Turn it Down: Tyrant hits the road

Sunday, March 15 @ The Loft, 414 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing. 6 p.m.

Since its formation eight years ago, Tyrant has played its incredibly fast, furious and organic metal on four national tours. The Lansing-based road warriors, so far, have gigged in 38 cities in 21 different states.

Next week that list gets longer, as the group once again hits the road for an East Coast tour.

The run of gigs starts March 8, at The Sanctuary in Hamtramck, then winds through Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Indiana. The final date of the tour is a homecoming show, Sunday, March 15, at The Loft. Openers are Anvil Crawler, Room 101 and Orc.

Tyrant, which comprises, Philip Winters (vocals/guitar), Andrew Winters (drums/piano), Isaac Cisneros (bass/backing vocals) and Tony Garza (lead guitar), spent the better part of 2019 not only touring, but also writing a stockpile of new material.

“We recently recorded a new single, ‘Poison the Well,’ that’ll be released soon,” said Philip Winters, who co-founded the group with his brother Andrew Winters. “It was inspired by intrusive and compulsive thoughts that dominate and, essentially, poison the mind. It’s about living in a world of constant self-doubt and uncertainty.”

Of course, the band has unleashed a stockpile of other ferocious recordings over the years, including 2018’s “The Pact” LP, which is streamed at tyrantmetalmusic.bandcamp.com. Winters said he’s noticed a reoccurring lyrical theme on those tunes, as well as their forthcoming singles.

“They’re about, pretty much, a lot of what’s going on in our personal lives,” he said. “Dealing with people. It’s all very dark and macabre, nonetheless.”

As for the near future, the frontman said Tyrant plans to become increasingly DIY and prolific.

“We’re hoping to release a new single and video every month or two throughout the year, that’s our main goal,” Winters said. “We tracked ‘Poison the Well’ at Marshland Studios with our good friend Julian Hendrickson, but with the release plan we have for 2020, we want to take control of the production and bring everything in-house.

“We want to be able to really elaborate on ideas, take time with the songwriting and put our best foot forward with every new song we’re releasing this year,” he added. “We are also going to be really honing our songwriting skills.”

Looking back, while the lineup has seen some fluctuation (the two Winters brothers are the only original members), he said the band is hitting its creative stride.

“Since Tyrant came into fruition in 2012, the band has become more of a collaborative effort instead of just one person designing the vision,” Winters said. “It’s nice because we all share the same vision.”

Speaking of the band’s vision, there’s some legendary stimuli behind it. When asked what three bands have inspired Tyrant the most, Winters was quick to answer.

“Well, of course, KISS. The greatest band ever,” he said. “They had everything. The look, the attitude and the songs. I’d also have to say Pantera. They showed us that a band can be heavy and still write really good songs, plus the brother thing was cool. Finally: Cinderella. They proved how crucial fan interaction is.”

To keep up with Tyrant, visit tyrantmetal.com or follow them at facebook.com/TyrantMetal.