93.9 WABY caught up with Benjamin Kerner lead vocalist of the metalcore band The Phoenix & The Raven, who are about to drop a new record. The band is bringing a metal show to a unique venue for the party. The band also are "Extreme Music Award" recipients for "Best progressive metal band " 2 years in a row. Plus Justin Stupplebeen took home 2025 "Best Bassist" Award. The Phoenix & The Raven are ready to unleash "The Burdens Inside" on the world.
WABY: Let's get right to it. You have a big show announcement to make?
TPATR: We are hosting our ep release show for The Burdens Inside’ June 20th at Ships Pub in Albany with Deveria and local punkers Vintri Hill. Sponsored by Smooth Truth whiskey, Raven events and WABY.
WABY: The new record? Where did you record? What did you do different?
TPATR: Our new EP is going to be called “The Burdens Inside” recorded by Tim Lynch at The Recording Company. Brandon and Gary worked with him in their last band and it made total sense to get back in and work with him again, he does an amazing job. We decided to experiment a little on this one, we each took the helm of writing and composing a song, so each of the songs has a member’s unique writing style deriving from their own musical tastes and backgrounds.
WABY: You won a few extreme music awards, how does this feel?
TPATR: We are 2 time progressive metal Extreme Music Awards winners for the years 2024 and 2025 and our Bassist Justin Stupplebeen clinched the 2025 Extreme Music Award for Best Bassist
WABY: When will you tour for this record?
TPATR: We have been playing regionally this year. Our next stops being Buffalo and Rochester later in May. then we bring it back home to Albany before venturing out to central New York to Syracuse and Middletown
WABY: Let's talk gardening cooking and hobbies?
TPATR: Disc golf, Twitch streaming, magic the gathering, and cooking as a hobby and a job lol. We are all kind of l home bodies but also get out to see shows as often as we can or sneaking over to the meadworks to drink their newest mead.
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