The heavy music locomotive continues on as Metal Southern Belles Media brings you to another badass interview. Our second and last rockin’ discussion of the week is with the band, FRACTURED. This group takes pride in performing pure Rock ‘N Roll that “cuts through time as it cuts through your soul”. So, let’s cut right into the bones of their music, chat about it’s appeal, and everything FRACTURED…

MSBM: Hello! It’s my pleasure to have a moment with you to talk about your band, FRACTURED. We have much to discuss; let’s dive right in. So, the band found its beginnings during the pandemic. Can you explain how the formation came about during such difficult times?

F: Three of the members, Robert Brooks (singer), Dave Farris (guitarist), and Brian Smith (guitarist) had been getting together on the weekends and working on material. It wasn’t a serious project at the time, just a jam project. But they soon starting writting some great material. A couple of years went by and we soon find ourselves on lockdown with nothing to do but play music. They had been searching for a bass player for sometime when Phil Witz answerd the call. They soon found themselves a drummer to round out the project.

MSBM: The band is described as “hard driving, melt your face Rock and Roll”. Where did you draw influence for that particular sound? Also, how does that contribute to FRACTURED standing out from the rest?

F: We all have different influences. From Black Sabbath to Alice in chains. Motley Crue. Metallica. Winger. Blackberry Smoke. We all write and bring in different riffs that are very diverse, which adds to FRACTURED’s over all sound and helps us stand out.

MSBM: Having a diverse set of influences and different “ears” when it comes to music can create something truly unique. I love that the Rock and Metal genres are still managing to stay so fresh. I have to give it to bands like yours for that! So, an EP entitled ‘Alive’ was released in 2021. How did that whole process go especially with the world still being very chaotic at that time?

F: It was well received. “Alive” was just featured on Atlanta’s Rock radio station, Rock100.5 FM, all week. “Maybe Tomorrow” made it on the charts in Australia. “Burn it Down” has been featured on too many internet radio stations to mention. I mean, we would like to see more Spotify followers, but that will come with time and our record label pushing our music.

MSBM: It’s so awesome that your band’s music has a reach like that. I hope it continues to expand as your music touches more people around the globe… Piggybacking on my previous question, can you go into detail about some of the songs on the ‘Alive’ EP? What experiences and influences factored into their creation?

F: Well, “Alive” was written about Rob’s experiences and relationships. He sustained major injuries from a roofing accident years ago. “Burn it Down” is of course a song about smoking Pot. Which all of us in the band know a little something about, as you can see in our music video for “Burn it Down”. We also pay tribute to Cheech and Chong in the video. “More” is on the darker side. The riffs are very influenced by Black Sabbath. The lyrics are about making bad decisions and selling one’s soul, literally as well as metaphorically in the sense that writting music and lyrics somtimes is very personal and it does come from life lessons and experiences. Selling that feels very much like selling a piece of my soul.

MSBM: Very interesting. Especially with your description of “More”. Putting deeply personal music out there to be bought, I suppose, could be viewed as selling a fragment of your soul. Definitely a thought provoking perspective. So, FRACTURED prides itself on using “no bells, synthesizers, or whistles” when it comes to performances. It’s just pure, in your face Rock ‘N Roll like we discussed earlier. How does your audience react to that? What are shows like for your band?

F: We have been fortunate enough to have a loyal following that buy tickets and come out to our shows. We appreciate every one of them. Our shows are very high energy. We don’t just stand there. We move all over the place. I headbang a lot and try to interact with the crowd. The crowds are very high energy too. Usually jumping up and down, singing along, or dancing. We always want to give you your money’s worth and give our fans the best show possible. We have been told we sound like our album live. I think that’s because we don’t use synths or a lot of FX.

MSBM: Your band seems to be the real deal. Judging by some things that I’ve read, you guys are very genuine individuals as well. I saw the band formed the “Hometown Heroes Events”, which benefits veterans and sick children. I think that’s absolutely fantastic. Can you give me some details on this organization?

F: It was very difficult during the pandemic. No one would let us play anywhere. So, our manager, Cheri Belfiore-Kane came up with the Hometown Heroes fundraiser. We partnered with Xtreme Rider Motorcycles Shop in Warm Springs, GA. There, they let us hold concerts to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. We have played with a lot of great bands. We finally got to play and for a great cause. We have been doing it for over 2 years now and have raised a lot of money for the foundation.

MSBM: That’s a great thing to be a part of. Good on you guys. You mentioned finally getting to perform live. Can we be expecting some shows in upcoming 2023?

F: Definitely, we are booking our tour for the spring and summer as we speak. We will try to hit most of the south and southeast. We will also be featured on VH2’s TV show, ‘ELEVATED’, which premieres this January on VH2. We will also be selling a DVD of the show. So, people can get a taste of what our shows are like before we come to their town.

MSBM: Awesome! Are there any plans for fresh music in the new year as well?

F: Yes, we are playing our last local show on New Year’s Eve. After that, we go back into the studio for a while to add a few more songs and make it a complete album. Which, will be released on IrongateRecords later in the year. We will even be recording a song in Nashville with Greg Upchurch. Very exciting things coming this year!

MSBM: Exciting things, for sure! Where can everyone go to keep up with all of this and listen to FRACTURED’s music?

F: Our Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are all under “FRACTURED Official Page”. You can also find links to our Spotify and all of our social media on our website, FRACTUREDBand.com. We are on every streaming platform worldwide. Just search FRACTURED – ‘Alive’ and our album will come up. Thank you for your time!

Follow FRACTURED on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FracturedOfficialPage?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Instagram: https://instagram.com/fracturedofficialpage?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ=

Check out FRACTURED’s website: https://www.fracturedband.com

Listen to FRACTURED on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5qADoynfhe7o2mwuyBkNhM?si=EaSDw2T3RLmNOOLKlHfWpQ

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