An absolute powerhouse in the progressive rock and heavy music scenes, the band REZN have been spending the last decade refining a sonic signature that is entirely their own. With a highly anticipated new record Cycles In The Infinite Dream, vocalist/guitarist Rob McWilliams and Spencer Ouellette (synth, saxophone, lap steel) took the time to pull back the curtain on the band’s accidental DIY origins in high school, their deep creative connection to the city of Chicago, and the intricate, liminal concepts guiding their latest studio work. From exploring sub-genre influences like early Porcupine Tree and Sabbath to detailing pre-show mental health strategies and their shared obsession with table-top card games, this conversation captured the raw, authentic magic behind their genuine creative process.
The Origins of REZN
Jeanetta Briski: Let’s just start with the juice. There was obviously a process of becoming who you guys are today. Whose brainchild was REZN, and how did it start?
Rob McWilliams: It started with me and the bassist, Phil. We’ve known each other for a very long time and started playing in bands back in middle school or high school. When we started taking it seriously, we were experimenting with random heavy stuff like a two-piece punk thing where he played guitar, I played drums, and we would switch halfway through the set. It was chaotic. We started playing loud, detuning our guitars, playing slower, and basically created the first REZN song by accident. We just called it “Rezn.” Later, I moved to Chicago, and Phil met me here a year later. We decided to really do the band thing and went with the sound we left off on: heavy, slow, and low. It’s been 10 years now, which is cool to see how it’s changed. I was working at a venue in Chicago where we met our drummer, Patrick. We were also friends with Spencer from that same venue; he was experimenting with synths, sound effects, textures, and modular synthesis. From there, it all just came together.
You all are from Chicago, aren’t you? Because I know they say that about some bands, but there’s always that one member from the East Coast or somewhere else.
Rob: We say we’re from Chicago because it’s been 10 years, I’ve been here almost 12, so we’re total posers. We’re mostly from the East Coast, actually. Phil and I are from Virginia, and Spencer is from Connecticut. Patrick is the only one basically from Chicago; he’s from just outside the city.
I’m from the outskirts of Chicago myself, around the Arlington Heights / Mount Prospect area. When people ask me where I’m from, I just tell them “30 minutes from the city” on a good day.
Rob: That counts! Patrick is from Oak Park.
Musical Influences
What were your guys’ biggest influences growing up? Since you started experimenting in middle school and high school, there had to be some kind of “Aha!” moment where your tastes pushed you in a specific direction.
Rob: That’s a good question. With the new record coming out, people have been asking, and I’ve been trying to refine my answer. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was influenced by Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne.
I hear a lot of Sabbath in it.
Rob: It’s kind of the foundation of this style of music, and I’ve listened to thousands of hours of that stuff. But for the more interesting stuff, Phil actually introduced me to Isis when we were growing up. It kind of scared me as a kid, but revisiting it now, I’m like, “Yeah, this is totally what we were going for.” That’s a really nice pillar to relate our band to. If you’re not familiar with Isis, you’ll notice a lot of similarities. Van Halen is another good one, though sonically you might not pick up on it. Ultimately, a lot of it lives in that Sabbath and Pink Floyd world, which gives us the tools to explore on our own. We’re trying to create our own expression of what this sound can be and expand on it with each record. We try not to copy bands that have already done it.
I actually hear a little bit of Black Orchid Empire in there, and also a bit of Porcupine Tree, whom I’ve been a fan of for a long time and Steven Wilson is a genius.
Spencer Ouellette: I’m a huge, huge, Porcupine Tree fan.
I definitely hear early Porcupine Tree and early Rush in you guys and I grew up on Rush, which is the pinnacle of progressive rock going back in time. Sabbath is always the golden child but early Porcupine Tree and early Rush are definitely there.
Rob: you nailed it.
Crafting the New Album’s Vibe
Speaking of the new record, what was the sound you were going for? To me, it feels like a space and time loop, or that specific liminal time during the holidays where you don’t know what day or year it is for two weeks.
