NACOGDOCHES, TX, Dec. 5— Following the release of their single “D.G.F Inc.” earlier this year, After Alazan has released their full-length album Running Ourselves in Circles. After Alazan is a progressive rock band deeply dedicated to furthering their music career and growing as artists.
Running Ourselves in Circles is a riff-heavy, melodic and vocally powerful rock album with introspective lyrics and great production value. After Alazan consists of vocalist Matthew Lucas and bassist Miriam Galan. The two pride themselves on the creative process of writing their own songs and music.
Photo by: Owen Curran
Putting the album together was a challenge, but the end result was worth it after nearly a year and a half of recording, swapping producers and hours of recording time.
“It was really just a process on its own, but it was fun and rewarding and we ended coming up with some new songs that we wouldn’t have written otherwise,” Lucas said.
The band went with producer, Trey Thornton, to bring their music to life. Though the recording space was unconventional— no soundproof walls, no intensive soundboard, not even a full band— the production value is high. Lucas recorded his vocals in an open closet with a bedsheet over the doorway but “people never guess that.” The album “sounds professional but no, [Trey is] just really good at what he does.”
Thornton said he took their inspirations and influences to heart and tried to “flesh out the sound that they already had.” He wanted After Alazan to be able to show this album to people, take it wherever they may go and say “this is how we sound, this is what we want to sound like.”
“Trey just really captured everything.” Galan said.
Out of the seven tracks on Running Ourselves in Circles, Lucas and Galan had a couple favorites. Lucas’s favorite song is “Chugadada,” aptly named for the riff that goes throughout the song. But lyrically he prides himself on the final song on the album, titled “Priorities” in which he wrote you said you wanted faith but you don’t believe, you said you wanted change but not in me.
“That whole lyric really just sums up what that songs talking about and I really couldn’t have said it better than that,” Lucas said.
Galan, on the other hand, is proudest of the intro song. She enjoys how powerful and dynamic it is.
“The intro has to be the song that I’ve listened to probably about 30 times since the album came out just because it’s my favorite,” Galan said.
Photo by: Lexus Jacobs
The rock scene in Nacogdoches is overshadowed by country music, but it doesn’t stop After Alazan from getting out and giving it their all at shows. Galan said she believes the music scene in Nacogdoches taught her and Matthew “how to go through the tough stuff and how a band needs to work” and that it proved to her the meaning of being truly dedicated.
“I mean, you have to be dedicated to be in a band and be in a music scene that isn’t really there, so I think it really showed who the members were that were really passionate about it,” Galan said.
Lucas and Galan have been in the local scene in this little Southern town for a few years and they are at a point in their lives where they are excited to expand their careers. As grateful as they are to the Nacogdoches community for giving them a place to grow, they are excited for something new and to “[Look] for bigger and better things” said Lucas.
Bigger and better is located in Richmond, Virginia, which is the next stop for these rockers. Richmond has a budding music scene as well as easy access to cities like New York or Washington D.C, and After Alazan want to become a part of it next year after Galan graduates high school.
“If you just wanna record and have fun with your band and just enjoy playing music as a pastime, then [Nacogdoches is] good,” said Galan, “But I think if you wanna make it as a musician or make it in the music industry at all, then you definitely need to get out. That’s why we’re leaving.”
Lucas and Galan want to plant their roots in Richmond and rebuild their band, on the search for members who want to make it in the industry just as much as they do.
“Because there were people who really wanted to put the time into it and who wanted to move to make it bigger rather than just doing the easy thing which is staying in Nacogdoches,” Galan said.
Once they find members, they intend on recording their second album. Until then, they will keep practicing and growing their skills as musicians. Regardless of where life takes After Alazan, Galan and Lucas will always be proud to have gotten their start in Nacogdoches. They will definitely come back home from time to time and play with the local bands that “kept them going” over the years.
“I would love to come back and just continue to show people that hey, Nac, does have a thriving alternative music, there’s so many amazing acts.” Lucas said.
After Alazan’s album Running Ourselves in Circlesis available now on all streaming services, including Youtube, Apple Music, Spotifyand Soundcloud.