SOURCE – The Pain Made Me Who I Am represents the band’s musical evolution, a journey that began with Helpless (2021) and continued through Unbreakable (2023) and Hannya (2024). What musical and career developments led to the success of this latest album?
Jonathas Peschiera (Guitars) – The Pain Made Me Who I Am represents the result of both our musical and career evolution. On Helpless, Unbreakable and Hannya, we were still developing our identity, and many songs began as individual ideas that we finished together and released as separate singles. For this album, we changed our entire approach. The three of us started from scratch with a full record and a central concept in mind, which made the writing process more organic and cohesive.
Musically, we wanted to expand our universe without losing the heaviness. The grooves became straighter and punchier because we focused on the emotional impact of each song. The record moves between terror, chaos and relief, combining aggressive, dense passages with atmospheric and melodic moments. The US tours with Born of Osiris, Lacuna Coil and Escape the Fate also pushed us to improve our live show and work at a higher professional level. Learning to handle touring logistics, merch and bigger stages made us more prepared. Our first album with Napalm Records and the strong response to the singles were further steps in this evolution.
SOURCE – How did the recording and production process for The Pain Made Me Who I Am come together?
Jonathas Peschiera (Guitars) – The recording and production process grew out of the same collaborative approach. We sat together and let the songs develop organically. Usually, we began with a concept or emotion, then built guitar riffs and drum grooves that physically expressed it. We avoided overthinking and prioritised instinct and emotional honesty. Felipe generally wrote the lyrics later, following the idea established for each song.
The album was produced by the three of us. I handled the mixing and mastering, while Felipe produced and edited the three music videos. We also asked a friend to paint the artwork after explaining the album concept to her. There are no guest appearances, so the record presents the band as directly and authentically as possible.
SOURCE – You have toured the United States on several occasions. How has that experience contributed to the band’s professional growth?
Jonathas Peschiera (Guitars) – Touring the United States has been a major part of our professional growth. This was our third US tour: we had previously toured with Born of Osiris, and the latest one was with Lacuna Coil and Escape the Fate. It was our best tour so far in terms of crowd size and venue quality.
Playing alongside bands at that level showed us what it takes to operate professionally and confirmed that we belong on those stages. We also improved our live show and learned to connect more directly with the audience. Since we travelled with only the three of us and no crew, we handled the merch sales and all the tour logistics ourselves. It was challenging, but it made us more self-sufficient and taught us a lot about the backstage side of touring.
SOURCE – Record labels generally develop promotional strategies for their releases, with varying levels of exposure for each album. How do you plan to promote The Pain Made Me Who I Am in order to break through as a relatively new band in today’s highly competitive music scene?
Jonathas Peschiera (Guitars) – We are promoting the album by presenting its complete identity and concept. We have already released some singles and music videos, giving people different ways into the record before hearing the full album. The central message we want to communicate is that pain and adversity can become sources of resilience and self-growth.
Our partnership with Napalm Records is also an important step. After the release, we plan to play shows in Brazil, followed by new tours in the United States and Europe. We also want to reach the major European festivals. Ultimately, we believe the best way to break through is to keep releasing honest, emotionally powerful music, put on strong live shows and build a genuine community around the band. Our fans have made these songs into a shared experience, and that connection is extremely important to us.
SOURCE – To promote The Pain Made Me Who I Am, you released three music videos: “End This”, “Who I Am” and “Nothing But Pain”. Which was the most challenging to produce?
Jonathas Peschiera (Guitars) – All three videos were produced and edited by Felipe, so the process was very hands-on for the band. Each video had to reflect the darker emotional world of the album and the contrast between pain, chaos and resilience.
Each video brought different challenges. Since Felipe handled the production and editing himself, we were able to keep the visuals closely connected to the music and the album’s concept.
SOURCE – In today’s music industry, musicians are also in the business of selling merchandise. What merchandise items are currently available from the band?
Jonathas Peschiera (Guitars) – In today’s music industry, merchandise is an important part of connecting with listeners and supporting the band. We currently sell AXTY merchandise at our shows, and during the last US tour, we handled the merch operation ourselves. People can check our Brazilian and international stores by visiting www.axtyofficial.com.
SOURCE – In your opinion, did Helpless (2021), Unbreakable (2023) and Hannya (2024) receive the international recognition they deserved?
Jonathas Peschiera (Guitars) – Each album was an essential step in our development. They helped us build our identity, grow as musicians and create the foundation for the new record, and we think they received the recognition they were supposed to receive. But we are grateful to everyone who discovered the earlier albums, and we hope this new release leads more people back to them.
SOURCE – What are the band’s plans for touring the United States and Europe in support of The Pain Made Me Who I Am?
Jonathas Peschiera (Guitars) – After the album release, we plan to play shows in Brazil first. We are then planning a new US tour and a European tour during the first quarter following the release, although no dates have been confirmed yet. We have already built important experience touring the United States, and we want to continue developing that side of the band.
Europe is a major goal for us, especially the larger festivals. We want to bring The Pain Made Me Who I Am and our live show to as many people as possible while continuing to grow our connection with our audience.
Photo Credit: Debora Camargo
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