Brian Hunsaker pushes melodic metal into heavier, cinematic territory with “Edge Of The World,” shaped by global collaboration, sci-fi storytelling, and personal resilience, marking his most ambitious chapter yet.
1. “Edge
Of The World” is your heaviest release yet. What pushed you toward this more
aggressive sonic territory compared to earlier singles like Power Over You and
Haunted?
This one surprised
me by how heavy it became. Between my Symphony X / Cloudscape influences,
Sergio’s DragonForce-style chorus riff, and some new amp plugins, everything
just stacked up. It’s nice to know that comes across.
2. The song tells a story of a lone wanderer crossing alien, collapsing
landscapes to find someone lost beyond return. How do you approach writing
lyrics that feel like a cinematic world, not just emotions on paper?
Well, my friend Chris Rush came up with these lyrics and melodies in some
writing sessions back in 2005 when we were rehearsing in my basement, back in
Seattle. Chris has an instinct for thinking in scenes instead of feelings,
which is why those lyrics still feel visual almost 20 years later.
3. In our last interview you talked about how imagery from film and TV
shaped “Haunted.” Did you have any specific visual inspirations or scenes in
mind while crafting “Edge Of The World”?
Definitely! The idea of desolate, deserted worlds and searching a limbo-like
realm for your lost partner sounded perfect for the visuals, and was what I
envisioned from the beginning. Once I started gathering footage for the video,
I realized that the science fiction / space / UFO / alien angle also fit it
perfectly. I hadn’t seen that angle explored very often in this kind of melodic
metal, and that firmed my decision.
4. The concept balances obsession, endurance, and hope. How do you express
hope in a metal song without losing the darkness and tension that make the
genre so powerful?
It’s definitely a balancing act. The song is entirely in minor keys, so I
haven’t resorted to “happy metal” or any other easy way out. I think the
darkness and tension you mentioned persists at roller coaster levels throughout
the song. The lyrics themselves are what give a sliver of hope at times.
Playing with emotions through singing clean, distorted, and close harmonies can
and does amplify the emotion and play with your ears at the same time. In the
end, the enormous willpower of the protagonist I believe shines through and you
think he may succeed in the end. But that’s up to the listener!
5. This single brings together collaborators from Sweden, Argentina, and the
U.S. How did you communicate your vision across continents to ensure every
part—drums, bass, and keyboards—felt unified?
I’m extremely lucky in that Mats, Diego, and Clif know exactly how to bring the
most of my songs, with their virtuosity, musicality and supreme ears. I usually
send very detailed demos and then step back. I give them carte blanche to do
whatever they feel is best, and 99% of the time, it is perfect. I only
occasionally have to give the slightest direction for a small revision, but
often not. With each part I receive, the songs elevate up a couple notches -
it’s the most thrilling feeling! I really believe that the end product sounds
like we’ve all been practicing the song in a room for a week, but I swear – we
haven’t!
6. Diego Palma’s keyboards add a cinematic, almost otherworldly dimension.
What role do synths play in shaping the narrative atmosphere of this track
compared to previous releases?
You hit the nail on the head. For this song, I actually had written keyboards
for about half of the song (I was playing keyboards half the time in that
basement band), but I gave him free reign to change things as he saw fit. He
added an awesome intro, and everyone loves that keyboard lead at the beginning
so much. He added a ton of other cool parts too, and it just transformed the
song!
7. Matt Dougherty’s mix gives the song a huge, modern, stadium-sized impact.
When you heard the first mixed version, what was the moment that made you
think, “Yes, this is the edge of the world I imagined”?
We usually go through 4 or 5 mix revisions over email. But from the very first
draft, I popped it in and I immediately thought, “How is this heavier than
Haunted?” And the harmony vocals were just popping out all 3D-like. After a few
tweaks I was amazed how good it sounded. Matt really outdid himself on this
one.
8. Your press release mentions the EP being recorded in your car during
lunch breaks while navigating new-parent life. How did this unconventional
recording process affect the energy, limitations, or creativity of the EP’s
songs?
It was weird, but it worked wonderfully after I got used to it. Despite the
confines of the small recording space, I had unlimited amounts of ideas. After
all, I hadn’t done any music for about 2 years, since the twins were born. So
it was all bottled up like a genie waiting to get out. And my best friend since
high school had just passed away. Songs that had been stalled for over a decade
were suddenly getting finished in a couple weeks. I didn’t have a lot of time
to spend on music each day, but I made the most of what I had. I wouldn’t let
slow progress stop me. No, NOTHING would stop me this time. Not with the
newfound quality that was coming out! I felt a responsibility to finally bring
these songs out the right way.
9. What was the biggest challenge in transforming such a massive
world-ending concept into something that still hits hard in a 6-minute metal
single?
That acoustic bridge. I had a different bridge in 2005, that I never thought
worked well enough. I had tried over the years to write different bridges, but
none of them hit like I wanted. Finally, I bought an acoustic electric, and the
new bridge came pouring out. It was perfect. The challenges were: finding the
time to mix, find the right collaborators, make the video, and market it all in
an effective way. Some of this isn’t old hat to me, and I’m still working on
various aspects of these.
10. The upcoming EP “Where Dreamers Fall” has only 5 songs. How did you
decide which stories and emotions deserved a place in such a compact but
ambitious project?
That was the easy part. Once I realized the “Car EP” was the angle to go for, I
chose the 5 songs whose tracks were finished and recorded in my car. I’m saving
the first one I finished for last. It’s going to be a bit different from the
rest. Stay tuned for more on that!
11. From classic metal roots to modern melodic aggression, your music
bridges generations. What message do you want younger metal fans to take from
“Edge Of The World”?
The main message I have is to not let anything stop you from your dreams, even
if you have to carve it out 5 minutes at a time. Make it happen! It will be
worth it. And always work on improving your craft. For the first 5 years or so,
I mainly concentrated on technique, and didn’t write much. It takes so much
longer to improve songwriting and arranging abilities, so start early and
devote time to it regularly.
12. Now that the first chapter of Where Dreamers Fall is out, what can
listeners expect from the final emotional and sonic destination of the EP—and
what comes next after it?
Enjoy!
I’ve got 2 more songs in store for you all, then the EP will be upon us. Beyond
that, I already have 2 more nearly completed songs and many more song ideas in
the works. I can tell you, I’m not running out of ideas or going anywhere! With
the newer material I’m aiming for heavier, more melodic, and more ambitious
than anything I’ve done so far.
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