And that is particularly evident on their sophomore full-length, Stygian Waves, issued on March 28, 2025 through the Kscope label. Lifeson spoke to AllMusic shortly earlier than the album’s launch, and defined the way it differs from the group’s first providing, along with chatting about songwriting, elements of his private life, and even a number of Rush-related subjects.
How would you evaluate Stygian Waves to Envy of None’s self-titled debut?
“The primary album was very exploratory for us. We did not actually know one another very effectively. I clearly knew Andy [who was previously a member of Canadian rockers Coney Hatch], however I did not know Alf that effectively, and I did not know Maiah in any respect. And we actually got here collectively and labored as a group on that properly, remotely. So, we might share our information and all of that stuff. Effectively, we made the second report that approach, too. And I believe we benefited from the primary report and attending to know one another a bit bit higher. And we began engaged on the report proper after the primary one was launched, so we simply flowed proper into it.”
“I believe that this report is extra mature. It reveals extra confidence on our half. I believe we achieved all of the targets that we’re after. It wasn’t a lot of searching for issues because it was as soon as the concepts have been set, then we simply adopted by. There’s extra substance to this report.”
“I am soloing extra on this report, which is sort of a pleasant factor. It is a bit heavier, I believe. It is a bit rockier in a approach, however there’s additionally a lot of cool, funky stuff. And I believe the variability is sweet. The manufacturing has improved. Not that I had an issue with the manufacturing of the final report, however this report actually sounds nice. So, a beautiful report to take heed to.”
“After which there’s Maiah. Maiah sits on prime of all the things else. She’s genius on this report, and she or he’s actually matured as a vocalist, as a songwriter, a lyricist, and as an individual. So, it has been fairly a fairly an attention-grabbing journey for her within the final couple of years.”
Does the album title have a selected which means?
‘No. Stygian waves are from mythology, and are the turbulent waves on the gates of hell. As you stream down the River Styx, as you strategy the gates of hell, the water turns into rather more turbulent and chaotic. And we wish to suppose that there is additionally a technique to navigate out of these turbulent waters into one thing a bit extra calmer and optimistic.”
Two music movies have been issued thus removed from the album, “Not Useless But” and “Below the Stars.”
“I am not a singles man, personally. However I perceive that there is some significance, and the report firm feels it is vital to have singles and movies. So, ‘Not Useless But,’ we employed a videographer from Argentina to do the primary video. It is an AI generated video, however my understanding is a variety of work goes into it earlier than it ever comes close to a pc. So, this argument forwards and backwards, I assume it is a digital/analog argument at instances, y’know, on steroids, however I believe it appears to be like wonderful.”
“And this AI stuff is frightening, nevertheless it appears to be like wonderful. It is attention-grabbing to have a look at and watch. So, there’s a lot exercise in these movies. These have been the primary tracks that we thought that we might launch as singles. And the second video, for ‘Below the Stars,’ that is an entire completely different strategy.”
“However I assume they’re efficient instruments to take, get individuals’s consideration for moments, however nobody has an consideration span anymore. No person actually cares. So I simply, I ponder about the entire thing. They’re enjoyable to do and so they’re enjoyable to have a look at, however in the end, are they a lot of a instrument anymore? I am actually unsure. I am not the one to ask…regardless that you requested me!”
I discover the music of Envy of None to be fairly cinematic sounding. Has the band pursued doing music for TV or movie?
“We have tried very laborious, and we did get a placement on the primary album for the track ‘Liar’ on a Netflix collection. The title [of the show] escapes me proper now. Yeah, I believe that that may be superior, as a result of I believe this music could be very cinematic and fairly atmospheric. A variety of the fabric I believe would match nice for, like, ‘Not Useless But,’ for the subsequent Bond film? Wow. What an important track that may be for the subsequent Bond film. And we’ve got supervisors that seek out these alternatives. So, hopefully one thing extra will come of that. However I’d like to get these form of placements.”
It is laborious to check the music of Envy of None to any particular different artist, which is an efficient factor. Are there any influences from different artists that you can imagine?
