The Ohio death/thrash metal group Terranoct are in this week’s Meet The Band spotlight. They just released their debut album Icon Of Ruin. Guitarist/clean vocalist Tyler O’Brien introduces us to his band.
Chad Bowar: Give us a brief history of Terranoct.
Tyler O’Brien: Terranoct initially started under a different name around 2013 or so, and it was just me and Dan at the time. In 2016 Ricky and Sam joined the band, and we decided to change the name to Terranoct. In 2017, we started writing and working on music, and in 2020, Sam left the band and Rickie stepped in. It’s been a long time coming for Icon of Ruin, but the friendships and memories we’ve built as a band have been worth the entire process.
Describe the songwriting process for Icon Of Ruin.
We all actually played big parts; it wasn’t a one-sided deal. A lot of the songs were either my or Dan’s ideas, and I’d usually write all my songs completely and send them over to him. From there, we’d work on revisions. He’d send me song ideas (basically whole songs), and I’d so the same, except when he sent them, I’d transpose them, which was a fun challenge. Sam wrote “Omnipotence” and “Cerebral Strangulation” and we hardly changed anything with those. We all took part in writing lyrics, and basically (this applied musically, too), if we couldn’t think of how to progress with the songs, one of us would take over from there. So it was definitely involved between all of us.
What will be your strongest memory of the recording of the album?
When I heard the final mix/master in its entirety by myself in my studio. It was a truly special moment. Not gonna lie to you – I teared up a little bit. It was such an incredibly joyous feeling.
How would you characterize the album’s style/genre?
Undoubtedly a nice blend of thrash and death metal. There are some tech moments in there. But we like to think we’re a good blend of the old with the new, too.
What inspired the album title?
Honestly, nothing too deep! We just wanted it to sound cool, and that just seemed to fit perfectly.
What lyrical topics do you cover?
We cover a wide variety of things. The human condition, cultural issues, some politics, etc. However, songs like “Leviathan’s Will” are about King Ghidorah from the Godzilla franchise destroying everything in his unstoppable path. “Blighted Body” is about Lake Natron in Tanzania, and how its alkalinity is so severe that it will sear birds alive the moment they touch the water. We’ll cover anything, really.
What led you to go the independent route for the album release?
To be blunt, we like being in control of everything we’re doing, and it allowed us to take our time to ensure this music is the best it can possibly be. I’ll usually handle the photography and some video, Ricky created the album art and merch art, including videos for the tracks, and Dan mixes/masters everything. It’s a pretty good system we have going on that saves us a lot of money in the long run while being more efficient.
What has the response been to the singles you’ve released so far?
“Leviathan’s Will” in particular has gotten a pretty insane response, and it’s only going to get crazier!
What are your goals and expectations for the album?
We have pretty high expectations for ourselves, which is why we love doing this so much. We hope it gets us even more musical prospects, whether it be working with other bands, touring, etc. To us, the sky’s the limit!
What has been your most memorable Terranoct live show?
Man, we’ve had a few for sure. Opening up for Overkill was super sick. We opened up for Ne Obliviscaris too, and that ruled. But I’d also say among the most memorable was a local show we played in 2016 called Hawaiian Death Fest. 102 with the heat index, and the stage was about 120. Every single one of us sweat out our body weight in water, and the skin on our drummer’s fingers blistered and peeled. It was definitely brutal!
What’s the most unusual venue you’ve played?
We’ve played some house parties and a rave before, but I think that’s as unusual as it’s gotten for us.
What are your upcoming show/tour plans?
The plan is to play as many shows this summer as possible. As far as touring goes, if the right tour opportunity arises, we’ll take it!
How’s the metal scene in Akron?
Akron’s and Cleveland’s metal scene is basically the same thing. There are some sick bands out there right now, such as Druparia, Atomic Witch, Befallen, Lower 13, and Trephine. That’s just a few, but there are more!
What are some of your non-musical interests and hobbies?
I love working out and lifting. Cooking is therapeutic for me, too. I’m also a bit of an anime nerd, so I’ll talk anime all day if I had the time! Hiking and identifying different flora and fauna is really relaxing as well.
What’s the best thing you’ve binge watched lately?
One Piece, for sure. It’s very long-winded, but the story is just too good. I’m pretty excited for the new Demon Slayer season that just aired, so that’s on my list, too.
What’s currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Sleep Token, Night Flight Orchestra, Sylosis, and Orbit Culture, at the moment!
Anything else you’d like to mention or promote?
You can find us on our Linktree at linktree.com/terranoct, where you can find all our socials. Follow us! Thanks for such an amazing response to Icon of Ruin and everything leading up to it; you all rule.
(interview published April 29, 2023)
Listen To Terranoct – “Leviathan’s Will”
