Every Time I Die stays alive

Friday, Dec. 14 — Every Time I Die, a Buffalo, N.Y.-based “mathcore” metal band, released its sixth studio album, “Ex Lives,” on Epitaph Records earlier this year and it quickly became the band’s most commercially successful album to date, even hitting the Billboard Charts. On Tuesday, the band brings its progressive form of metal to an all-ages show at The Loft.

Every Time I Die formed in 1998 and has since become an annual mainstay on the Van’s Warped Tour and has also toured alongside names such as Atreyu and New Found Glory. City Pulse chatted with vocalist Keith Buckley last week about the longevity of his band and also his year-end picks for the best albums of 2012.

You released a new studio album, “Ex Lives,” this year. How do you think it went over with fans?
“It seems to have suction. The critics and fans agree for once. It made Billboard Top 20 when it came out, which was a first for us. When we play the songs live, they do really well, so that’s the most important thing for us. That’s positive reinforcement.”

What has kept the band alive for 15 years?
“A lot of it is stubbornness. We don’t know anything else in life. Hopefully people will still like it for as long as we do it. If things come to a head, we’ve had this amazing run, so every day is a blessing.”

Every Time I Die has had a few lineup changes over the years. How do those changes affect the overall dynamic of the band?
“I think it’s kind of neat (laughs). I think it’s refreshing to have some change once in a while. Actually, whenever a new guy comes in, it’s like a kick in the ass. A lot of fans hate it; they wish it was the same throughout.”

You have played Warped Tour and other festival circuits for several years now. Do you prefer clubs or the big festival gigs?
“I prefer an intimate club setting, for sure. The festivals are awesome because of the times you’re not on stage; the traveling and the accommodations are nicer. But for the time on stage, I prefer clubs because I definitely feed off the energy of the crowd. When you’re separated by a barrier and there’s 20 feet between you and the front row, it’s harder to connect with the crowd. You can’t really get into a zone as easily as you can when there are people jumping all over the place.”

2012 is winding down. What, in your opinion, was the best album of the year?
“I’ve been asked this before, and I always forget a bunch of the music that’s come out. There’s so much good stuff — the new Deftones is great, the new Kanye. Off the top of my head, that’s what I would say.”

Every Time I Die
@ The Loft
Tuesday, Dec. 18
414 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing
$15 in advance, $17 at door

6:30 p.m.

All ages
Openers: The Chariot, Kills and Thrills