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"Every record we do, I'm trying to explore new things," begins Marianas Trench frontman Josh Ramsay, speaking with Canadian Musician from his Richmond, BC-based studio, The Umbrella Factory. And while he's specifically referring to musical ideas, it's that same ethos that guides the band's grander career trajectory.
With their breakthrough second LP, 2009's Masterpiece Theatre, and its follow-up, 2011 's Ever After - both concept albums courageously released in the age of the single - Marianas Trench showed a knack for weaving a continuous narrative through individual tracks. In particular, the latter is a fairy tale told over the course of 12 songs uninterrupted by breaks in between.
So while it differs from Ever After in that it isn't based in Toyland and doesn't include characters like Queen Carolina and the Stuttering Wise Man, the story of Marianas Trench's ascension from the club circuit to headlining arenas might seem fairy tale-like from the surface. In reality, though, there's a lot more to it.
It's a self-made men story with epic travels, trolls and detractors, gold treasures, and an interesting cast of supporting characters. But it's not the pens of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen deciding how the plot unfolds; instead, it's the main characters themselves, controlling their collective destiny by setting goals and meticulously mapping the path to achieving them.
Now, Marianas Trench - Ramsay, guitarist Matt Webb, bassist Mike Ayley, and drummer Ian Casselman - are set to embark on the latest leg of their journey with the release of Astoria, their fourth full-length offering, in the spring of 2015. One of their primary goals this time around is to maintain the momentum they've built up since the release of their eight-song self-titled debut EP in 2002.
Considering the plateau they've reached since Ever After1s release - their second platinum certification and first headlining arena tour in 2012, and the JUNO Award for Group of the Year in 2013 - the band knows it'll take a lot of work and a bit of good fortune to push further, but as Webb says bluntly, they're hungry.
"We've always been hungry. First thing, we wanted to sign a record deal. Boom. Did that. Next it was play in another country. Boom. Did that. And...