Spencer: I think that’s exactly what we were going for, the “two weeks.” We were trying to capture that “in-between states” vibe. Whether that’s the state between being awake and asleep, or being alive and dead. We actually just saw the movie The Backrooms last night, but even something like that is an indescribable space that feels really familiar for certain reasons, but really unfamiliar for others. The holiday’s lack of temporal awareness is spot on.
Rob: Yeah, the liminal theme was really heavy on this one. We tried to incorporate a bunch of different elements from different genres to create a strange collage. If you focus on one element, it takes you to one place, but if you focus on the bass, it takes you somewhere else. It creates a single image, but focusing on different parts can confuse you about where you are. That’s intentional, but we wanted it to still sound cohesive rather than just flying in 10 random directions. We wanted to give you the image of the song, but as you try to grasp it, it remains just out of reach. Being a bit mysterious allows the listener to find their own meaning rather than us just preaching our own to you. It’s a much more interactive experience.
“Cloudfall” was the first single, and hearing it in the context of the album order, it feels like that “Aha! I’ve woken up” moment. Was that intentional, or did it just become the emotional centerpiece of the album?
Spencer: I think it was more of a consequence of what we did as a nifty byproduct. Once the whole thing was created, it made sense, and it even reveals itself to us in certain ways when we revisit it. It really does feel like an arrival of sorts, like you’ve finally crossed a threshold.
Rob: The final track on the record feels like the end of the journey, too. When you’re listening without looking at the tracklist, you just hear it and think, “This is the end of the record.” You feel like you’re crossing the River Styx. And I have to give credit to our guy Mark at Sargent House. We had a completely different track order, and at the last minute, he suggested this arrangement. When you’re so close to the songs, you get attached to them being in a certain spot, so having a separate set of eyes was amazing. Big shout out to Mark.
While listening, it felt to me like “Rites of Passage” and “Transient” walked so “Cloudfall” could run. Was that structured on purpose for the theme, or did it just sound nice?
Rob: A bit of both. Subconsciously, those first two songs are very familiar REZN territory. Then the third song takes a bit of a left turn, it almost has a pop thing going for it if you’re familiar with us. So it helps ease you into where the album is actually going. With “Rites of Passage” and “Transient,” we were trying to bring a more chuggy, mechanical, rhythmic element into our music that we hadn’t really done on other records. It gives you a pummeling, pulsing sound. “Cloudfall” is essentially a sped-up version of that motion; instead of just pounding, it has a lot of movement.
The goal of this record was to get to the point quicker. By shortening the songs, we were able to experiment with more places on the record and change our “mode of transportation.” It forced us to think about shortcuts and pathways we wouldn’t normally take, which is part of the writing process we love reinventing ourselves a little bit for each record. So yeah, those songs definitely walked or stomped so the other could run.
So about the final track, to me, it felt rooted in a contrast between a dream state and a safe, grounded landing spot. Did you design it that way because you felt listeners needed a place to land so the album wouldn’t feel incomplete?
Spencer: We were making all these songs at the same time, chipping away at different ideas day by day, so they all evolved together. Whenever we visited that last track, we thought of it as the grandiose, slow song of the record. There aren’t really any other slow songs on the record, which is a first for us. It acted as a cornerstone. That difference in pace gives the whole record a third dimension when you listen cover-to-cover. It was half intentional and half incidental since, like we said, its final placement wasn’t part of the initial equation when making it.
Rob: Whenever we revisited that song in particular during writing, we would just look at each other and go, “Oh, it’s good. We don’t need to do anything.” It was always just there, which is awesome. On the other hand, “Transient” barely made the record. It’s one of my favorites now, but it took at least 10 different revisions where we changed the original idea until it looked nothing like what we started with.
Spencer: We kept at it because we knew the song was worth saving, and pushing through that took us into new territory. Your brain sometimes chooses the perfect path when you’re thinking about it the least. As a creative person, you can’t just turn that part of your brain on; it just happens unconsciously, which makes it genuine and pure. It feels like magic.
Favorite Tracks and Touring
Since there are only two of you here at the moment and you probably don’t want to speak for everyone, which track on this record is your personal favorite?
