DENVER’S INNER ARMY: PUSHING METALCORE INTO THE FUTURE
We caught up with Denver’s own Inner Army for a one-on-one interview with Dayanne Araujo, diving into their innovative sound design, metalcore roots, and the path forward.
1. Sound identity: Inner Army blends crushing riffs with modern sound design. If you had to define your sonic signature in one sentence, what would it be?
How about one word: Metal-tronic.
2. Band name: What does “Inner Army” mean to you, and how does this name reflect the band’s message?
Inner Army represents the constellation of Awareness that exists within us all. Consciousness is One. There is no thing outside of It and thus each of us exists within each other. Thus, the real Gnosis of Life exists within You. You are the Singularity and The Multiplicity, the Seer and The Seen, The Doer and The Done, The Car and The Highway, The One before which no other comes. And so, Inner Army is just that. The Multitude of Expressions that can come from/with the Inner Army of Guides that suffuse our experience….if we let it.
3. Creative process: How does an Inner Army song come to life—riffs first, lyrics, or experimentation in the studio?
The compositional process is rarely the same twice and takes many shapes. From startng with sound design sessions, almost purely digital creation to sitting in a corner with a guitar or bass; almost purely analog. Sometimes it takes is root in an idea at 3a in my mind, a fully intact 16-bar loop that if I can roll outta bed and hum into my voice memo recorder, I can then usually take it into the studio the next day and hammer out a quick sketch that can lead to a full composition. Sometimes Ricky will bring a composition to the table that we sculpt around. Sometimes Ricky and I will sit in the studio and hammer out a sketch together that takes full shape in a song. I’ll typically start Production w/ drums being that they set the dynamic ceiling of most songs. I’ll get that kissing a master limiter. Then usually bass to weave a super tight pocket btw drum and bass. Then guitar > synth/sound design/atmosphere. Then I’ll go back over everything and imagine it’s best possible outcome given the context. Then usually vocals after the scene is set. Then mix, further detail, obsession, late nights, needless self-critique, complete ego dissolution, total union with an ineffable source, grandeur and still deeper grandeur, more obsession, final mix down, master. There are shades of grey, but that’s the general scoop.
4. Influences: Which bands or artists inspired you, and what’s the most unexpected influence that shaped Inner Army’s sound?
Bad Omens, Architects, BMTH, [fill in with every other dope metal core band out there]. The thing, IMO, that creates a separation between Inner Army and other metalcore things happening is the fact that we don’t hire Producers, we are them. We don’t hire Sound Designers, Mixing Engineers, Recording Engineers, we are them. We come at this whole thing with ZERO compromise. If it doesn’t sound as absolutely BAD ASS as it can possibly sound we don’t green light it, it doesn’t make it past our scrutiny. We have extreme attention to detail, and thus I often say we move like a barge, not a speed boat. But EVERYTHING we put out is top notch.
5. Lyrical themes: You mention the “frustration of the simulation” in one of your tracks. What kind of messages or emotions do you aim to deliver through your lyrics?
I have a lot of rage. That’s true about me. And it’s taken sometime for me to analyze its source in me. But, truthfully, it comes from the state of this very fucked up, upside down, misanthropic, self-mutilating society that we all have to put up with together. It’s an absolute DISASTER that we have to plead with any leadership to stop polluting and contaminating our food, water, air, earth. Its an absolute DISASTER that our ecology and environmental support systems are in total decline and we can’t pause a second in our lives to pay attention to what really matters. Its an absolute and total fucking DISASTER that we have severed our taproot to The Great Spirit that whirls galaxies and collides Universes in exchange for a society whose consumption is a loaded gun pointed at the heads of our Future. I know it feels….. deep, but this is the space that I write from lyrically. Because I do feel rage. Real rage about what’s happening and what we’re allowing to happen on/to this beautiful planet. If I didn’t find a positive outlet for that rage, it could contaminate myself, my family and my will. So, it has to come out somehow.
6. Metalcore scene: How do you view the current metalcore landscape, and where does Inner Army want to stand within it?
I stand on the shoulders of the likes of Korn, Linkin Park, Cypress Hill, Adema, Slipknot, and the rest. IMO, what’s happening in the modern metalcore scene at its best is including what we’ve achieved with EDM, Sound Design, and modern music programming. Basically, The Producer joined the band. I spent almost ten years Touring and Producing more EDM-like music and I’ve now brought the best of what I’ve learned into the metalcore template. We see ourselves pushing the envelope of what’s possible at the fault line between electronic and metal music. Hence metal-tronic.
7. Live experience: If you had to describe the energy of an Inner Army show in just a few words, how would you put it?
Funny you ask. Right now, we just released our FIRST TRACK, The Silenced, off our full-length LP. The following of which will come out one song a month for almost a year. So, building a live set isn’t currently our focus, though it will be soon. We’re focusing all our attention and effort on composing and telling a story around the music and lore. We have deep spiritual and philosophical roots that we infuse into this project and we. Want. To. Take. Our. Time. In such a fast-paced culture, we spend……. ALOT of time making this art and we’d be damned if let it fall through the cracks of clickbait culture, so we’re doing a long drip, time-released approach with this. Letting quality lead. So, Yeah, one day you’ll be able to see us onstage, but in the ethos of this band, only when we’re able to do it TOP fucking notch the way we want to do it. Which cost money so you can support us at innerarmyband.com
8. Fan connection: What’s the most memorable interaction you’ve had with a fan so far?
Honestly, I’m a dad. My daughter is five, and I was literally drafting our first tracks when she was in utero, her birth has been parallel with the birth of Inner Army. And she and Zak, Ricky’s son, are without doubt our biggest fans and have helped obviously shape the music in untold and profound ways. All the above feelings that I shared in the question above about our lyrics I started feeling TEN TIMES when I became a father, because you are now stewarding new life on a fucked up planet. And the rocket of desire to make it right 10X’s.
9. Future plans: What can fans expect in the coming months—more singles, an EP, or a full album?
As mentioned, our first track officially releases on the 22nd of August, 2025. Then for every month, we will release a new song backed up by a shit ton of top-tier content that weaves our story into the collective. Really the highest ethos of this project is influencing our culture to self reflect and closely examine ourselves; at our best and our worst.
10. Personal message: If you could leave one message for someone discovering Inner Army for the first time, what would it be?
If you’ve made it this far in the interview, you now know what we are about. Now, it’s incumbent upon YOU to check it out.