In a small town, you either die where you came from or dream your way out. From Ashes To New understand this choice. As such, the Lancaster, PA band—Matt Brandyberry [rap vocals, keys, synths, programming, guitar], Danny Case [clean & unclean vocals], Lance Dowdle [lead guitar], and Mat Madiro [drums]—churn out an anthemic hybrid of hard rock, hip-hop, electronic, and alternative with enough energy to inspire you to get up, move forward, and maybe even, make a change. Since 2013, the group have risen from humble beginnings to the top of the 21st century rock vanguard with hundreds of millions of streams, sold out shows across the country, and acclaim from LoudWire, Alternative Press, and more.
“Growing up in Elizabethtown, PA felt hopeless in a way,” admits Matt. “You go to college and become part of corporate America, or you’re just “trash”. For the longest time, I fell into the latter category according to other people. My mentality was, ‘Who are these people to fucking tell me what I’m going to do with my life?’ They don’t make my decisions; I make decisions for myself. It took a lot of ups and downs, but it’s paying off. I owe it to the small town blue-collar mentality that made me work harder. Danny grew up in Rochester, but his story is the same. We were the loners picked last. Everyone underestimated us. We fought through it for all of our lives, and we’re going to be picked first now.”
“I was always an outcast who nobody gave a shit about,” agrees Danny. “The only thing I ever dreamt of was music. Like the other guys in From Ashes to New, nobody was going to tell me otherwise or stop me.”
During 2021, the musicians holed up in Lancaster with longtime collaborators and producers Grant McFarland and Carson Slovak to create their upcoming album. This time around, the band made a conscious decision to ignore outside influences and focus on what makes them From Ashes To New.
“We weren’t going to let other people tell us what to do,” affirms Danny. “We went back to the guys who produced us for a long time, because they worked cohesively with us.”
“We got back to the days of creating music to simply create,” adds Matt. “We ended up making the most genuine piece of art we could. At the same time, we applied everything we’ve learned as musicians, producers, and writers. We knew we were capable of doing everything bigger and better.”
