Of Virtue comes home

“Growth is not linear.” That’s music business advice you’ll receive from Of Virtue, a seasoned and road-tested metal band. Over the past three years, the group has fought through many challenges but has also made some inspiring and remarkable leaps forward.  

Pre-pandemic, the band was performing to a swelling international fanbase. Of Virtue became ardent road warriors, touring over 30 countries on three continents. Not surprisingly, that all came to a halt. After a January 2020 gig at The Loft, things went quiet. The shutdown devastated them and touring bands across the map — it even led to The Loft permanently closing.  

But the band fought through it and is back on its skyward track. Of Virtue, which comprises Tyler Ennis (vocals), Damon Tate (guitar, vocals), Michael Valadez (guitar) and Ryan Trinh (drums), signed to Arising Empire in Spring 2022. It’s a welcomed bit of news for the cautiously optimistic outfit.  

“Success, or however you perceive it, can come in a lot of different forms,” Tate said. “Nobody wishes COVID, a worldwide panic or an economic crisis on anybody. If you do have to take something away from it, for us, it was taking a few steps backward in order to take that step forward.” 

In August, the label released the “Sinner” EP and a video for the title track. Their arsenal of new tunes has been spun on Sirius XM Octane and 31 FM stations, including Lansing’s Q-106. Globally, streams exceed 10 million. YouTube views are over 1.75 million.  

For the band members, these astounding numbers reflect the hard work they and their label have put in. They’ve come a long way since their debut, 2009’s “To Breathe Again” EP.  

“There are going to be ups and downs,” Ennis said. “Just because you take some steps back doesn’t mean things are over. That’s how the pandemic was for us. We had an upswing and kind of went under for a little bit. I’m very proud of us, what we’ve created and where we’re at now. It’s exciting to keep building on this momentum now.” 

Along with this worldwide momentum, the emerging local outfit finally returns to the greater Lansing area for an overdue homecoming gig for the first time in over 1,000 days. The Oct. 28 show at Double Clutch Lounge, a 250-cap room at High Caliber Karting and Entertainment inside the Meridian Mall, is expected to sell out.  

Local fans can expect to hear new songs with fresh vibes, and that was intentional. For “Sinner,” the band worked with four different producers, a significant change from their last record, 2019’s “What Defines You,” released via Sharptone Records.  

“Damon and I have always bounced ideas back and forth, and whenever Mike was available, he would do that also,” Ennis said. This whole process for the EP, and moving forward, is a lot different. This was different because it wasn’t just ideas we wrote at home and brought to the studio; it was just that most of the songs we wrote and recorded over the last 2.5 years have been a collective writing session.” 

Tate said that with this collaborative go-around, prepping the new music felt like a return to Of Virtue’s early days.  

Back then, “you’d just show up at people’s houses, sit there, hanging out, enjoying their company, and something might or might not get done,” Tate recalled. “We needed the breath of fresh air in some aspects. It was a cool process — everybody contributing from the ground floor and spitball ideas.” 

When it came to the new music’s themes, the band also saw some of their personal growth seep into the tracks.  

“There were some things all of us needed to unpack,” Tate said.  “In the case of ‘Sinner,’ where it’s talking more about the addictive side of myself personally, we don’t normally go into this realm of these topics. But in this case, we had to get comfortable with that un-comfortability.  

“You try to dress up as a musician, and you need metaphors, but sometimes you can just be as direct as possible so that when people hear it, they understand and connect to it,” he added.  

While the music is catchy and melodic, the lyrics get dark and visceral, according to Tate. Keeping that honesty and transparency concerning mental health is an integral part of the band and keeps them going.  

“It’s what we set out to do,” Ennis said. “I think the best thing for our band, and one of the things that sets us apart, is the fact that we try to have a message sent through our lyrics and music.” 

Before COVID, when the band could tour, many of their favorite moments on the road took place while meeting fans. But when face-to-face interaction with strangers became frowned upon, and concerts became super-spreaders, the band was forced to interact with their fans in other ways. Enter social media, where the band shared different aspects of their lives, including personal anecdotes.   

“We always want to promote that kind of stuff,” Ennis said. “That it’s OK not to be OK. I know it’s cliché to say that, but I have felt a lot better from talking with people. We’ve had people message us personally and say, ‘Hey, I was going through a really rough time, and this song helped me out.’ It’s very humbling, and it’s a very good feeling.” 

Another humbling moment came from a career highlight, playing WRIF’s Riff Fest at Pine Knob in Clarkson last month, opening up for Disturbed and In This Moment. Growing up, the band attended many outdoor rock shows at the legendary amphitheater. Now, the band’s upcoming local show at Double Clutch is on their minds. 

“It feels a little foreign almost because we haven’t played here in so long, but people have kept up to date with us, which is awesome,” Tate said. “Everybody that’s coming to play the show is excited.”  

Of course, Tate is also excited to showcase the band’s all-around growth evolution on their home turf in front of friends, family and longtime fans.   

“There’s no way you can come out of the past couple of years and be the same person,” he said. “It’s just impossible. The music is different. The tone is different. The image is different. We have to change for our live show to change. I think everything has only gone up since then. We’ll see what happens from here.”