Sea, Survive the Storm), tell stories to pass the time (Nimata Moirais), and find themselves on a mystic island where they can rest and remember why they set out to begin with (Sanctuary, Dare to Roam). Their journey eventually leads them to a land of paradise far off the known map, but after staying at the place for some time they realize that what they really wanted was the journey itself and set back out into the ocean and become a sort of legacy that inspires others to do the same (The Farthest Shore).
What is your favorite track on your album?
-My favorite changes every so often. Most recently, I love Nimata Moirais. I think it turned out pretty hard
(Brad) It is really hard to choose a favorite off of the album, mostly because we worked on them all so extensively. I really like Nimata Moirais and Sanctuary (this one especially since we really tried to do something outside our comfort zone when it came to a ballad). I think the song that I keep going back to though is the title track “The Farthest Shore”. I worked on this song for years, trying to make it the best it could possibly be, and I think it shows. The song runs for over 13 minutes and in that time, you can hear glimpses of everything that AfterTime is. From heavy, in-your-face sections, to some of the most beautiful soft music that we’ve ever written, this song really has everything.
What are your feelings about streaming music?
(AJ) It’s an amazing convenience when it comes to listening to music. With how easy it is for a new artist to upload tracks to streaming platforms while sitting at home, it gives them an opportunity to start promoting their craft and show their music to the world without relying on promotion and publishing companies.
(Sarah) I think it’s important for musicians to embrace music streaming in addition to physical music sales. If you can’t adapt to the changing circumstances of the industry, you’re doomed to fail. What we must do now, though, is demand fair royalties to be paid from these streaming services so they can be a viable stream of income for us. We must continue to apply pressure to Spotify, Youtube, etc as well as spread awareness about the percentages that are distributed to artists, in relation to corporate execs.
The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, pound sign and a sharp sign in music. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag.
Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?
(Brad) I think it depends on the context that it’s in. If I see the symbol on some social media post, I automatically know that it’s a tag. But, if I see the same symbol on a piece of sheet music, I don’t ever question that it’s anything but a sharp symbol. It could also depend on the person. If someone isn’t very musically inclined, they may not know that the symbol also means sharp.
Digital vs. vinyl?
(AJ) Vinyl any day. Listening and recording music on that vintage platform gives it that warm, crisp feel. It’s pretty funny, because in music production, a lot of companies are engineering software that emulates vintage gear in an attempt to give modern music that old school vibe. It’s pretty trippy.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
(Brad) A song that frequently pops into my head is Bare Infinity’s “The Passage”. It is a very special song for us. It was one of the first songs that we learned to play as a band. We even released a cover of it on our debut EP. It’s a song that remained on our live set for quite a long time and each time we performed it, all the memories of the early days of the band come back.
(Sarah) I’ve actually been listening to a lot of Paramore lately. Particularly the song “Looking Up” seems to resonate with me. 2020 was a rough year for a lot of people, myself included. The fall was a particularly tough time for me. But now with spring in full swing and several things coming together in my personal life, it really feels like “Things are looking up, oh finally”.
Sarah- Your day gig is working with gaming and music. Why haven’t you tried to mix the two together, for the band? I did see your video for your online class, which looked pretty good.
(Sarah) In truth, my day job is as a Processor in the mortgage industry! My other passion besides the band, however, is video game music. I serve as a board member for Gamer’s Rhapsody, a non-profit organization that puts on an annual convention called VGM CON. https://vgmcon.org/ My study and love of video game music have influenced my songwriting with AfterTime. By growing up with the soundtracks from Final Fantasy, Zelda, and other JRPG series, I learned the importance of a memorable melody- one that you don’t mind hearing over and over. It has certainly strengthened our “cinematic” sound overall. Maybe in the future, I’ll write something that more directly references video games.
What is the best gaming system?
(Sarah) I always have to come back to the PS2. Not only could it play all of your PS1 and PS2 games (which in my opinion was the best era for video games as a whole), but it works as a DVD player too! There’s a reason it was one of the most widely sold consoles in history. Though I am a Playstation girl at heart, I do have to give an honorable mention to the Nintendo Switch as well. It’s really the best of both worlds as both a portable AND home console!
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
(Brad) I think that once everything moves back to a state of normality, live music will have a big resurgence. People are itching to go to a concert. It seems like the music industry really had to adapt during this time, with live-streaming concerts becoming more popular, bands had to find a whole different way to market themselves. If they can apply the knowledge to promote themselves over the last year to live shows in the future, I think we will see a stronger, more dedicated fanbase attending the concerts.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
(AJ) Continue to try new things. We all started recently livestreaming on Twitch, broadcasting all sorts of things we like to do or talk about. I typically game, produce lofi type beats, and talk about topics.