“Effectively, I believe there is a comparability to Rubbish, I assume, as a result of Shirley [Manson] and Maiah are each girls. However for me, no, I’m going into it simply with a transparent thoughts, engaged on these initiatives. And I have a look at them as difficult alternatives for me to play guitar differently than I’ve ever performed it, and search for sounds which are very completely different than customary, conventional guitar sounds. So for me personally, it is a actually nice train in exploration and increasing my boundaries.”
“If you happen to ask the others that, I am certain they’d have their influences, however I actually do not know. As a result of we work on it pretty steadily, and we’re at all times targeted on it. So you are not getting in a variety of different exterior influences, a minimum of I do not suppose so. Everyone does not actually wish to copy one thing else. You wish to be authentic. However actually there are flavors of different issues – there is a ’60s vibe that I hear, there is a ’90s vibe that I hear. We’re form of a bit everywhere in the map.”
“However I believe we’ve got a really distinctive mixture in that we’re sort of old fashioned musicians and we’re writing form of, I’d say, darker cinematic music. However with Maiah’s voice not being a ‘rock sort of voice’ and being fairly fragile, it is a actually nice distinction to what the music is, which is a bit darker. So I believe in that sense, it is fairly distinctive.
How do you strategy Envy of None songs from a guitar standpoint?
“We get the fundamental thread of an concept. And often they’re fairly minimal. In relation to me, I do scratch guitars, and I do not do a variety of them, however I am going to do the thematic and possibly one secondary sort of guitar presence. And I do not spend an entire lot of time. I often simply use plugins and attempt to get by it very spontaneously. After which it goes to Maiah and she or he’ll do a scratch vocal, and it comes again to me, after which I begin doing the ultimate guitars. After which I simply break it down in sections between the verses and the choruses and bridges and any instrumental part – very like I’d have carried out prior to now with Rush music. I imply, that is my method for mapping issues out.”
“After which I sort of dive into it. Generally, I begin with an acoustic, and I do acoustic stuff that in the end will likely be electrical, however I discover that I can get a bit extra natural with an acoustic at instances. And I like taking part in acoustic guitar, in any case. So very often with this report, that was a place to begin for me, and invariably, that turned a signature for an additional half, the place it might go into an acoustic part, or a minimum of supportive. After which I’d begin constructing the guitars, often, y’ know, as you may see [shows a large collection of guitars behind him], I received all my stuff over right here. Analog stuff, and the amps, and I’ve a cupboard that is in an enclosure. So I love to do these issues extra analog.”
“However I additionally received, I do not know when you’ve checked these out but – that is the Common Audio amp pedals that they’ve [Alex displays two pedal models: Lion ’68 and Enigmatic ’82]. They’re sort of new. They sound wonderful! I am a pedal man for certain, however I am not this sort of pedal man – like, emulating guitar sounds. However I did the factor for the TONEX, the place they did my complete catalog of amps. Oh, it is unbelievable. And there is a complete new technology, I assume it is pushed AI, an entire new technology of those sorts of issues that actually emulate the guitar sound.”
“Digital guitar, like plugins, at all times sound prefer it’s taped onto the display screen. It does not have the depth – you do not really feel prefer it’s tall or deep or fats. And these pedals do it, and the TONEX does it, as a result of they’ve carried out one thing in regards to the backside finish of these plugins, which have been missing prior to now. They appear to have conquered that impediment. And now these pedals and people plugins like TONEX are an unbelievable step into making it rather more handy and nonetheless sustaining an important, nice, nice guitar sound.”
Do you suppose Envy of None might play some reveals in help of the brand new album?
“Oh, we would like to. We maintain speaking about it. I believe {that a} night time in a smallish theater with a pleasant, refined gentle present with two albums value of fabric could be an evening of simply stunning, nice, very emotional music. However, it is troublesome to get the logistics in place. These are very troublesome, difficult instances for us – to do a gig, or gigs, could be a monetary loss. So, it is laborious to get motivated to spend so much of effort and time to do one thing that it is going to value you to do it. No less than these are the preliminary responses that that we have gotten. However we’re holding out hope that possibly there’s a chance to do even a handful of gigs as a sort of particular musical occasion.”
Now that you have not toured for fairly a while, how would you describe a typical day these days for you?
