When a band talks about a “distilled” version of their sound, it often means refinement—but for Restless Spirit, it’s something more instinctive. No overthinking, no chasing trends—just plugging in, jamming, and letting the music speak. With their new, self titled fourth album on the horizon, we caught up with guitarist/vocalist Paul Aloisio to talk about creative fatigue, misunderstood themes, gear minimalism, and why sometimes the best move… is just to run from ghosts.
I was listening to your record today. What a thrill. What a thrill that is to have that coming out.
Yeah, it’s coming out soon. Pretty excited on it.
I was really digging “Ember” this morning.
Yeah, a lot of people have said that, which is surprising because it was kind of just a little tiny acoustic piece. But I really like it, too.
Do you have a favorite at the moment? You must have been listening to this a lot.
I have not listened to it in a long time because you kind of get fatigued on it after a while. And I kind of wanted that excitement to share with everybody when it’s fully released. So I kind of put it to rest until Friday. I don’t know favorite-wise because they’re all pretty stylistically different, but I think “Phantom Pain,” the closing track, is one of my favorite things we’ve done. It’s pretty different, and I like all the different movements or parts of that song.
The reviews are pouring in, all positive. Are there any reviews that you’ve seen that you can relate to? And are there any that are surprising?
I think that the reviews seem to—people just seem to get what we’re trying to do with this record. So I’m really happy about that. Sometimes you’ll put something out and the reviews will be positive, but their main takeaway is a little bit different from what you had intended. But I think the themes and even what we considered the standout tracks, everything seems to line up. So that’s nice. For once it feels like we got everything right. In the past, sometimes we choose one single and then the general consensus is that another song was the favorite. But this time it seems that what we thought everyone was going to really like, everyone seems to really like. So it’s cool. It just feels like everyone gets this album a little more than the past ones.
According to Encyclopedia Metallum, death, depression, and Satan are what they consider to be your themes overall. Do they get that right?
No. I don’t know where the Satan thing came from at all.
Yeah, I mean it’s a great source for me as an interviewer because it has a lot of facts on there, but like Wikipedia and other sources, they often get it wrong—or in this case, way off.
I’m still trying to figure out how they came up with that, especially the Satan one. That’s just crazy to me. The devil is a good metaphorical character for a lot of themes, but we’ve never explicitly said anything about singing about Satanism or anything like that. Our songs are more about life—kind of a time capsule of what I may be going through in the moment. A lot of personal struggles and stuff like that. It’s really hard to put one specific lyrical theme on an entire band’s discography. I always thought that was an interesting thing that Encyclopedia Metallum even did to begin with. They do have some stuff wrong on there. They have bands that Mark is listed in that he’s never been in, stuff like that. But I get it—they don’t always reach out to the bands directly. They’re just gathering information from the internet, I’m assuming.
Well, I think they’re a great resource. They get a lot of stuff correct.
Oh yeah, absolutely. It’s cool to me just being on Encyclopedia Metallum because I remember as a 12, 13, 14-year-old sitting on that website late at night discovering new bands. So yeah, they do get some things wrong, but there’s a wealth of knowledge, and it’s a great way to discover new music and learn about bands. I’m happy it’s still going because I was using it 20 years ago.
Yeah, it’s a great source to begin at, and then you can do your own research.
Exactly—and you’ll find out that Satan is not what it’s all about. I also like the reviews on the website. That’s always been helpful in deciding what I want to listen to.
Of course. Now to the written questions. Your new album strips everything down to what you call the most distilled version of Restless Spirit. What did you consciously remove from your sound to reach that level of clarity?
It’s hard to put a finger on it because what we really do is just get in a room and jam, and whatever comes out is what comes out. It was more of a feeling afterward—that it has all of our favorite parts distilled into the album. We grab from so many different genres and styles of metal, and it felt like all of our favorite aspects combined into one. To me it feels like the most even representation across all albums. The first album was extremely metal, “Blood of the Old Gods” felt more progressive and sludgy, and “Afterimage” focused on shorter songs. This album feels like a really good representation of all those styles without leaning too heavily into one.
