For  readers who may be hearing your music for the first time, how would you  describe your sound and what sets your band apart from others in the  local scene?

We are a fast, melodic hardcore, punk band with influences ranging from  old school punk bands (Ramones, DK, Black Flag) to the punk bands  coming out of Sweden (Satanic Surfers, NFAA, Raised Fist) to the 90’s  skate punk scene (90’s fat wreck and epitaph era) to heavy metal and  hardcore. We’re an amalgam of all that with a tinge of darkness.

What  sets us apart from the other bands in the local scene is that we are  the only 3 piece Edmonton punk band whose members are all named Ryan.

How has being based in the Edmonton area influenced your music, songwriting, or overall identity as a band?

You can’t mention Edmonton Punk without thinking of  SNFU. They were influential to our band on multiple levels. Their live  stage presence, the song writing, and lyrical mastery have made an  impact on our band and how we approach our music.

We  see the headlines out of the USA and around the world. As  Canadian/Edmonton residents, we can look at the live speed history  unfolding and in our lyrics we can give our perspective on the crazy  shit we see.

Can you tell me about the origins of the band and how the current lineup came together?

The band started as an off the cuff comment at a  concert. Ryan W, half-joking, asked Jason, a long time friend and former  bandmate from the band Face Forward, if he wanted to sing in a punk  band. He said yes and we kept searching for the next band mate. Also at  the concert was Ryan F (another former bandmate from Face Forward). He  was asked if he wanted to be in the band and he said yes, on one  condition…. that he plays the bass. Given that he is a guitar player by  trade this was a shock but we ran with it. Next, we secured a drummer  (Tyler F of Tekarra) and had one jam together. Tyler quit and left on  good terms. He’s responsible for naming our first song Horsepucky. The  search for a new drummer was settled fairly quickly when Ryan D (drummer  of Preying Saints) joined shortly thereafter. We pumped out a few  songs, chose the name VRiliAN, and then Jason decided to quit. He also  left on good terms and was able to join us on stage for our first show.

So we were down to the 3 Ryan’s. After some tryouts for singers, we  decided to stay a 3 piece and handle the vocals ourselves. The rest, as  they say, is history.

What artists, genres, or experiences have had the biggest impact on your music and creative process?

As previously stated, musically, we are an amalgam of  all of our favourite punk/metal bands. We all grew up listening to the  same music and it’s like we speak a hidden language. We just mention a  “this sounds like …..” or “let’s do a …. type riff” and everyone knows  what we’re referring to.

Personally for me, Ryan W,  going through a divorce and coming out the other side of it has played a  major influence on the music/lyrics I wrote early on in the band. It  was therapeutic and helped me process my feelings.

The  lyrics we write now are more societal based as we watch the world  crumble around us. Our lyrics plead for people to open their eyes to the  injustices that seem to be happening constantly and if you able, to  raise your voice to speak out against it.

How do you approach writing and recording new material, and what does collaboration within the band typically look like?

In the beginning, the songs were written by Ryan W with lyrical  collaborations done with Jason (when he was still in the band). Now  lyrics are on a first come, first served basis. If one of us has an  idea, they can take ownership and write the lyrics themselves. Ryan F  did this with Lemmy, the first song in our live set. Also, since  joining, Ryan D has contributed to the song writing and has penned a few  bangers himself.

The process usually goes: Ryan W has some riffs. Works  on it solo until it’s a mostly complete song, often with lyrics. Record  it on a video and put it on our shared Drive. Alternatively, Ryan D  writes an entire song with lyrics, records it and puts it onto the  drive. The other Ryan’s learn it from those videos. Sometimes, we record  a demo version on the fly in our jam space if we have riffs/drum parts  we want to reference in the future. We  get together weekly to jam and that’s also when we then hammer out the  details of the new song as a group. We all pitch in ideas to make it the  best song we can.

What have been some of the most memorable moments or milestones for the band so far?

Our most memorable moment as a band was our first show  earlier in July. It was a 2 year culmination of ups and downs which  finally came together into an awesome night of music. It was a special  night for us to be able to share that moment with Jason and to get that  first one under our belt.

Looking  ahead, what are your goals for the next year, and what can fans expect  from you in terms of new music, live shows, or other projects?

We are looking forward to playing more shows/festivals  and recording an album soon. We’re constantly writing new songs and  finishing the lyrics for our existing songs so that we can start  rotating them into the live set. We have shirts and stickers available  now and will come out with new merch periodically over the coming  months. The ball is just getting rolling and we’re excited to see where  this project goes!