Ethereal atmospheres merged with feracious hard-hitting riffs, Strayn manages to invigorate the progressive metal genre with its experimental tendencies. Based in Los Angeles, California, Strayn is a multicultural progressive metal act that always evolves with each release. Strayn can be considered an experimental band that stays true to the original progressive metal objective. The word ‘Strayn’ comes from the word ‘străin’, which means foreigner in Romanian. The band wanted to have a name that described each member of the band at the time, given that all of the members were immigrants, it was fitting to call themselves “foreigners” since they always felt a feeling of not belonging anywhere and would always be viewed as outsiders.
The band had this to say about “Rive”:
“Rive” is a deeply personal track for us in Strayn. Its overall message is about grappling with the loss of your family or your one true love in this world, feeling like you’re stuck in this universe without them, and in essence, free falling into that emotion. It’s a bit sad, I know! But art tends to mirror the emotional reflection of the world around us. On occasion, a beautiful song about a subject hard to deal with is made. We wanted to tie in current events in Russia and Iran to reflect the complexities of love and loss in a changing world, where personal and political landscapes intersect. To emigrate from one’s country to seek a better life, leaving family and friends behind, is a common example that runs not just in Strayn but in most of our lives.
Our vocal duo, being from Russia, really brings out not just the emotional reality of our lyrics, but also emphasizes the existential nature of people as a whole. Our guitarist, who originates from Armenia, takes the lead creatively, blending our music with a familiar gloomy element that resonates with the heartache of having to leave one’s country. Our Iranian producer adds a layer of richness and depth to our sound, drawing from everyone’s collective cultural and personal influences. So, “Rive” is not just a song we came up with; it’s an observation on our perspective, reflecting the universal struggle to find peace after losing someone dear to you, set against the conditions of today’s times.
Pre-Save “Rive” on Digital Streaming Platforms: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/strayn/rive-feat-aren-sarkissian
Watch the video for “Rive” ahead of its release date:
“Rive” was recorded by Strayn, produced, mixed and mastered by Pooya Moradi. Artwork and band photos by Juliet Kladova.
Strayn is:
Geghart Matousian (Guitar)
Urian Medina (Bass)
Donovan Wetterstein (Studio Drummer)
Ilia Saoulidis (Session Vocalist)
Guest feature on “Rive”: Aren Sarkissian (Saxophone)
Strayn Online:
https://www.instagram.com/strayn.band
https://www.youtube.com/@straynband
https://www.tiktok.com/@straynband