The record emphasizes perseverance, almost as a counterpoint to Afterimage. Was that thematic shift something that happened naturally over time, or did you deliberately set out to write a more forward-looking album?
It felt like I didn’t really have a choice. “After Image” was a very dark and rough time in my life. When you’re in the moment, you think things can’t get worse, but then life has other plans. So instead of writing about how everything sucks, I decided to write about trying to persevere and find a better way of coping with struggles in a more positive and healthy manner.
You describe your sound as pure metal with roots in working-class Birmingham traditions. What does that mean to you as a band from Long Island?
We did not write that—I think that was the label. I think what they were trying to say was that we borrow heavily from bands like Black Sabbath, which is absolutely true. So I see where they were going with that.
So bios don’t have much input from the band?
I think having someone else write a band’s biography is important. It gives a better sense of what the band is about for the listener. We do have input, but I think it’s good to have an outside overview that focuses on the bigger picture.
And Magnetic Eye—do they provide much input?
They’re great at trusting our vision. Jad specifically is great with that. Since we signed in 2021, he’s maybe had two suggestions total. That’s it. I really appreciate that level of trust.
You’ve said you never want to sound the same twice—what internal benchmarks tell you a song feels “new enough” to be a Restless Spirit track?
That’s a good question. I’ve never really thought about it. Everything we do comes naturally. Because we write through jamming, it’s difficult to replicate something you’ve already done. We go in with clear heads and maybe an idea or two and just see what comes out.
Afterimage was driven by personal loss and had a very heavy emotional core—did working through that record change the way you approach vulnerability in your music?
Yes, for sure. I’ve been moving toward getting as personal as possible for years. This album is extremely personal, and I feel like I was able to express myself clearly without hiding behind allegory.
The band has a long personal history, especially between you and Marc Morello. How does that lifelong connection shape your songwriting chemistry today?
It makes everything easy. I’ve known Mark since I was four and our drummer for over 15 years. We can be honest with each other—no ego. That makes writing and communication really smooth.
There’s a blend of classic heavy metal, stoner/desert influences, and progressive touches here. How do you decide when to keep things straightforward versus when to let complexity creep in?
We just feel it out. If the song feels done, it’s done. I don’t believe in making songs longer just for the sake of it.
The new album focuses on “shorter, sharpened shocks.” Was that a response to your previous material, or more about how you want listeners to experience the music now?
Yes, definitely about how I want listeners to experience it now.
Metal often balances escapism with real-life struggle—how do you approach writing lyrics that are grounded and honest without losing that larger-than-life quality?
I just keep it as personal as possible. Writing fantasy doesn’t come naturally to me—it feels disingenuous for our music.
You mention offering a “rescue rope” to listeners dealing with hardship. Do you see your role as more of a storyteller, or as someone actively trying to provide guidance through music?
Just a storyteller. If people find something meaningful, that’s great—but I’m not trying to give advice through music.
Your tone blends roaring heaviness with a touch of psychedelic fuzz—what’s at the core of your guitar setup right now, and did anything change for this album to achieve that tighter, distilled sound?
Les Paul guy for sure—Gibson all the way. I’ve been using mostly the same setup for the past three albums. On this album, I used an EarthQuaker Devices Cloven Hoof through an Orange Rockerverb 100 and a PVX on the crunch channel.
What about pointy guitars?
They’re cool, but I don’t own any. The B.C. Rich Ironbird is super cool, though.
If actual restless spirits existed and showed up at your rehearsal space, would you try to jam with them, exorcise them, or recruit them as permanent band members?
I’d be really happy at first because I’ve always wanted to see a ghost—but I’d probably run away because I’m a coward.
That’s a great line to end on.
With a new album that captures everything the band has built over the years—without overcomplicating it—Restless Spirit sound more confident than ever. No forced themes, no unnecessary polish—just honest music shaped by experience. And if the early response is anything to go by, listeners are finally hearing exactly what the band intended all along. Restless Spirit’s new album drops soon. Keep an ear out—and if you see a ghost at a show, you’re on your own.
Categories: Interviews, Restless Spirit
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