Spencer: Rob’s got that thinking look for sure. What did Phil say? Phil said something like, “I can’t choose between my children.”
Every parent’s got that one kid that’s their favorite.
Rob: Yeah, I can tell you which kid I don’t want anymore! No, I really could not answer that question. None of those ideas speak for the record as a whole well enough on their own, but they are all very fun to play. It’s a good feeling to not be able to choose. Our good friend Carl actually texted me yesterday and asked, “How did you all even choose a single? Every song is a single, dude.” That was a massive humble-brag compliment.
I love that you guys only released three singles instead of 75% of the album like some people do. I hate that. The fact that it was just a “Holy Trinity” of singles and then the rest drops at once is great.
Spencer: Yeah, even which songs were going to be the singles changed a few times because they all show a different side of the central idea.
Rob: To answer your question at least somewhat, we’ve been playing “Primal Threat” on tour, and that one is super fun live. It has all these waves where you can see the audience react in three different ways because the song does a sharp 180-degree turn in the middle. It builds, gets people hyped, drops, and it’s fun to watch them experience it like a roller coaster. It’s amazing to see people understand the music in a physical way, because otherwise, you can’t see what they’re doing when they’re just listening with headphones on. Every time I get to the interlude track, it gives me goosebumps, too.
The Writing Environment and Pre-Show Rituals
What does your writing environment look like? Some people need a specific headspace or space to lock in. For me, when I write, I need absolute silence, like a library or my room, with the track on an infinite loop.
Rob: We have a really nice practice space we’ve built over time. It’s a quiet warehouse space surrounded by woodworkers and a couple of other bands, but we’re spaced out enough that you don’t hear anyone else. We turn the lights down low, set up our gear, and use in-ear monitors which completely block out the outside world. It really puts you in the “creative zone.” In Chicago, you can’t just do this in your apartment; you need a space to be quiet, and I’m super grateful for it. Most of our stuff is written there. I’ll do some sketches at home, but we bring them to the space to make them real. Spencer has a great home studio setup too, but it’s important to treat your creative passion with a level of respect and sacredness because it changes the end product.
Spencer: It’s also important not to get into the habit of blaming your environment for why you can’t do something. At a certain point, if you want to do something badly enough, it will force its way out of you. If you’re unhappy with a song, it’s probably not because the color of your room is off. I know people who say they can’t do anything because they don’t have a place to do it, and I’m like, “Do you have a place to sleep? That’s a good place to start.” The bedroom is good place to start.
Do you guys have a little ritual before you go on stage? Special socks, a specific elixir, etc.?
Spencer: We like to find a small, defenseless animal and… no, I’m just kidding. We do a sacrifice right on stage, we just don’t tell the venue. No, before we go on stage, we get into a little circle and do a fist bump. That’s literally it.
Rob: Me and Patrick, the drummer, were talking about how we need to get more of a routine. Sometimes touring is so crazy and chaotic that you just run onto the stage with frantic energy. That quick fist bump is a small thing, but it ensures we’re all on the same page. We’ve wandered on stage without it by accident before, and it completely changes the feel of the set because you feel disconnected from everyone else. When we were in Austria, Patrick and I went to the van just to change clothes, but we ended up just sitting there in silence for a minute. Having that five minutes of mental headspace to separate yourself from the logistics of the day before playing a show is super valuable. It’s mental health 101, and I’m trying to bring that into the next tour. It also helps avoid the common trap of drinking just because you’re bored in a green room stocked with a hundred beers.
Fixing the Music Industry & Touring Logistics
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Spencer: This is probably a popular answer, but we need to reinstate an actual representative monetary value on music. Anyone can buy a vinyl or CD, but in the age of streaming, it’s too easy to view music as a low-consumption, disposable route. People have forgotten the real value of music. Imagine going to a coffee shop or a church and there’s absolutely no music playing that would be weird and awful. We take it for granted. Streaming is toxic for a number of reasons, and I wish people were reminded of music’s true value.
Rob: Streaming makes the experience less personal. When you see a song that has 100 million plays, it almost feels like chewed gum and everyone has touched it. But when you own the physical record, it feels like a fresh meal that is directly yours. Another thing I’d love to change, or at least experiment with, is doing earlier shows.
