The Total Sound Of The Undergound

Lelahel Metal

Imajjjin, a multi-generational metal band from Kansas, blends diverse influences to create a unique sound. They discuss their journey, challenges, and future plans.

1. Can you tell us how Imajjjin was formed and what influenced your multi-generational sound?

Imajjjin was formed by its original members being inspired by our individual influences combined with our own talent. We all felt very ready to write and perform together. Our multi-generational sound comes from the group being spread out in the age department, so we all grew up on different music. We believe our tastes blend well to form Imajjjin's sound; With influences from groups like Trivium, Megadeth, Pantera, Death, Killswitch Engage, Type-O Negative, Exodus, Decapitated, Metallica, Iron Maiden, and many more really

2. Your debut EP, "Path of the Nomad," was released in 2018. Can you share the inspiration behind the title and the overall theme of the EP?

We were sitting in an Irish restaurant in Manhattan Kansas, discussing all the recording we had just completed and trying to discover its overall theme. We had agreed that it was simply a compilation of melodies, lyrics, ideas, and just plain hard life stuff that we had all been carrying up to that point. It was almost a combination of all our stories, and we didn't have any idea where it was going. So Ian coined the titie Path Of The Nomad.

3. Your music ranges from melodic and expressive to brutally heavy and angry. How do you balance these diverse elements in your songwriting process?

We try to arrange things in a way that connects with how we feel about the context while we are writing it. Human emotions are not so very predictable, neither is life. Music is in it's simplest form, an expression of self that cannot be just spoken alone. It must be felt to be even a little bit understood. We are simply expressing ourselves, not trying to balance things for the listener. But if it balances out then good!



4. "An Arduous Bloodlust" was released in 2022, and you have a new single "Galaxa" that has come out now. How do these singles differ from your earlier work, and what can fans expect from what is to come?

The mentioned singles were other naturally composed songs. There is plenty of guitarwork, melody, and lead playing, which is not uncommon for Imajjjin. We also made the structure a little different, to suit the context of course. But we were simply trying to express ourselves and write good songs

5. Could you walk us through your creative process? How do you go from an initial idea to a finished song?

Jessie and Jackson will typically write the skeleton for a song on guitar, whether individually or together. They will present the idea and some context, and we will get to work on "finding the song". Next Adam and Steve write their parts, and then the tricky part, this "finding the song". That's where Fallon comes in, she writes lyrics alone, and with the group, then we try to figure out how all the parts compliment each other. This usually depends completely on the vocal parts being written so we can then reform the song around them. Sometimes this makes a very big change, but it is always very beneficial to the song and Fallon has a real ear for it. It's very impressive to us once it all comes together

6. Performing live is a big part of being a metal band. What can fans expect from an Imajjjin live show, and how do you prepare for your performances?

 Fans can expect high energy and lots of heavy guitar interaction. Our bass player Adam is always up to unique antics on stage as well. For example, at the T-Bar's Rally benefit show, Adam hopped up on the passenger seat of our friend's Harley Davidson and did laps around the crowd while we played the intro to the first song of the night! We typically prepare for a performance by taking it easy and relaxing until dinner, then the band has dinner together if we can, then we book it to the venue to  watch the other bands play. During the set prior to ours, we all warm up in our own boring ways.

7. Being from Kansas, how do you see the metal scene in the Midwest, and what role do you think Imajjjin plays in it?

Man, it can be tough sometimes. Especially not being "From" a big city. Fortunately, there are some great people out there looking for talent that have become good friends of ours. We have a long way to go, but we have been blessed in a lot of places we didn't expect to be blessed. We have always seen ourselves as "The red-headed step-child" of every Scene we are a part of. Because we live so far from everywhere! Luckily, our set seems to impress 


8. What have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a band, and what are some of your proudest moments?

The biggest challenges usually come in the form of everyday life, life gets in the way of dreams sometimes and we have to address things appropriately and make sure that our priorities are in check. The members of Imajjjin live within a 3 hour drive of a bubble and getting together for rehearsal can be challenging at times. Some of our proudest moments would include: Being asked to play The Granada in Lawrence, KS for our second ever show. Opening for Narcotic Wasteland last Halloween. And Watching Fallon, our vocalist, go from being a shy fan of ours to being the monster on stage and in studio that she is now.

9. What plans does Imajjjin have for the future? Are there any upcoming tours or new projects in the works?

No current upcoming tours just yet, but Jessie will be announcing his second solo album soon hopefully. We are trying to focus on writing as we prepare for our next chapter. Fallon is still fairly new in the band and we have a lot of writing to do, but we are very excited about how it all has been coming together. We have some unreleased songs that have us very happy in our place with Fallon on the microphone.

10. How important is fan interaction for Imajjjin, and how do you stay connected with your audience, especially through social media?

Fan interaction is number two, only below the self expression through our art. We love making music, and we appreciate our fans tremendously. Online interaction can be tricky, but the right post at the right time can get people excited. We try our best to be as present as we can be while attending other shows as well as our own. You never know who you are meeting until after the first impression is over

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