UN: I think this would be an ideal question to start with. The vocalist that was on the debut album is no longer a member of Nodes of Ranvier. Who has been brought in to replace him? What brought about the switch in the vocalist position?

Terry: Nick, our bass player at the time of Thomas's departure, has taken over vocal duties. It was a mutual agreement for Thomas to leave. He was not happy being in a band anymore and it became extremely visible to all of us.

UN: Your self-titled album has been out for awhile now. I read that you kept the album self-titled due to how confident the band was in the final product. Do you think with this release the bands sound finally came into fruition and you were firing on all cylinders?

Terry: The “Self-Titled” CD took countless hours to record. Ryan (drummer) spent more time than anyone in the studio polishing up all the rusty ends. He helped push the CD to it's full potential. The “Self-Titled” CD was such a relief to have come out. It showed people we had staying power. It also showcased the sound and edge we have to come in the future.

UN: While on the subject of the new album, I just have to say that it is by far one of the most interested hardcore or metal core albums I have ever heard. Looking back are you guys still as pleased with the album now as you were when it was first released?

Terry: Thanks so much for the compliment... Obviously there are always things you would change later on but as a whole we are still very happy with it.

UN: What can we expect from the new Nodes material? I’m hoping for a lot of surprises. The self-titled album covered a lot of ground; can we expect any new elements? Does the new vocalist bring anything new to the table?

Terry: Our next CD is going to blow people away. I don't want to give up too much but it is going to be a lot more metal then anything we have ever done. There is going to be no holds barred with the new CD. As a band the excitement for this CD is high!!!

UN: Is anything set in stone yet for the next album? Do you have a title in mind? Or know which studio you want to record the album? I’m assuming it’s a bit too early to know when we can expect the album.

Terry: I have a feeling when it comes down to deciding the title for the new CD, it will be a difficult decision. Right now we do not have any solid ideas. We will record the CD at Cathouse Studios where all of our CDs have been recorded. Mike that owns Cathouse is very accommodating for us, plus he does a great job.

UN: The band is going to be on tour for much of June with Glass Casket, Crematorium, and Reflux. Are you guys excited about this tour? I think it’s a great line-up, with like minded bands that sound completely different. Are any other tours in the works for the summer, or do you guy’s plan on working on the new album after this tour?

Terry: We are on the Glass Casket tour right now. It has been incredible. The 3 other bands are some of the most incredible people we have ever met. It is amazing to have 4 bands playing together every night and not have one person with an ego. It is going to be a sad day when the tour ends. After this tour we go out with Caliban, Scars Of Tomorrow, & Reflux for 2 weeks in Aug. After Aug we are staying home and working on the new CD. There are no tour plans till at least Mar/April 2005.

UN: Facedown has been the bands home since your debut album. Are you guys still pleased to call the label your home? I think the band and label are perfect for one another. They seem to really push their bands and people know that they can expect quality and original music from the label.

Terry: Jason at Facedown gives us 110%. It is amazing. We couldn't have asked for someone better to help nurture the band. He is always there when we need him. He makes a personal connection with his bands and that is important.

UN: Let’s talk about songwriting for a bit. How does the songwriting work within the band? Does the multi-faceted nature of the bands music come from each different personality within the band?

Terry: Ryan and Jon write all the music. The chemistry they have is exhilarating. Usually after they get the main stuff down, the rest of us come in and add our 2 cents.

UN: Would you say it’s important to keep a balance between the heavy stuff and the more melodic sections? I think you guys are one of the bands that does this the best I’ve ever heard. Even the melodic sections are heavy, and the heavy sections are melodic at times. You strike a great balance, and it keeps things interesting for the duration of the song.

Terry: Melody is very important in song writing. Of course you want to sound heavy but you also want people to remember your songs after they hear them.

UN: Would you say the songwriting is based around feeling more so then sticking in the parameters of what you’d expect from a band of this nature? There are a number of riffs that are unique for this style, some of the cleaner more jangly riffs especially. Do you guys have an anything goes approach to songwriting as long as it fits?

Terry: Ryan and Jon do not stick to any formula when they write. They write what they feel. We just try and not rush the writing process. If it is not coming together, leave it and come back to it. An anything goes as long as it fits is a great analogy...

UN: I noticed that the band has a pretty cryptic lyrical style. It’s obvious that you guys have meaning behind the lyrics but they aren’t as cut and dry as a lot of bands. Would you say it’s important to have a lyrical style that fits the changing musical approach of the band?

Terry: Lyrics are just as important as the music. Lyrical content is almost the first thing people look at when they buy a CD. Our lyrics have changed as the band has changed. It is not something we discussed, it just happened. They evolved like the music.

UN: This is just a quick one. I have absolutely no idea what the name of the band refers to. Care to shed some light on the subject?

Terry: It is an anatomical term for gaps in your brain that electric pulses jump over. There is a much longer explanation but I don't want to bore you. Look it up on the internet sometime, it is interesting. We just wanted a name that was not typical.

UN: What would you attribute the bands unique visual approach to? I was incredibly impressed with the artwork Derek Hess contributed to the self-titled album and everything the band does seems to have a unique look to it, yet there is always a common thread running through it that shows off a Nodes of Ranvier look.

Terry: Derek actually contacted us about doing the album artwork. Derek is my favorite artist in the world, so it was an honor. We gave him a general concept and he went with it. We couldn't have asked for anything better. We are exploring many options for artwork for the new CD... The new disc is going to have a completely different art approach.

UN: At the end of the day, what do you want someone to get out of Nodes? Would you say that you’d want them to realize that there are bands in the metalcore genre that are capable of creating original and interesting music?

Terry: All we want is people to appreciate the band as a whole, whether it be the music, the lyrics, live performance, whatever. We all live and breath this band and we want nothing more than people to realize that we are in this for the long haul. The kids that come to our shows are so supportive. That really means a lot. When you are done playing and you have a kid come up to you and tell you that you are his favorite band, that means more than they will ever know. We have some of the best fans anyone could ask for.

UN: Do you think with the next album the band will become a full time priority? Heavy music is becoming more and more exposed to the masses and more bands are capable of making a career out of it. Would it be extremely rewarding to be able to leave your crumby jobs behind and do this full time?

Terry: We would love nothing more than to do this full time. Right now we are bordering on the edge and all it would take is a little push to get us there. When the new CD comes out we are gonna hit everything like we never have before: touring, promoting, advertising, you name it... We are going to make sure that this new CD is heard by as many people as possible... Be sure to check out www.facedownrecords.com & www.nodesofranvier.com. Thanx so much for the interview and taking the time to talk with us...