“I am an early riser. I am often up between 5:30 and 6:30. I hit the health club on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. At 9:00, I come again. That is my studio in my house, and I like to come back again right here and spend time right here. It is my sanctuary. And I by no means get bored in right here. And there is by no means nothing that I do not wish to do after I’m in right here. So, I am going to spend time right here.”
“I play a bit little bit of golf, and I used to be going to say some tennis sometimes. And I make my very own meals, I prepare dinner my very own meals. I am very acutely aware about my eating regimen and the way I am consuming now, in order that sort of fills my day. And as soon as per week or so, I am going to drop by Ged‘s, and we’ll have espresso and discuss stuff. And see my grandkids. And that is about it. That is about my life.”
How are you doing health-wise?
“I went to a clinic in January in Austria, in southern Austria, referred to as the Vivamayr Clinic. It’s a wellness clinic that focuses on digestive system. In addition to many different issues – they’ve many most cancers sufferers there, and so they present so many alternative therapies. And it is very calm and quiet – no telephones, no music. It is nearly virtually zenning out and diving into this – ingesting a variety of water, tea, there isn’t any espresso, there’s clearly no alcohol. And I went as a result of I had surgical procedure in 2023 on my abdomen, and it left me with gastroparesis, which is gradual motility. So, meals stays in my abdomen for ten or twelve hours slightly than two or three hours.”
“So, I actually should eat very rigorously, and I’ve to be very selective about how I eat and never cross that line, as a result of it is laborious for me to get again over. Y’know, one mistake prices me two or three days of discomfort. I used to be nauseous for a 12 months. I used to be depressing for just about a 12 months and a half…till I went to Vivamayr, and so they simply taught me find out how to take management of how I am consuming, what to eat, when to eat. And it is simply exceptional.”
“As a result of I am not usually that kind of individual. I am lazy and I simply do not work laborious relating to issues I do not wish to do. However this, for the primary time in my life, simply modified all the things, and it has been life altering for me. Since I went to see them, I’ve misplaced about 23 kilos, and I misplaced one other I believe 15 or 20 kilos earlier than that. So I am down near 40 kilos in a 12 months and a half.”
“And if I am cautious and I eat correctly, I can stay a cheerful, comparatively regular life. If I do not, then I undergo. So, you do not wish to really feel crappy I’ve come to appreciate. You form of take it day after day, however now I do not wish to really feel crappy anymore, ever once more. So, I’ve turn out to be very, very strict about it. I do not drink anymore, I do not smoke, I do not eat junk. Completely no junk. Gluten free, lactose free. Like, all of that stuff – as a result of that is me. That is what I’ve to do. It is not a selection. That is what I’ve to do to keep up a good, snug life.”
When the Victor album [1996’s self-titled] and Geddy’s solo album [2000’s My Favourite Headache] have been reissued final 12 months, I hoped possibly you’ll play reveals collectively and carry out materials off these albums for the primary time ever. Was that ever a consideration?
“No, nevertheless it’s not a nasty concept. We by no means even considered one thing like that. Yeah, that may have been one thing to think about. I imply, I actually needed to remix the [Victor] report. I used to be very sad with the unique combine that I did on it. It was very vivid. Backside finish actually wasn’t there. So, it gave me a second alternative to try this. And after I stripped all the things down, I noticed that I might gone so overboard after I recorded the report…I had six tracks of guitars taking part in the identical factor. Like, ‘Okay, doubling is okay. However do it is advisable to have six tracks simply to have that dense ’90s sort of sound?'”
“After which after I stripped all of it down right here, I blended it right here on this room. I took all these guitars out. I simply left one or two guitars in order that was extra direct, cleaner, extra air round all the things. I used to be a lot happier – the underside finish felt higher. A lot happier with the mixes. It is laborious to return 20 years and revisit one thing, or 30 years revisit one thing, that was so vital, however you’ve got gone past it now. But it surely was an important train for me to have a second likelihood at it.”
Do you ever return and take heed to Rush’s music?
“Not likely. Each now and again I hear a observe and…I’ve by no means been in a position to separate myself from the man that labored on that music that needed it to be higher. So, all the things that I hear I believe might be higher. I simply concentrate on, ‘Oh, why did I play that little factor? Or this.’ It is laborious to only sit again and hear. And I believe that is in all probability fairly widespread for anyone that data music. However, yeah, possibly I am going to have a hear extra typically.”
