You guys just released, Milestone, not that long ago. Can you tell our readers, if they have yet to pick it up, what to expect from it?
It’s melodic. It’s heavy. If you’re familiar with our older album, this one is heavier but still has a lot of melodic parts.
What is different from this album than anything else you’ve ever released?
On our last album, our drummer and our one guitarist pretty much knocked everything and wrote all the lyrics. That was on all the songs. On this album, it was kind of like everybody had parts into it. Everyone was involved more or less. Everybody just kind of clicked better. I feel like the album is more mature than our last album. It’s more of a progressing, you know?
What is the fans reaction to Milestone thus far? Do they like this record or Costs more?
Overall we’ve gotten good responses from Milestone. There is the occasional ‘I like the old album better.’ Someone told me they like the production on Costs better. Even though, we had the same guy produce it. Everybody has been pretty excepting of it so far. Everyone has responded well. I feel like it came out better than expected. I thought it was going to be really had to top Costs, but it came out a lot better than expected.
Why was “No Acceptance” the first single to be released from Milestone?
We felt like it was the perfect song that set the tone for the rest of the record. It has heavy parts, it has melodic parts, it has almost like a catchy chorus part to it. It was something that we thought kind of gave an example of what to expect of the whole album. We released our first lyric video for the song, “Prodigal Son” and that song was just a heavy song. We were just trying to write a super heavy song. “No Acceptance” was a good balance between heavy and melodic. Good example, I guess.
You guys were lucky enough to start your summer by being apart of Scream the Prayer; a huge Christian tour that brings some of the biggest names in Christian hardcore, metalcore and deathcore together each summer. How was it being apart of that?
That tour had been great. Ever since Scream the Prayer had been happening, we’ve kind of always hoped that we could do it. To be a part of that tour, and tour with bands we’ve never really toured with and to get to hang out and meet them was great. Close Your Eyes, we’ve never toured with those guys – maybe played one show with them ever. So getting to really know those guys was awesome. We’ve been friends with the dudes in MyChildren MyBride for a while, so getting to tour with them was cool. It was a good time. We got to play some venues we’ve never played before. We loved it. I love hanging out with people.
Those who may not have gotten a chance to see you guys this year on STP might not know, but Tyler from As Hell Retreats actually played guitar for you guys this year’s STP run. Is he looking to become a full time member of Gideon after the recent break up of AHR?
We’ll see how it goes. We’ve been friends with Tyler and As Hell Retreats for a while. We’ve toured with those guys numerous amounts of times. I think like seven or eight times. This is like the second or third time, Tyler has filled in for us. We’ve all rode in the same van on tours, we’ve done two tours like that. We’ve all been good friends for a while. It’s sad to see them leave. We’ll see, we’ll see where it goes. I mean we all like Tyler, not sure what exactly Tyler wants to do.
As far as writing goes on musicianship, who are some of your guys influences?
Sevendust is a really big deal for a lot of us. Our vocalist, Dan, is really influenced by Rage Against the Machine. Our guitarists are into heavy hardcore bands like Figure Four and stuff. I feel like it all kind of mashes in well. I just wanna put out what it is that kind of style that people consider us to be.
Did you guys play Cornerstone this year?
We did not. We did Scream the Prayer and Cornerstone was not featured within the run of the tour this year.
What are plans to tour in the fall?
Touring with Stray from the Path, Reign Supreme and Counterparts in September. Playing iMatter Festival with bands like For Today,The Devil Wears Prada, The Glorious Unseen and that’s in NY. We’re pretty stoked on that.
You guys have toured well before signing to Facedown Records. So, what is your favorite place to play outside of your home state in Alabama?
Awe man. I think it would to be either Texas or parts of California. I think one of the best shows we’ve ever played was during this year’s Scream the Prayer at The Door in Dallas, TX. It was insane. It was unbelievable just the response we got. I think they’re close to a 100 stage dives. It was one of the most fun times I’ve ever had. Just the response there was overwhelming. All the people there are nice. It’s such a positive environment there. It was awesome.
It seems that over the last year, your touring schedule has been relentless. Over the past year of everyone you’ve had the chance to tour with, who has been the most influential on your spiritual walk?
I would definitely have to say Sleeping Giant. We did a tour with them before Scream the Prayer. We toured with them a few months before STP; First Blood and Betrayal played that tour too. We kind of got to know those guys pretty well. They’re just genuine people, what you see on stage is what you get off stage. On this past STP, some of the dudes had some complications that caused them not to be able to play the tour. Tommy, the vocalist, wrote with us the entire tour. Just getting to know him and talking spiritual stuff and having him talk to us about spiritual stuff was just really good. It’s been good to know them and know what God puts on their hearts. Definitely an awesome band.
The Bible is chock full of thousands of stories. What made the story of Gideon, so special, that you guys named your band after him?
[Laughs.] I think it was just how this dude who questioned God a bunch. He wasn’t sure if this is what he was supposed to be doing. He questioned God on two separate occasions and then God showed him two different times that this is what he is supposed to be doing. He didn’t believe him the first time. He questioned God and then God showed him that this is what he was supposed to be doing. Went off and won this huge war without really fighting anybody. God just delivered these people over to him. He had less than 300 people. He really didn’t have to fight anybody. It’s a really cool story just about how even though we question God, if this is what we’re supposed to be doing, he’ll keep opening doorways. He keeps telling us this is what we’re supposed to doing. Stuff just keeps happening. The name is a reflection of the story. We keep questioning and doors keep opening.