Exclusive! TNWU Talks with New Rock Powerhouse, Night Argent
Night Argent, made up of Chase Manhattan (Lead singer), Jeff Stachofsy (guitar), Shane Santana (keyboards), Evan Taylor (bass) and Zak Burrell (drums). Their powerful, arena anthem sound has been taking fans by storm since the mid- 2000’s, taking almost immediately to the road, playing universities and festivals. With their signature breakthrough sound, Night Argent has opened for the likes of Lindsay Stirling, Imagine Dragons, The Devil Wears Prada, Parachute, and others. They were part of the official Vans Warped Tour lineup in 2015. Also in 2015, out of 15,000 bands entered, Night Argent took home the grand prize at the Ernie Ball International Battle of the Bands finals in Hollywood, CA.
Night Argent partnered with Red Bull to release their debut music video ‘Nothing More Beautiful.’ Their music won Grand Prize at the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and awards from the Billboard World Song Contest. The Night Argent YouTube channel has generated over 2 Million views; while their music has been featured on MTV, Bravo, and Showtime. Night Argent recently performed on “AXS Live”, and won a “Best Cover” contest hosted by “On Air with Ryan Seacrest”.
This March, the band will be playing SXSW in Texas, and their self-titled EP will be widely released later this year. Talk Nerdy With Us had the great pleasure of asking the band some questions about their music, their touring and other upcoming plans.
Who have been your biggest musical influences?
Shane: Individually, the list varies drastically. From Elvis to Frank Sinatra, from Metallica to John Mayer. Our individual musical backgrounds come from all walks of life. As far as our band sound/image go, we draw from Imagine Dragons and Mutemath. We love that high energy, anthemic sound.
Describe the songs on your EP:
Shane: Someone once described our sound as “Electro-Organic Anthemic Rock”. That seemed pretty accurate to describe our overall EP. Each song has its own element that differentiates it from the others. For example, “Nothing More Beautiful” has a strong pop sound present, while “Towers” is darker and gritty. We tried to bring something unique to each song, without losing the qualities that tie the album together.
Do you each have a favorite on the EP?
Zak: Widowmaker, hands down. Not just because of the song itself, but because of the work we put into the song. I feel that we really came together as a band during the process of writing and evolving it into what you hear on the EP.
Jeff: Widowmaker as well. The song stands out from an energy standpoint. It seems to get the crowd going every show, which makes me love it more and more.
Are you planning on doing more touring this year, and are you appearing at any festivals?
Shane: We’re going to be at SXSW in March, which we’re incredibly excited for. Outside of that, we’ve been so focused on getting everything ready for our EP release; we haven’t really solidified touring plans. However, we just signed on with AGI, so we’re really looking forward to the new touring opportunities such an incredible partnership will help us land.
Chase, talk a little more about Widowmaker, which you have said is a metaphor for addiction.
Chase: The concept behind the song was centered around the “Widowmaker” being a manifestation of any self-destructive seduction. Addiction is an easy comparison because the song tells about trying to fight it, but the power it has is overwhelming. How it can take away your pain, but then takes everything you hold dear. We just chose to use the seductive allure that a beautiful woman can hold over a man as the symbol within the song. We even reference the old tales of sirens calling lonely sailors to their doom with their enchanting song.
How do you feel about the strong impact/impression on music fans your EP has had?
Shane: It’s humbling. We’ve had people tell us that they’ve latched onto a specific song to help them get through a difficult period in their life. Others that tell us that our music has inspired them to pursue their own dreams and ambitions. I mean, what do you say to that? How do you put into words the emotions evoked by such a response? It’s overwhelming. A flood of emotions that can’t quite be labeled. And it challenges us to be better song-writers, storytellers, and human beings.
What inspires you?
Shane: Inspiration comes from all over. We all draw from such a variety of sources for inspiration, we can’t label any single thing. In regards to music, our song writing and lyricism is traditionally based on a life experience that we, or someone we know, has gone through. A few of us have empathetic tendencies, which enable us to express feelings that aren’t necessarily ours to begin with. Being able to feel what a friend or family member is feeling, allows us to express that adopted emotion when writing.
Our site is called Talk Nerdy With Us – do you have any nerdy interests?
Shane: Pokemon trading cards. Video games. Reading Sci-fi and fantasy. YouTube gear videos. Several of us have an obsession with all things Marvel and DC that borders on unhealthy. A couple of us also thoroughly enjoy researching random topics, because we can’t not know about something. But nerdy is the new cool. So go ahead and whisper sweet nerdthings in my ear...
What would you like to tell your new fans, and what do you hope they take away from Night Argent?
Shane: Welcome to the family. Whether you’re new to the Night Argent family, or you’ve been with us since the beginning, we love you all and look forward to continuing this journey together.