Mit „The End Is Not The End“ schlagen Atreyu am 24. April 2026 ein neue Kapitel auf – und zeigen dabei eindrucksvoll, dass sie auch nach über 20 Jahren Bandgeschichte nichts von ihrer kreativen Energie verloren haben. Zwischen weltweiten Recording-Sessions, einem bewussten Fokus auf mehr Härte und einem ungewöhnlich persönlichen Zugang zum Songwriting präsentiert sich die Band so ehrlich und vielseitig wie selten zuvor.
Frontstage: Hello Porter, thank you so much for taking the time today for this Interview.
Would you like to introduce yourself formally?
Porter: I know you want to, so feel free to clip the mic into my beard for the moment.
Hallo, Ich bin Porter aus der Band Atreyu. I hoot and caller, I yell stuff and play bass and I manage. We manage ourselves as the band and basically do everything ourselves.
Frontstage: That’s insane. Do you ever catch a break?
Porter: No.
Frontstage: As long as it’s still fun!
Porter: Yes.
Frontstage: I mean, you have been in the Band Atreyu for over two decades now – what still gets you excited to write new music even in 2026?
Porter: Its fun. It’s still very, very fun. We are luckily a band that you have to tell us to stop writing, like we have a constant well of inspiration for new songs. We have to stop ourselves. This album specifically though, being so deep in our career, we did it in a whole different way. Normally you go to the studio, you write in that studio, you record in the studio you are there for like 2-month, 3 months, however long it takes you. This one we were playing a show in Jakarta and we had a very long layover in Tokyo. So, our guitarist was like “Why don’t we stay in Japan and write the new album?” so we flew out our producer and we spent a week in Tokyo writing. After that we recorded on an island outside of Washington and then finished it 6/7 month later in Los Angeles. So that’s one way we keep it interesting.
Frontstage: So, let’s talk album! “The end is not the end” is the title and it’s coming out in April!
Porter: April 24th
Frontstage: Correct. And compared to more recent work like “The Beautiful dark of Life” or even older material, where does the new album sit on the “Heavy vs Melodic” Spectrum?
Porter: Good question. I think even the softer songs- Cause we enjoy balance in our band, if you listen to any of our albums, you can never fully say “oh, that’s what this band sounds like”. Every album has that left turn where something is different, some soft songs… We have a f*cking pedal steel country song on “Lead sails” you know? So, there are elements of that but I would say even a song like “All for you” which is our first “Radio single” We didn’t set out to write any singles for this album. We just wanted to write a heavy f*cking album. We have another ballade on it and it has like a very heavy guitar under it. So, my point is, even the soft parts are heavier than they normally would be. I think we definitely challenged ourselves to be heavier, more guitar driven on “The end is Not the end”
Frontstage: That sounds like a journey. Especially for the listeners.
Porter: It was journey. And it will be.
Frontstage: Is there any song that almost didn’t make it on the album but turned out to be one of the essentials now?
Porter: “Ego Death”. The second song we put out. Was not written in neither of those sessions I told you about. We came to Los Angeles to record and gave ourselves a few days and asked ourselves “Well, what else does the album need” since it’s been 9 to 10 months after the writing sessions. And we were like “It needs a fast song.” “Ego Death” was actually a song that was written in Washington, but it had so many parts that just sucked to be honest. But I liked the theme and the lyrics of it so we rewrote it and now its two and a half minutes and has no repeating parts. Its very fun.
Frontstage: Yes, it definitely is. And with that now being a single, is there any song that was intent to be a single but then you decided you’re gonna save that for the album?
Porter: I think when people will hear “Afterglow” they will say it could have been a good single. I think when we wrote “Afterglow” we were all like “Oh f*ck, this could be a really big song for radio.” Once again, we didn’t write it intentionally, it’s just what came out of it was that song. So, yeah, there aren’t really any songs that got bummed off the single list because we didn’t write any intentionally.
Frontstage: So, what can we expect from the full album? Is there anything we haven’t heard yet in the first three singles?
Porter: Probably so.
Frontstage: I mean, it’s to be expected from your band. But is there something you can pinpoint, something to look forward to?
Porter: Plenty of things. Its cliché to say but I truly mean it. This is my favourite one we have done. This is the most honest version of us you have ever heard in a long time. Our producer Matt got a lot of honesty out of us for this record. And especially in Musical form cause he is a great guitarist who challenged us to be better versions of us. And it’s a f*cking journey. There are so many good songs on this and it takes you from side a to side b on the vinyl. It just has two completely different feels on it. There is another song called “In the dark” I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but there is another instrument played by someone in the band that is really fucking cool how it interacts with everything. Another song called “break the glass” is a story of Brandon literally almost dying which ties in with the theme of the whole song. So, it’s a f*cking journey, it really is. And I am really proud of this album. It’s really personal.
Frontstage: It sounds like a very personal album to you guys. And I think that’s what really connects the Fans and the Artist. Because you fell seen and less alone in a sense.
Porter: Exactly. And it sounds very good too. And I think why anyone likes any creative person is because you see a reflection of that creative person. And that’s why honesty and Art is about and we try to stay as true to “humanity” in a sense.
Frontstage: Talking about that, especially with growing as a band, is there any songs you have written in the past that feels more personal to you than it did when you have first written it?
Porter: I think our music shifts a lot as time goes on. Especially performing it every night on tour. That really shifts the way you feel about it and how you perform the song. Because our albums and the way we sound on stage are very different. Specifically, that one song we´ve written where there is a very long scream in the bridge. I recorded it on the Beach in California at midnight. With a microphone standing on the beach just screaming. No idea what kind of murder scene they thought was happening but it was fun. That song feels very Important to me.
Frontstage: Atreyu shows are in general super energetic. I don’t know what you guys’ pre-show rituals are, but the energy just takes in all the fans and you automatically have fun just watching you guys. How do you keep the energy up every single night, especially playing old songs over and over again without getting bored?
Porter: Thank you! That’s the goal and it’s a great question. Uhm, for me personally I have kind of a sense of duty. It sounds funny, but people are coming out to our shows, spending money. So, it doesn’t matter if I’m tired, exhausted or want to be home. When I step on that stage, I wanna be the best version of myself, for myself, my band and all the fans. I want to have fun with everyone and that’s what keeps us going.
Frontstage: That’s definitely a statement and such a great way of keeping yourself going, even when you don’t necessarily want to. So, let’s get to our last question for today. “The End is Not the End” releases in two weeks. If you had to describe the album in one word, what would it be?
Porter: Depending on which one fits better either “Abenteuer” or “Journey” because that’s what it is.
Frontstage: I am definitely looking forward for the release and I excited for the fan reactions. Thank you so much for sitting down with me today talking about the new chapter of the Band. I really appreciate it.
Porter: Thank you so much for having me!
Fotocredit: Offizielle Grafik/ KingStar