Oh, I’d love early shows, haha!
Rob: Right? It can be weird with people’s work schedules if it starts at 5:00 PM, but going on at midnight is tough. I feel bad for the crowd. When you’re 21, you’re like, “Fuck it, let’s stay out.” But when you’re 27 or older, you have to work the next day, or you’re the one lifting heavy shit all day and you just don’t want to suffer the consequences of a late night. Giving bands the option to do a 4:00 PM show would be fun and might actually bring out a whole crew of people who otherwise miss out.
How many bands do you have on your upcoming U.S. leg? I’m going to try to catch the Chicago show.
Rob: Mostly two or three max. We’re bringing one fixed band with us for the dates like Loom for the first five East Coast dates, and Lockstep from Nashville finishing the East Coast run. Then it allows the local scene to thrive because it leaves room for exactly one local opener chosen by the promoter. It gives a newer local band an opportunity, the crowd won’t miss them, and it’s a reasonable amount of time for everyone. A three-band bill is the “Goldilocks” Holy Trinity of shows.
How do you figure out who you want for direct support? Is it a collaborative idea, or do you leave it entirely up to promoters?
Rob: The direct support right before us is a band we choose and bring out for the whole tour. The local opener is the one that changes, and we leave that up to the local promoters because they have their boots on the ground. They know their town, their scene, and what kids actually care about. We tried booking our own local openers in the past, but it results in way too many communication threads. Sometimes you reach out to a band you love online, and they reply, “Oh, we aren’t a real live band, we just make music in our basement.” So promoters know best who is actually cool live, whether it’s in Chicago or finding Santa Fe’s hot young rock band.
The Chicago show lineup looks fantastic. I saw you have Cloakroom and Dim opening.
Rob: It’s going to be fun! Honestly, it’s a great lineup for us, we’re so stoked.
Final Thoughts & Nerd Culture
To close things out, what do you want the ultimate takeaway to be for people listening to this record?
Spencer: I just hope people approach it with curiosity, and that’s it. I don’t want to tell people, “Make sure you notice this” or “Understand we were trying to say that.” I was watching a David Lynch masterclass before this interview, and his whole philosophy is: It doesn’t matter what I think, what do you think? For this record especially, ask questions and know that you’re probably the only one who can answer them anyway.
Rob: You can listen to it once or ten times and get equal value out of it just from the pure details you notice. But honestly, my only demand is just to come to a show. We design the albums to be listened to at home or on walks, but Resin is a very live band. The studio is us trying to filter a massive live sound into a small bottle, which is a fun challenge, but we are fully equipped for the stage. It’s a pleasant surprise for people to see how the sounds are actually made behind the scenes. If you support bands by buying the record and coming to a show, the scene thrives, and we are incredibly grateful for that interest. Plus, it’s our best record, so you have to.
One last minute question before I let you go. A little bird told me you guys are into Lord of the Rings, Magic: The Gathering, and potentially Dungeons & Dragons. Which one is your favorite, and what class or character identity do you play?
Rob: For Dungeons & Dragons, I’ve really only done one proper campaign, so I don’t have a defined style. But Magic: The Gathering? We are deep in it right now. I’m a Green player, but my favorite deck I’m building right now is Red/Black. It’s designed to fling and sacrifice artifacts to deal damage equal to the mana value.
That sounds entirely on brand for you.
Rob: It’s a little aggressive, but it creates fun table politics where I can tell people, “Go ahead, hit me, kill me.”
Spencer: Honestly, I lose a lot. It’s crazy. But my true color identity choice, precisely because I lose so much, is Blue. I just want to sit there and interrupt other players.
Anything else you’d like to mention or say?
Rob: Yeah, just come out to any of the tour dates and it’s gonna be a blast!
Thank you gentlemen so much, this was so much fun like talking to a couple of good friends. The record is a masterpiece from cover to cover, and I look forward to hearing it live in September.
(interview published July 23, 2026)
Watch REZN – “Cloudfall” Video