(Brad) I’ve been using this time to do a number of things. I’ve been working my way through my book and movie collection, done some streaming on twitch, and worked on several different AfterTime related projects!
Sarah- How is your Japanese coming?
(Sarah) I’m not as far as I wish I was! The key to learning a new language is consistency, and I’ve had so much to balance the last few years that it’s hard to make time to study. I know the hiragana and katakana alphabets and a few dozen vocabulary words, but I promise to stick with it! I am hopefully entering a season of my life where I’ll be able to devote more time to studying.
How do you stay healthy during the lockdown?
(Brad) Um… TBD haha! It really is a work in progress. This past year has really uprooted everyone’s normal routine and it took a long time for us to really step back and think about how we want to get back into being more healthy. We have a lot of big plans this year, so we are all trying to relearn how to care for our bodies properly and get back into shape.
Sarah- During the nice weather months, it was really important for me to get fresh air. I live near a number of parks and it did wonders for my mental and physical health to get out and go for a walk.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
(Brad) One thing that comes to mind is that we have all gotten into streaming on Twitch. Playing video games on there and trying to connect with others through that platform has been fun.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
(AJ) I think we’ll see a shift in how musicians and content creators use the platform. We’ll have to adjust like we always do when terms change on a platform. Luckily there are other means to the livestream aspect. A lot of producers in the Hip Hop and EDM community have been flocking to Twitch as their terms allow a lot of music to be played and streamed under their guidelines.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
(AJ) We’ll have to get smarter. I always enjoy taking influence from other areas of the music scene. Since the pandemic hit, I’ve turned to the Hip Hop community as they have been dominating the online platform. With the internet being so present as it is, artists can have a means of selling merch via an online merch store, they can continue to network with their fans on social media, and continue growing their brand. It’s a lot of ecommerce. I follow a good portion of independent artists that didn’t even perform shows pre-pandemic, and are still making a living.
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.
(AJ) They are still a thing. I actually get a lot of spammy type DMs that are posing as promotion companies claiming they can help you get on playlists with ‘x’ amount of monthly listeners if you pay them their fee, most of those listeners are probably bots. I have also met and played with bands that have paid a good portion to open on a tour for a popular band. Personally, pay to play doesn’t make sense to me.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
(Brad) The amount of technology that goes into that baffles me, haha. For me personally, live-streaming concerts may work for some bands, but something that I always look forward to is the interaction from the crowd when you are up on stage. Playing to a camera just doesn’t have the same appeal.
Governments around the world are hearing the call of thousands of music creators and included protections for the music community in the omnibus bill. In addition to extended and improved unemployment benefits and small business loans for freelance creators, the package includes several bills which the Recording Academy, its members, and the larger music community advocated for. From the Save Our Stages Act, provided a lifeline to performance venues and promoters, to the CASE Act, which creates an avenue for smaller creators to defend their copyrighted works, Congress has ensured that both music creators and those who act behind the scenes to bring music to life are given the support they need during this difficult time.” Do you think this will save music venues?
(Brad) It’s really hard to say. I’m sure a good number of venues will survive, but I see many smaller ones shutting down all the time. I hope that once this is over, venues will be able to get their feet under them again.
Sarah- Pre pandemic, much of the music industry- and particularly the touring industry- operated on a very slim profit margin. With everything shut down for so long, it tipped the scales for a lot of venues and bands. Unfortunately, we saw a couple local venues in the Twin Cities close their doors over the last year. It’s sad to see, but ultimately, we have to find a way to stay relevant and on the cutting edge of the industry. If you aren’t innovating, you’re losing the race. I’m confident that the bands, venues, and other musical professionals that managed to survive the pandemic will come back better and stronger than ever.
Did you know that the Grammys MusicCares can help artist? The MusiCares COVID-19 Relief has helped thousands of music industry artists and professionals during these difficult days. This is the most recipients helped, for any single event, in MusiCares’ history. The need remains great, and these unique times remain critical for music people. It has taken a community uplifting one another to get through this pandemic, and MusiCares has pulled together a list of additional organizations and resources to further support you. RELIEF RESOURCES. Have you applied for it yet?
(Brad) I guess this isn’t really something that I had heard of, but definitely something we may want to look into!
