Cleveland, Ohio Rockers HOW WE FEEL are a powerful new duo consisting of Vocalist Chris Bianchi (Forever in Terror) and Drummer Brian Lamtman. Best friends for more than 20 years, they were inspired to make music together in early 2024.
You’ve been best friends for over 20 years—what finally pushed you to create HOW WE FEEL in 2024?
We’ve both stayed close with music and in music. Chris working in the industry as a label owner (Legend Recordings) and Brian running his own successful businesses, including a couple of Smoke Shops (Headz Up). We still attend music events a lot and run our own as well. That was one of the key factors that inspired us to want to get back actually ON the stage and performing again. After an afternoon chat together, the idea began… so we said LFG!
“Ready For War” is your debut album—what message or emotion do you hope listeners take away from it?
The album has several meanings – but overall, it’s to never give up. Be it on your dream, your life, anything that you truly believe in, you can do it. It’s also really about fun and creating the music aka art that we both enjoy, with no rules. Each song has its own expression of “How We Feel” as moods change daily. It runs a range of different emotions.
Your sound blends different influences from Shinedown, Imagine Dragons, and Thirty Seconds to Mars—how do you make that fusion your own?
I think those are just the tip of the iceberg as far as influences and or inspiration goes. We’re both deep music lovers so any given day you can hear several different styles between the two of us: Country, Djent Metal, Hip Hop, oldies and beyond. We draw inspiration overall from what I’d say are the “epic” feeling themes and elements sonically and when possible, visually.
What was it like recording in your own WareHouse Studio, and how did that environment shape the final product?
This was the brainchild of Brian, and it really has come to life. It’s become a hub for the group and creativity – we just added a new podcast studio as well. We enjoy being creative from the merchandise side, to the actual music side of things. This continues to help shape our final product and outcome. We wanted our own hub to be able to create and feel comfortable.
Working with industry names like Paul Bartolome and Ted Jensen must’ve been huge—what did they bring to the project?
I have represented Paul on the management side for a number of years and have always remained a huge fan of his skill and ability to help create a “larger than life” feel to his songs. When we had the chance to create alongside him and bring our combined vision to life, it’s been an honor and fun learning experience. Ted, being such the legend, was easy and he knocked it out of the park. He brought a new sonic resonance to our overall sound and the existing feel of the band.
The title track’s video touches on real-life struggles—why was it important for you to portray that kind of narrative?
The overall theme stemmed from that feeling like you might want to give up. Be it in life, at a goal, love, whatever and ultimately understanding that its most important to you whatever that “it” is. To not stop or back down – but going full on towards what you love no matter what. The video showcases some everyday relatable struggles that people face in their own ways. It also showcases the band from the basement where we create, to the live stage where it finally all pays off at a show. Sharing it with the world is always a thrill.
Can you talk about the creative process behind your focus track “Ready For War”? What does it personally mean to each of you?
The song was one that immediately stood out when we were writing idea’s and recording demos. After giving it some time, it was apparent that this was the one to help finalize the story of the record. The sentiment struck home for us both on a personal level that, no matter what comes your way, don’t ever give up on what you love and believe in.
What’s your approach to performing live, and how are you preparing for your headlining show and the Inkcarceration Festival?
Our approach is to treat each practice like it is a real live show. Taking it seriously – but with a touch of fun, and planning to be as prepared as possible. If you are well-rehearsed you have a better chance of knowing what could happen, what to expect and adjusting for any last-minute things that could arise. We’d rather be over prepared vs under prepared. We’re adjusting the set for the festival setting to expand it and rise to the occasion on such a big stage. We have a plan to bring the thunder live!
What’s next for HOW WE FEEL after the album release—are there tour plans, collaborations, or new music already in the works?
This project was formed with love and as a canvas for us to enjoy ourselves along the way. While every group has pressure that comes, we do plan to continue playing and eventually hitting the road for an extended tour when the timing makes sense. In the meantime, we will continue to create music, videos, content and more including a new podcast series that is a deep-dive into our everyday lives, with guests. We’ll be announcing more on our Socials soon!
Official Website: https://www.howwefeelmusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howwefeelofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howwefeelmusic/
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howwefeelofficial
Bands In Town: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/15576734-how-we-feel
Categories: How We Feel, Interviews
Capital Chaos TV 
Leave a comment