UN: While the name Sinai Beach may not be new to everyone reading this, but for those that are new to the band, can you go through a history of how the band came to be? Were any of you guys in band prior to playing in Sinai Beach?

SB: We all played in other bands. We have about 10 years under our belts of playing music in bands and jamming with eachother. Individually, all of us have about 3 bands we have played in prior to Sinai beach. It gets really complicated when you break the proverbial tree down.

UN: One question I knew I had to ask, was what exactly does the band name mean? It’s a very unique name and I really have no idea where it comes from.

SB: We get this question a lot. It has no real deep meaning, it just sounded cool.

UN: You guys are preparing to go into the studio to record your new album Immersed. Will the album have any surprises? What can we expect?

SB: It is going to be a big kick in the nuts to most of the annoying trends in American hardcore and metal right now. We have written music that is influenced by the bands we’re really into. We are influenced by bands like Suffocation, Pantera, Fear Factory, Testament, The Cult, Crowbar, Slipknot, Cannibal Corpse, etc. This album has more to do with the older roots of American metal than the newer watered down type that is popular in the scene.

UN: Travis Smith will be handling the artwork for Immersed. Is the artwork completed yet? Is it along the same lines as the style you had on When Breath Escapes?

SB: It is near finished and it looks great. It is improved from the “WBE” style of artwork. He really is impressing us with what he has done thus far.

UN: I know the album isn’t even recorded yet, but I was wondering if you could possibly elaborate on the title. Is the title taken from lyrics on the new album?

SB: It isn’t a theme of all the songs on the album. It has to do with being immersed in true darkness and despair and how scary that really is. It is a sort of theme for some of our lives this past year. It was a tough time for all of us and our music was the venting of that.

UN: Possibly the only aspect of your debut full length that was lacking was the production. Was it a conscious decision to record at a studio where you knew you’d get the sound you were after? What made you decide to record at Trax East this time around?

SB: They are awesome. Period. They can give us the sound we want, and this CD requires the best of recordings because the music is intense.

UN: Do you think that you guys possibly rushed a bit in the studio when recording When Breath Escapes? It says that you recorded for like 5 days I think in the booklet. It’s an amazing album, but like I said the production possibly isn’t as powerful as it could be.

SB: Yeah, it was rushed, but we did most that stuff on one take as well. It would have sounded a lot tighter, but we were all just so stoked to be in there and made the best we could out of it.

UN: Would you say that When Breath Escapes helped you guys get a foot hold in the hardcore scene? It definitely was a huge step up from the debut EP, and is intense enough that people can’t help but notice what the band is doing.

SB: We made a name for ourselves with the record, definitely.

UN: Would you agree that it seems to be a good time for heavy music right now? It seems like bands are getting more attention and are sticking to their guns. It’s possibly one of the first times when bands have stayed true to what they believe in, and the music is catching on. What do you think brought about the extra attention?

SB: Yes, it definitely is. Ozzfest has had the best lineup since sepultura and earth crisis played years ago. People deal with a lot of crap, and heavy music is a sort of catharsis for that anger. Headbanger’s Ball got put back on the air, and I think that says a lot for our music.

UN: Sinai Beach is definitely a heavy band, but I’d have a hard time calling you guys a metal band. More so because of the attitude of the band. It seems like a lot of metal bands and fans just have a bad attitude towards a lot of things. Do you consider Sinai Beach to be a metal influenced hardcore band more so then say a hardcore influenced metal band?

SB: Well, put beliefs and attitudes aside, we play heavy music. To us metal doesn’t mean “negative” and hardcore doesn’t mean “positive.” I think both genres have bad apples and good. Our music does not determine our attitude, our attitude determines what we play and how we play it.

UN: Does it ever make you laugh that people mainly associate campfire songs with Christian music? I think people always expect heavy music to be dark and evil, but people don’t realize that music can be dark and still have meaning. Do you think that Christian hardcore is doing better then it ever has?

SB: Honestly, I can’t remember that last time I saw a band that claimed to be Christian express their beliefs. Some of the bands even on facedown aren’t open up on the stage about the Lord. I think the glory days were the days of NIV, Overcome, Strongarm, Unashamed, etc. Christian Hardcore is on the brink of dying, but thankfully we have other bands keeping it real.

UN: I was curious to ask how the songwriting works with the band. There is so much going on, that it almost seems like possibly the different members might bring different things to the plate. Would you say that the Sinai Beach sound is a collection of every ones personalities coming together during the writing process?

SB: Yes, definitely. We are beautifully destructive when we get together and write music.

UN: Once the new album is released, what can we expect the band? I’m assuming the entire US will be pummeled by endless touring. For that matter, when can we expect the new album to see the light of day?

SB: Hopefully November, we’ll see what happens man. We’re willing to do whatever it takes to stay true to our God, our music, and our fans.