How Stray From The Path Write And Record Meaningful Lyrics With Producer Will Putney

For Stray From The Path, hardcore isn’t just a game of playing the tough guy. The Long Island, New York-based quartet want to create music with meaning, that makes the listener look past their everyday lives and acknowledge our shared humanity. That’s why, when they enter New Jersey’s Graphic Nature Audio to record their latest record Internal Atomics with producer Will Putney, they doesn’t leave lyrical duties entirely up to vocalist Andrew “Drew York” Dijorio -- the entire band and Will collaborate to come up with words that broadcast their values.

“Lyrics for a band like Stray From The Path -- it’s probably the most crucial part of these records,” says Will. “Out of all the bands I work with, Stray From The Path is probably the only one where everyone in the band contributes equally to the lyric-writing process.”

Because their lyrics are so meaningful to Stray From The Path, writing and recording them involves a certain level of personal connection. Thankfully, Will and Drew aren’t just collaborators, they’re friends, and the recording process remains laid-back and amiable even as Drew shrieks his guts out.

“Drew’s a great vocalist to work with,” says Will. “He’s got a really unique voice. It’s almost just like a small kid who’s yelling at you ‘cause you took his baseball cards. I love it."

“We are now on our fifth record with Will,” says Drew, “and he’s pretty much the fifth member of this band.”

READ THIS: Exclusive: Will Putney on Fit For An Autopsy's new album

Part of Stray From The Path’s message comes from a recent experience that gave them a new outlook on life. The band traveled to Africa with the aid of Hardcore Help to play a show and take part in a community aid project. According to guitarist Thomas Williams, the trip was one they will never forget.

“It was one of the most life-changing experiences we’ve ever had,” says Thomas. “We went to Nairobi, Kenya, and we played a show. Us and a lot of other bands pitched in and did a thing called the Clean Water Project with Hardcore Help, where we made a shirt, and every shirt sold bought a water filter for a family in Africa that doesn’t have clean water.”

Watch our latest episode of Art Of The Record below:

Stray From The Path’s Internal Atomics comes out 11/01 via UNFD, and is available for preorder.

Check out our previous episodes of Art Of The Record, featuring Thy Art Is Murder and Knocked Loose, below:

• Art Of The Record: Knocked Loose
• Art Of The Record: Thy Art Is Murder

READ THIS: The 50 best American hardcore bands right now

Stray From The Path are touring Japan, U.S., and Europe later this year, so catch them live at one of the following dates:

October

12 Tokyo, JP @ True North Fest
15 Nagoya, JP @ Apollo Base
16 Osaka, JP @ Sunhall
24 Los Angeles, CA @ 1720 *
25 San Diego, CA @ Soma *
26 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction *
27 Sacramento, CA @ Holy Diver *
29 Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom *
31 Seattle, WA @ El Corazon *

November

2 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Greek Station *
3 Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater *
5 Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live *
6 Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar N Grill *
7 Houston, TX @ Studio at Warehouse Live *
9 Margate, FL @ O’Malley’s Sports Bar *
10 Tampa, FL @ Crowbar *
11 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade *
13 Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge *
14 Cleveland, OH @ Phantasy Nightclub *
15 Detroit, MI @ The Shelter *
16 Pittsburgh, PA @ The Rex Theater *
17 Buffalo, NY @ Rec Room *
19 Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage *
20 Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry @ The Fillmore *
21 Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club *
22 New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre *
23 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium *

December

2 Birmingham, UK @ Asylum ^
3 Bristol, UK @ Thekla ^
4 Glasgow, UK @ G2 ^
5 Manchester, UK @ Rebellion ^
6 London, UK @ Islington Academy ^
7 Southhampton, UK @ The Loft ^
8 Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie ^
9 Lyon, FR @ Ninkasi Kao ^
10 Zurich, CH @ Dynamo ^
11 Eindhoven, NL @ Dynamo ^
12 Antwerp, BE @ Zappa ^
13 Köln, DE @ Club Volta ^
14 Herford, DE @ Krampus Festival ^
15 Karlsruhe, DE @ Knockdown Festival ^
16 Munich, DE @ Backstage ^
17 Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert ^
18 Wien, Austria @ Flex ^
19 Nürnberg, DE @ Z-Bau ^
20 Leipzig, DE @ Conne Island ^
21 Prague, CZ @ Meet Factory ^
22 Hamburg, DE @ Logo ^

* w/ Counterparts
^ w/ The Devil Wears Prada, Gideon, Loathe