Interview with Coler Riffle of Enhailer

June 29, 2020

Interview with Coler Riffle of Enhailer

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Coler! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

CV: Do you see the members' previous band experience as an asset… providing Enhailer a more diversified core? What does such experience bring to the table and does it offer a more stable foundation on which to move forward than that of a band that doesn’t hold previous experience?
Coler Riffle: I definitely think it's a big asset to have all of the combined influence and experience of the three of us playing in bands for the last 20+ years. There are a lot of attributes to being in a solid, successful band and some of them include learning how to play well with others, honing your own personal sound, and having a diverse history of styles played which can really add to creativeness and originality. Just between the three of us we have played in all genres of music from Bluegrass to Grindcore.

CV: Given that Enhailer's songwriting style is already multi-faceted; Doom, Stoner, Black Metal, would you consider experimenting with other non-Metal types of music for future projects?
CR: As far as the music of Enhailer goes I think we are all happy to not be put into a single genre but rather a mixture of several of our favorites that slowly change and mature over time. We all three enjoy a ton of different types of music though and would surely consider almost anything for side projects or future projects.

CV: Is Metal music still marketable in your opinion, especially given the struggles many artists contend with just to find an audience?
CR: Most definitely, especially with the easy availability of any style because of the internet. People will always love heavy music. I firmly believe it's here to stay and will continue to get more and more badass. All it takes is for passionate people to keep creating it and taking it to the next level. Fads don’t last 50 years and Metal is 50 years strong.

CV: How do you see Enahiler separating itself from just being another Heavy Metal act in a sea of overwhelming odds?
CR: The way that we compete is within ourselves and our own music, making it the best that it can be, along with representing an image that undeniably shows you something real, powerful and honest. In my opinion there will always be a market for that, competition or not.

CV: Enhailer recently released a new album, "Full Length Split," with Massachusetts band, Black Pyramid. Tell us a bit about the album. What was the motivation to do a dual artist record? Does such a project lend itself to more mass appeal, hence a broader audience?
CR: Doing a split with another band has several advantages. First of all financially it is easier for two bands to put out one physical piece of music, secondly it is excellent for cross promotion. Each of our bands’ followings instantly gets exposed to the other. And thirdly the camaraderie of it is great…we've both got a lot of respect and love for what we do individually so it just made sense for our two bands to put out a split together.

CV: Where does the dividing line fall when it comes to personal boundaries for the band with regards to fans?
CR: The way we see it is simple: keep it about the music. And in the music there are no boundaries that we wouldn't be willing to talk about or explore. Certain topics such as religion or politics can be pretty taboo even nowadays, but overall we tend to be pretty like-minded with our fans while keeping it vague enough for almost anyone to apply to their life and opinions.

CV: How much of a role do the fans play in Enhailer's style direction or other music endeavors? Does their input carry much weight...does it count?
CR: At the end of the day we are going to write music that we like and that we feel paints a picture of who we are and how we feel but stylistically it definitely has an impact when we play live shows and certain riffs or songs bring an element of energy out of the crowd that other parts don't, we are definitely going to be likely to write in that vein more often.

CV: How has the COVID pandemic altered the band's plans for 2020 so far? Has the pandemic made you look at things differently in regards to how to function as a band?
CR: We aren't alone in saying that the pandemic definitely left us scrambling, with lots of canceled shows and even a postponed tour. Along with this brand new release and not knowing the best ways to promote it, it's a learning process for sure but nothing that can't be conquered and move past in a positive light. Currently the only way to do a live show at most local venues is for band members to be at least six feet apart with small control crowds and to be honest that is the complete opposite of how we normally operate so it has definitely been an adjustment and we are hoping that it doesn't last much longer. Enhailer will live on and so will local and live music.

CV: Many artists and bands have found a new purpose during the current world crisis. Social media has become the new performance outlet as bands looked for a touring alternative. Do you think social media will actually replace physical venues for bands to perform or is this just a passing phase until things go back to “normal”?
CR: I'm grateful that there are other avenues of getting live music out there to the people. But as someone who grew up going to live shows and that being such a critical part of my life, I don't think that it can be replaced by anything else and I hope that this crisis gets under control as soon as possible so that music fans, new and old, can get back to doing what they love which is going to and performing live show with live people singing and dancing along with them in the same room. There is no replacement for the energy you can create in that situation and it's something that is worth waiting for and fighting for.

CV: What's next for Enhailer post COVID? What can fans expect?
CR: Lots of live shows…at all of our favorite venues including Annabelle's, Buzzbin, and the West Side Bowl! Along with that we look forward to a proper release of our new split LP and hopefully new tour in the works and always new music.

CV: Thank you again Coler for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
CR: Thank you so much, Rock and Roll lives!

Check out Enhailer at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Enhailer
Bandcamp: https://enhailer.bandcamp.com
Instagram: Enhailer@instagram.com

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.