The Unbranded was by no means meant to suit neatly right into a single class. What started as Kyle Pivarnik’s basement undertaking has grown right into a pressure that pushes in opposition to the expectations of style and conference. Now a full band with bassist Michael Rose and drummer Daniel Brawley, The Unbranded channels the punch of ’90s punk, the load of alt-rock, and the introspection of post-hardcore into one thing uncooked and uncompromising. On this interview, we talk about the band’s refusal to chase perfection, the influence of non secular trauma and sobriety on their songwriting, and why making music at 40 is extra related than ever. If you happen to’ve ever felt such as you don’t fairly belong, The Unbranded has one thing to say—and it’s value listening to.
The Unbranded, welcome to A&R Manufacturing facility, it’s a pleasure to have you ever with us. Earlier than we get into the bottom you’re at present breaking, we’d like to know the origin story of your band and the way it developed from a solo undertaking.
The Unbranded began as a solo undertaking in my basement in Colorado. On the time, I struggled to search out musicians who shared my musical style. The native scene leaned both towards folky, hippie music or excessive metallic—there wasn’t a lot in between. So, I began writing and recording music alone.
Even now, I really feel like The Unbranded nonetheless lives in that in-between area. We’re usually instructed we’re both too heavy or not heavy sufficient. That problem grew to become a part of our identification—the band exists to discover these margins and push past the confines of any single style.
Once I moved to Oregon, The Unbranded developed right into a full band. We’ve been via a number of lineup adjustments over time, however we’ve lastly landed on the fitting chemistry. Studying to share one thing that began as such a private undertaking was a problem at first, however I wouldn’t return to doing it alone. There’s a inventive vitality that occurs while you collaborate—William S. Burroughs known as it the “third thoughts”—the place the concepts that emerge are ones none of us might provide you with alone. That’s what makes The Unbranded what it’s at present.
Your sound appears to withstand being confined to a single style whereas channeling up to date and nostalgic influences. How did you come to form The Unbranded sound?
The identify The Unbranded was a direct response to not understanding methods to categorize our music. I used to be writing songs that pulled from punk, alt-rock, grunge, and even parts of prog and metallic. Fairly than pressure a label on it, I simply determined, that is unbranded rock. That and I’ve no tattoos, and I work in advertising and marketing!
All of us come from totally different musical backgrounds, however for me, ’90s punk and various had been foundational. Listening to Kerplunk by Inexperienced Day in 1992 was a defining second—it cracked one thing open. Rising up outdoors of Cleveland, I didn’t notice till a lot later how a lot the Bay Space punk scene formed me. Bands like Operation Ivy gave me a way of identification, whereas NOFX performed an enormous position in shaping my political beliefs. Sonically, Device and Incubus had a considerable affect on my guitar tone, and that blend of grit and melody nonetheless runs via every thing I play.
Michael and Daniel herald parts of metallic, post-hardcore, and even jazz. That vary means we don’t restrict ourselves to a single sound. Every track is impressed by one thing totally different. For instance, Majesty has a little bit of a Coheed and Cambria vibe, and we even reference Claudio Sanchez within the lyrics.
Fairly than chase a signature sound, we embrace the liberty to evolve. The present album has a sonic identification, however I make no ensures that the subsequent one will sound something prefer it.
In an period the place many go for hyper-polished manufacturing, what drives your choice to retain a uncooked, unfiltered high quality in your recordings?
Quite a lot of fashionable music has had the humanity processed out of it. Auto-tune and algorithmic perfection have pushed issues thus far that every thing sounds too clear.
For us, it’s about stability. We nonetheless file in a high-quality studio—No Angels Right here was finished at Jackpot! Recording Studio, the place bands like Sleater-Kinney, Pearl Jam, and The Postal Service have recorded. Larry Crane, who runs the studio and publishes Tape Op journal, has a recording philosophy that actually resonates with me. You may actually really feel it within the area. It felt very pure taking part in in that room.
We wished our album to sound uncooked however intentional. A number of the track constructions are bizarre, even awkward, however that’s a part of what makes them ours. We didn’t need to chase perfection to the purpose of shedding what makes the music really feel human.
Making your mark at 40 is not any small feat. How do you consider your maturity and life expertise contribute to the emotional depth of your music?
I’d be mendacity if I stated I didn’t really feel self-conscious about my age in a scene the place quite a lot of the bands we play with are nonetheless of their early 20s. However I bear in mind studying that Dave Wyndorf of Monster Magnet was 40 once they began blowing up, and pondering, “OK, I’ve nonetheless obtained time.”
I’ve come to understand that getting older means I’ve a clearer sense of what actually issues. The themes in our songs replicate that. We’re not simply writing about relationships or riot—we’re tackling greater questions on identification, function, and survival in a world that doesn’t at all times make sense.
And on the finish of the day, I remind myself that music isn’t about how outdated you’re—it’s about connection. And I feel, greater than something, we’re searching for to induce an emotional response.
The challenges you’ve encountered offstage seem to have performed a major position in your creative growth. In what methods have these experiences influenced your songwriting?
Non secular trauma has been a recurring theme in my writing, and it’s one thing all three of us have handled in numerous methods. Rising up in an atmosphere the place music was censored and managed left a long-lasting influence, and taking part in in punk bands grew to become an act of defiance.
One other large affect has been my journey with sobriety. I obtained sober at 29 and performed in a punk band in Denver whereas navigating the dive bar scene as a sober musician. Quite a lot of our lyrics take care of the wrestle of dependancy—not simply the private battle however the broader societal influence.
We would like our songs to be anthems for individuals going via laborious occasions. To take these emotions of disgrace or wrestle and switch them into one thing communal—one thing that reminds individuals they’re not alone.
As you put together to launch a brand new file and embark on stay performances, what key messages or feelings are you hoping to speak to your viewers?
We need to create the identical expertise that our favourite bands gave us. I at all times say I write songs for my sixth-grade self—to point out him that even when the world round you feels hostile or isolating, music could be a refuge.
That’s what we need to provide our listeners: a way of belonging, a reminder that issues can get higher, and an excuse to scream your lungs out at a stay present.
Reflecting on the ups and downs of your profession, how do you envision the way forward for The Unbranded, each musically and by way of connecting along with your followers?
The plan for 2025 is easy: file the subsequent album, play as many exhibits as potential, and hold placing out music that feels genuine.
We’ve talked about doing a West Coast tour from Seattle to San Diego. Greater than something, we need to get our music into as many ears as potential—whether or not that’s via streaming, stay exhibits, or no matter comes subsequent.
One factor’s for certain: we’re simply getting began.
The Unbranded is a rock band that refuses to be confined to a single style, mixing parts of punk, alt-rock, and grunge with a uncooked, dynamic vitality. Based by Kyle Pivarnik (guitar and vocals), the band developed from a solo undertaking right into a full-fledged trio with the addition of Michael Rose (bass) and Daniel Brawley (drums). Drawing from a variety of influences—from the Bay Space punk scene to post-hardcore and metallic—The Unbranded thrives within the inventive area between nostalgia and innovation, delivering music that’s each pressing and deeply private.
Uncover The Unbranded on Spotify.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast
