The genre-defying rock band, Grayhunter hails from NYC with songs that adapt to a different genre each time they create. Allowing the lyrics to steer the ship, they’re known for taking unconventional talk pieces and throwing them in your face with powerful beats and ground-shaking guitar riffs.
Currently, in the process of constructing their second EP, they know that no matter what your mood may be, Grayhunter will make you jump and dance while you question how you make life decisions.
The elusive yet prevalent spirit of their latest single takes the form of a melancholy ballad that subverts your mind and sensations upon impact. “Stranger (Live Acoustic)” is everything we look for in a stripped-down composition. Leaving you up close and personal with the sentiments shed, Grayhunter makes you feel things that you didn’t know were residing within. The powerful lead vocal propels you into a spiral of intensity as the timbres glide into your ears with simplicity and elegance.
Cascading over unique piano instrumentation that preserves the musical foundation in a timeless fashion, the lyrical motif, ‘but all you do is run away,’ transcends the spectrum of power ballads in a whole new dimension. Grayhunter releases thought-provoking content that has you reflectively sitting with your beliefs. Touring us through the hurt and pain that comes from love and loss, you can apply the influential wording to many aspects of your life.
As we take in all that is the grippingly raw beauty of “Stranger (Live Acoustic),” we admire the approach taken to have a rush of inclusivity served through the soundwaves. Captivating in the best way possible, Grayhunter makes us feel and believe in this brilliant sonic canvas.
Thank you for joining us at BuzzMusic Grayhunter, and congratulations on the release of "Stranger (Live Acoustic)." With such a powerful flood of emotions rampant in this record, what inspired the depth you showcase?
Thank you! "Stranger" was the first single we ever released, and it's from our Comeback Kid EP. We celebrated our third anniversary as a band just this past May, and we got nostalgic and very emotional about how far we've come, surviving even a global pandemic together. So we wanted to express that emotion and pay tribute to our journey by releasing a special version of the song that started it all for us.
You mentioned letting the lyrics speak in the music you create, which steer the track's genre. Do you always get as vulnerable as you do when creating? Do you find that you pull inspiration from personal experiences more than fictitious happenings?
As artists, we need to be vulnerable to get our feelings and messages across fully; that is how we get our audience to listen and absorb what we're trying to say. We're pouring our hearts out to encourage others to do the same. All of the songs we have performed and recorded so far have come from personal experience because we're trying to be relatable to our listeners. We want them to know that they are not alone in working to manage their emotions.
How different is the creative process when bringing life to an acoustic version versus the original song? Do you do this with a lot of your songs?
This is the first and only song that we have recorded an acoustic version of so far. Our sound is usually loud and heavy, so the creative process with this track was different and more difficult: the lyrics and vocals are the main features of this arrangement, so there was a much larger amount of vulnerability that needed to be expressed during the recording process. Meanwhile, we wanted to make sure that the passion and intricacy of the original arrangement were properly represented in the piano accompaniment, as it also contributed to the power behind our message in this song.
What has been the most challenging genre for you to tackle? If fans want to check that piece out, where can they find it?
The biggest challenge hasn't been so much the genre as it has been the lyrics/message since that is what drives our sound. The toughest song to write was our single "Waves," which we released in February of this year. Our usual topics are very heavy and touch upon sexual assault/abuse, regret, heartbreak, suicidality, and so on. Reisha is our vocalist and primary lyricist, and love songs were never really her forte. She wanted to challenge herself to write a love song to which anyone could relate while sticking to the band's theme of covering sensitive subjects. "Waves" comes across as a typical love song (which it totally can be if that is how the listener wants to interpret it), but the lyrics were originally inspired by substance abuse and addiction. This track can be found on all streaming platforms, and we hope that listeners enjoy it and stick with us because we have a lot more to come.
