Interview with Guitarist Riley Phillips of Titan's Wrath
By Mick Michaels
Cosmick View: Hello! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.Riley Phillips: Hello! Thank you so much for having us!
CV: Please give us a brief rundown on your band, any releases, shows and any current news.
Riley: I play guitar. The other guitarist of Titan’s Wrath is Tito, on bass is Dennis, on drums is Angel, and lastly our vocalist Garret. As of right now, we just have our demo and first EP, “Into the Abyss” out. However, we are releasing our second EP, “Will of the Beast”, on December 9th. The title track for that EP is out now on all major streaming platforms. We, for the most part, play solely in Southern California given we are out of San Bernardino. We’ve had some tour offers and some chances to play out of state this past year, but we felt it was best just to keep our shows local to the Los Angeles/San Diego area. Next year however, we definitely are going to try and hit the road and see what we can find out there!CV: Given so many major changes over the last decade, do you believe the music industry is a practicable and stable enough environment for new artists to even consider making it a valid career choice? Can a level of sustainable success really be achieved in your opinion for your band?
Riley: I think it may be just wishful thinking, but I still think given how much the music industry has changed a band like ours can make a decent career out of playing music and being successful. There are a handful of metal bands from this century that have made successful careers playing rock and metal. Also bands like our heroes Judas Priest and Iron Maiden still sell out arenas globally. The passion and love for heavy metal is still there, although I don’t believe it will ever be as mainstream as it was in the 80’s. On the flip side, in the underground world, traditional metal is making a comeback and has been dubbed the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM). Several underground bands globally playing similar music to ours in a sense are growing popular and some of it is even happening in the States. I think if you take the love that bands like Maiden and Priest get and mix it with the NWOTHM scene, I think there’s a good chance for a metal revival for bands like us in the future.CV: What do you see as the biggest change in the music industry since you first started out as an artist?
Riley: We’ve only really been active with the industry since mid 2020, so everything has pretty much been the same for us. We’ve been mostly DIY with the help of PR reps and using social media as our main form of advertisement like everyone else. The one thing that did catch me off guard was the popularity of CDs. After dropping, “Into the Abyss”, we had people ask for CDs all over the world and continue to ask us for them. It seems they are still relevant everywhere but in the States.CV: How do you see the band’s music separating itself from your peers and avoiding just being another cog in the wheel?
Riley: So in a way, we are kind of lucky to be playing the kind of music we do here in Southern California. Majority of the bands we do shows with here are death or thrash metal bands. So typically at shows we are the odd man out. There is a small community of heavy metal bands like us, but they are in the same boat. We are pretty much the minority out here. So I guess really that’s what sets us apart. Check out bands like Room 7, Seizure, Anubis, Kosmic Dragon, and Trapmaker for heavy metal bands around the LA area.
CV: Has the industry’s many changes affected how you write music as an musician? Has it influenced your songwriting style in any drastic form?
Riley: No, not particularly. We write what we want to write still. Everyone contributes in the song writing process with little to no outside influence.CV: Has digital technology led the way for almost anyone to be a musical artist in your opinion?
Riley. Yes, I believe so…hence why it’s harder to make money in the industry. Music is significantly more attainable than it was about 15 years ago. Social media and digital tech have made it easier for anyone to create and learn how to write music. Also, it definitely changed the marketing game completely and you can now get music to a wider audience faster than ever before.CV: Has music in general been broken into too many sub-genres? Why do you think that there are so many classifications of music types? Can this be confusing for an artist who is looking to build a brand? As well, can it be confusing for the fans?
Riley; I think specifically metal has been broken up more than most music. I think it just stems from everyone liking something different. Metal music has constantly evolved and something fresh and new springs up. I think it’s best for an artist to do what they want and not worry about what sub-genre they fall under. People have called us Thrash, Power Metal, Melodic Thrash, and Traditional Metal. In the end, we just consider ourselves to be a heavy metal band.CV: How would you define “iconic” when it comes to being an artist or musician? What do you think makes an artist iconic?
Riley: I think to be iconic; one must be more creative than others. An iconic person/band is something unique. You almost have to do something that hasn’t been before all while wowing people…doesn’t need to necessarily be technical, but something that really captures someone’s eye..jpg)
CV: Who would you consider to be a modern day “rock star?” And is being a “rock star” something to aspire to?
Riley: I would probably consider Richie Faulkner of Judas Priest as being a modern day rock star. Obviously Judas Priest has been around since the 70’s, but Faulkner has only been with the band for 10/11 years. He’s playing arenas while looking like a total badass on stage. He’s definitely the one guitarist I try to mimic my stage moves/ attire from. He’s got the look, confidence, and stage presence that make you like him so much. I think he is a true rock star of today. Another suggestion would be the Greta Van Fleet guys. They’ve blown up over the past few years, even opening up for Metallica. I think the 80’s gave rock stars a bad rep and what we perceive what it takes to be a rock star. But I believe being a rock star today I think has a totally different meaning and vibe than it did in 1985. They seem like normal people who are talented at what they do. Drugs/alcohol don’t seem to be as prevalent in metal music anymore, and most of these guys playing big arenas are some of the nicest people ever.CV: Does music need to have a message to convey to the world for it to be worth listening to in your opinion?
Riley: We aren’t a band that has a message or agenda we want to push out. I think a big reason I’m such a big fan of Maiden and Priest (as well as lots of other metal bands) is because they tell stories in their music. It’s not, “My girlfriend dumped me”, or, “Listen to me bitch about politics”. We want to be a band that takes the listener on a journey and write music about subjects we find interesting. I don’t think it’s needed for us to convey a special message because that’s been done before and plenty of metal bands don’t have the need to do the same to be successful.CV: What's next for TITANS WRATH? What can fans expect to see coming?
Riley: Like I mentioned earlier, we are dropping our second EP titled, “Will of the Beast”, on December 10th. We already are booked for local shows into next year, and we are hoping to at least make it to a stage out of state. Merch and physical copies of the CD will be available as well. We are gearing up for another year that’s hopefully full of shows and opportunity for us. We’ve already started working on a follow up to “Will of the Beast” as well.CV: Thank you again for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
Riley: Thank you so much for having us! We appreciate the support and it was an honor talking to you. Take care!Check out TITANS WRATH at:
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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, 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.
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