We sat down with Miranda of Junkbreed to unpack Sick of the Scene, exploring AI in art, genre-blurring chaos, live energy, and the human connection driving their urgent, confrontational sound.
1. “Sick
of the Scene” is a pretty loaded title. What exactly are you sick of—and
is this album more of a critique, a purge, or a survival statement?
A bit of all three, to be honest. The main thing we’re "sick of" is
the way AI is being used in art. Art should be personal, it’s about mistakes,
imperfections, human input. If you strip that away, all you’re left with is a
blank vessel.
That idea also connects to how disconnected people are from each other right
now. Everything feels automated and distant. Maybe it really is time for a full
reset.
2. Junkbreed
started as a loose creative outlet during the pandemic and evolved into a full
touring band. How did that shift—from isolation to live chaos—reshape the
way you write and perform these songs?
Going live
definitely helped us crank things up a notch in terms of energy and delivery.
We all come from a metal background, so that need for heavier moments is always
trying to push its way in.
Playing live shows made us more aware of what hits harder.
3. The
album moves freely between punk, rock, and post-hardcore without ever feeling
scattered. Was variety a conscious goal, or did the songs naturally demand
different voices and moods?
There is never a
straight goal when I start writing. It's really just about having fun and
letting things flow. Because of that, the songs naturally became a mix of all
the styles I’m into.
I’ve always loved bands that play with contrast the "calm versus
chaos", so that ended up becoming the backbone of our sound without us
really forcing it.
4. Pica’s
vocals switch between commanding aggression and introspective emotion. How
do you decide when a song needs confrontation versus vulnerability?
It usually comes
down to what the song is asking for. Some ideas just need to be shouted, others
need space to breathe.
That tension between aggression and vulnerability is something we’re really
drawn to, it keeps things honest and stops the songs from feeling
one-dimensional.
5. Tracks
like “Dead Weight” and “Faulty Stereo” include unexpected
elements—accordion, crowd sounds, almost harp-like intros. What role do
contrast and surprise play in Junkbreed’s identity?
We’re all into
experimenting and trying new things, and those little snippets are a good
example of that.
In a way, they’re meant to create those “wait, what was that?” moments, but
they also help set the tone for each song.
6. “Viewers
Indiscretion” has that explosive extended scream and circular riff section that
feels tailor-made for live shows. Do you write with the stage in mind, or
do songs reveal their live power later?
The writing process
is pretty isolated at first. Once a song is almost finished, we bring it into
the rehearsal room and that’s when things start to click.
That’s where you really feel what might work live, what needs to be stretched,
repeated, or just thrown in the trash.
7. The
rhythm section feels especially tight and physical, particularly on tracks
like “Stressed and Bucolic.” How important is groove and restraint
alongside raw aggression for you as a band?
Like I said before,
we really like mixing things up. Groove and aggression are both part of our
DNA.
It’s all about balance, knowing when to hold back and when to let things
explode.
8. The
album artwork being AI-generated—intentionally commenting on the dehumanization
of creativity—is provocative. How do you personally navigate the tension
between technology and human expression in music today?
I think AI has a
lot of great uses in many areas, but when it comes to art, there are lines that
shouldn’t be crossed.
We’re 90s kids, music for us should feel organic. It shouldn’t come from a
prompt you type into a piece of software.
9. There’s
a sense that these songs hit fast, make their point, and move on. Do you
see Junkbreed as a band that thrives on urgency rather than excess?
Yeah, I think
that’s fair to say. People don’t really spend as much time discovering new
music as they used to, so with this record especially, we wanted to be as
concise as possible without sacrificing our ideas.
10. Now
that restrictions are lifted and you’re fully active as a live band, what
do you want audiences to feel when they leave a Junkbreed
show—battered, connected, angry, hopeful… or all of it at once?
Connected, for
sure. Because our music touches so many genres, sometimes people don’t quite
know what to expect if they’re not familiar with us.
But it’s always great when someone comes up after a show and says they get what
we’re trying to do. That connection is everything.
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