In the past if a musician stop doing music, they find a new career. For example, David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants. If you can’t do music, what would you like to be doing?
(AJ) I’d do some sort of content creating. Make a vlog touring the country in a mobile tiny home, or do something with art, like abstract graphic design.
What is your happy place?
(AJ) In my home studio. It’s my temple, place of meditation, creation, and rest.
(Brad) I do enjoy being at home where I can relax and read a book or watch a movie, but something that really brings me joy is traveling and seeing new places, something that unfortunately we haven’t been able to do lately.
(Sarah) My happy place on stage, in full stage gear and makeup, with my guys, singing my heart out to a lively audience. In lieu of that lately, though, my happy place is wherever my kitties and my video games are!
(Chris) I don’t exactly have a “happy place” to retreat to in my mind when I’m stressed, however I think I have a suitable analog. Some of the most peaceful times for me are when I’m out camping. I’ll be far away from the stresses of life, relaxing under a shady tree on a warm, sunny day. The only sounds being birds, the odd crumpling of leaves by some forest creature, and the rustle of leaves in the breeze.
A lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year. Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million. Once you get to the age of about 70. Publishing is far more lucrative than the mechanical royalties paid to artist based on sales, airplay and streams. A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985. And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.
The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.
Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs?
(AJ) I would have a hard time letting go of the whole catalog. I would far more consider negotiation that the rights are split, and we retain some ownership.
Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event on Monday (February 22), the company confirmed that more than 60,000 new tracks are now being ingested by its platform every single day. This means people are added new tracks uploaded to its platform every 1.4 seconds.
The figure, announced by Spotify’s co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, means that across the course of this year, approximately 22 million tracks will be added to Spotify’s catalog. Spotify confirmed in November last year that its platform now played host to around 70 million tracks.
Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.
But still back at the beginning of the year Spotify deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists. What do you think what that could mean to independent artist?
(AJ) We’ll have to keep battling the ever-changing terms and guidelines of platforms. Spotify could get so bad that a new streaming platform rises up and takes the lead, but we’ll see. For now, we must sadly use the platforms that are most available, and most used.
Sony Music in November and Warner Music Group in December, The ByteDance-owned video app revealed on (February 8) that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?
(AJ) I’ve started a TikTok to show the stuff I do. Right now, there’s a lot of lofi beats and cat type content, but I have some ideas in the gauntlet.
Sarah- I’ve been trying to keep my time spent on social media to a minimum, so I don’t think I’ll be creating a TikTok anytime soon!
You have a show coming up in Madison WI on August 27-28. Are you ready for the show?
(Brad) We have a setlist created and soon we will start rehearsing it. We are so excited to finally get to share the songs from The Farthest Shore in a live setting.
Sarah- I can’t even put into words how excited I am to play a show again. I know that the organizer for the event is making public safety a priority and I personally hope to be fully vaccinated by the event. As of right now (mid-April) statistics say that nearly ¼ of the US population has had at least their first dose of the vaccination, so things are looking optimistic. I’m hopeful that we will start seeing concerts fill venues by end of summer.
I do see they have free play arcade and pinball.
(Brad) Yes, they do! It is a truly unique festival that combines a few different worlds (metal music and videos games) really well.
Danny Wimmer Presents just announced their 2021 Festival Calendar: Which includes the following live shows:
DWP Partners with Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival for July 23-25 Event in Mansfield, OH
Louder Than Life Set for September 23-26 With Newly Added Thursday Night Celebration in Louisville, KY
Welcome to Rockville Expands To 4 Days and Shifts from Spring to November 11-14 In Daytona Beach, FL
Aftershock Set for October 7-10 In Sacramento, CA, Almost Sold Out
Would you be willing to play these shows and what precautions would you like to have in place?
(Brad) While we are super excited to get back on stage. I think we would definitely need to see what kind of safety precautions are available. Part of the reason we are doing Mad With Power Fest this year is because they were really up-front with what precautions they had and what they expected from us (vaccinations, social distancing, limited capacity, etc.)
Anything you would like to say in closing.
(Brad) I would just like to thank everyone that has supported us so far. We really appreciate all the awesome feedback we’ve gotten from our last album and we are so excited to share some cool stuff that we have in the works.
Sarah- 2021 is already shaping up to be our biggest year yet! We’ve got a lot of really exciting things planned. We’re also immensely grateful to everyone that has supported the release of The Farthest Shore so far, and look forward to all the new friends we’ll meet this year! If you’d like to become a part of our community and get to know each of us more, we invite you to join our discord server!
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