I just lately went again and re-read fairly a number of of Neil Peart‘s lyrics, as a result of I used to be placing collectively an inventory of a few of his finest lyrics for a web site I write for. What would you say are a few of your favourite lyrics he wrote?
“Oh, ‘Freewill’ was nice. ‘Nearer to the Coronary heart’ was to the purpose. ‘Xanadu’ was that form of actually cool interval from the extra ‘fantasy’ period – as a result of it is simply so descriptive and colourful, the lyrics in that track. ‘Subdivisions’ speaks to an entire technology. Yeah, he was a really, very gifted lyricist. He was an important observer, and that is the place he wrote from. I believe for the final third of his writing profession – he was extra of an observer, taking a look at issues round him and commenting on them extra from his personal private viewpoint.”
I believe “Dropping It” is one among his finest lyrics ever.
“Yeah. That and ‘The Backyard.’ ‘The Backyard,’ actually, for its time when that track got here out, or when that album got here out [2012’s Clockwork Angels], we by no means would have anticipated that that may be the closing quantity for Rush’s life. And ‘Dropping It,’ boy, it is very, very poignant. All of us face that.”
Particularly as I am getting older, that track sort of takes on a brand new which means.
“Yeah, you discover that too, huh? [Laughs] Yeah, I want I used to be the guitar participant I used to be 20 years in the past, however, I am nonetheless working at it.”
Which modern-day music artists do you take pleasure in?
“None. I do not take heed to any trendy music, to be trustworthy with you. I take that again – I heard a band final week, referred to as Måneskin. They’re an Italian band. Superb. They sounded actually, actually good. I am not saying there isn’t any good music round, there’s. I am simply not concerned with looking for it anymore. These days are over for me, the place I might go to the report retailer and purchase an album and take it dwelling and undergo that complete course of.”
“I do what I do. I might a lot slightly take heed to music I create nowadays. And I do a variety of that, from my very own private use. I’ve reams of stuff that I report that I play within the background, if we’re having a cocktail party or one thing like that. And it is beneath the radar, no one is aware of who it’s or what it’s. It is simply very nice music within the background. Trendy music, pop music, all that stuff, I can not stand it, actually – to be trustworthy with you. It is nearly dancing and leaping round. And I actually haven’t got a variety of respect for it.”
My daughter is a really huge fan of Taylor Swift. And whereas that is not the music I sometimes take heed to, after I do hear her it, I’ve to offer credit score that she does quite a lot of types. It is not predictable – it isn’t a similar type she at all times does.
“I am precisely the identical as you. I am not accustomed to her music – I do know a number of songs. I do know a Taylor Swift track as quickly because it comes on, which is nice. However she’s a participant, and she or he’s a author, and the way in which she took care of her crew, like, what was it, $90 million in bonuses or one thing for her crew? [The figure was reported to be $197 million] A protracted tour – it was a few years. However she thinks like we at all times thought.”
“And once more, I am not a fan of that sort of music – I believe it is effectively carried out and I give her credit score for it. However I give her tons of credit score for being the person who she is, and dealing with herself the way in which she does, and the large affect that she has. Very, very optimistic affect she has on her so loyal viewers. It is unbelievable. I’ve complete respect for her.”
Future plans?
“Effectively, I am gonna end this cup of tea and have one other one, and go on and do one other 50 interviews at this time, and for the remainder of the week! I am nonetheless engaged on a documentary on the Nice Lakes with a bunch of individuals – some guys from Barenaked Women, from the Rheostatics. We have been engaged on this for some time. It is an attention-grabbing mission, as a result of we get collectively and we jam, after which we begin pulling stuff out of these jams after which constructing from these. And a variety of the jams, as we progress, get higher and higher and higher, and stand alone as elements.”
“I am working with a younger feminine artist on a few of her stuff. I do stuff with Marco Minnemann on occasion – I’ve one mission right here on my desktop with him. So, I am taking part in loads. I play day by day. I play earlier than I’m going to mattress for an hour, as an absolute. However often, I am getting a minimum of three or 4 hours of guitar taking part in in day by day. So, it is all good.”
