1. What is your Band Name? Esoterik
2. To kick things off: Tell our audience a bit about the origin story of your Band.
Allison: “We’ve been making music together since 2013, when I originally auditioned to play bass for a different project Brady was in. We clicked and started discussing forming a post-punk band. Once Brady wrote a piece we both loved, we hit the ground running and haven’t stopped collaborating since.”
3. If you had to describe the sound of your Band to someone who hasn’t heard you yet: What would you say?
Allison: “We describe our sound as Industrial Grunge Metal: raw vocals, a driving rhythm section, and lyrics focused on society, spirituality, and personal evolution. At its core, our music aims to uplift—empowering listeners to take back control of their own narrative.” Brady: “Our upcoming album Nü Skin, marks a significant sonic evolution in the band so if you listen to anything before our latest singles you’ll find a completely different soundscape. We still have the industrial electronic elements but our sound is much more guitar driven and just an overall assault on the senses. Digging back into our roots, we found a brand of gasoline drenched Grunge Metal that’s chaotic yet grounded in carefully crafted hooks and the end result is high-octane anthems designed to resonate with both die-hard metalheads and the band’s long-time industrial following.”
4. How has the songwriting evolved with the band over the years? What does that process look like for you lately?
Allison: “Honestly, the process is pretty much the same—we just upgraded our recording setup. A song usually starts with Brady on acoustic guitar. We collaborate on lyrics until we get a real earworm, then Brady composes the rest of the track and fleshes out the hooks. I come in at the end to track vocals, refine the lyrics, and add my own spin.” Brady: “It’s always been the two of us in terms of the writing process, which lends itself to a cohesion you may not find with more hands shaping the songs. I would say the process looks similar to when we started the project but it comes easier these days with the continual refinement of knowing what works and what doesn’t. It usually starts with a riff, drum pattern, lyric or melody that’s pulled from the ether and captured on voice notes. I’ll workshop on an acoustic to get the bones of the chord progression in place and then take that into my studio for a proper demo. It’s always wild to see how things take shape at that stage because it can run in so many directions with a largely blank canvas. I find that when I have the bones worked out ahead of time though, it’s a sprint to see if I can capture everything I’m hearing in my head.”
5. What was the inspiration for your band name? What meaning does it have behind it?
Allison: “We got our name back in 2013. I had seen a documentary that mentioned bands picking names from random words, which stuck with me. At the time, I was listening to a lot of podcasts about the paranormal, aliens, and spiritual topics. While listening to an episode about DARPA and astral projection, I came across the word Esoteric on Wikipedia while looking more into the subject of the podcast. It stood out right away and fit our lyrics. To keep things distinct from a doom metal band with the same name, I eventually changed it to the German spelling with a ‘K’.”
6. What are some of the recurring themes or messages you find yourself exploring in your lyrics?
Allison: “We explore spiritual growth and life’s reflective moments, but always with an empowering spin. The goal is to remind you that you are in total control of your own narrative and destiny.” Brady: “We like to reach for stories or themes that are larger than us. It’s a lot like the music where we sit with it, try to get out of the way and let the message come through. Once there’s a spark we continue to pull on that thread. It’s always an exploration of the light and shadow our existence has to offer. Short answer: Death, Rebirth and Personal Soverignty”
7. What is one song you’ve written that you feel captures the absolute core identity of the band?
Allison: “Narrowing it down to just one song on Nu Skin is surprisingly tough—I feel like each track holds its own. While there’s an unreleased song coming out later this year that might take the top spot, for now, ‘No Absolutes’ best captures the raw energy of the entire album.”
8. Do you find your energy translates better in an intimate club style venue or a massive festival setting?
Allison: “Every performance setting has its own unique energy exchange, and I love each one for different reasons. Floor shows at DIY or punk venues have a raw, unfiltered vibe—you can step right up to people, look them directly in the eyes, and fully connect. Club stages give you a view of the whole room, letting you engage with people all the way to the back. There’s nothing quite like watching people drift over from the bar as you win them over. Festivals are an absolute blast because everyone is there to celebrate art and discover new music. People let their guard down faster, which gives you the freedom to really let loose on stage.”
9. Which show performance stands out as your all time favorite? is there a specific reason?
Allison: “Oh wow, that’s ten years of shows and tours to look back on! Matrix in Bochum, Germany, is probably the standout in my mind. We were opening, and the place was completely packed from the front of the stage all the way to the back of the house. The crowd was incredibly receptive—they even called us back for an encore. I can still picture the faces in that audience because of how deeply they were engaging with us. It was wild. That was also the show where a tour friend called me ‘the fucked-up version of Cyndi Lauper,’ which Brady and I still laugh about to this day.” Brady: “It’s a bit more broad for me but back in ‘24 we were playing a live set that had early versions of a couple of the songs that are on the upcoming album. For me, those tracks have such an intense energy and to see the instant shift in the crowd when it came to that part of the set…it really lit a fire in me that this is the future of the band.”
10. Which Artists or Band inspired you to be in a Band?
Allison: “Drain STH is the band that made me want to be a musician back in middle school. But before I ever thought about playing in a band, I actually learned how to sing as a kid by listening to Fleetwood Mac.” Brady: Seeing the music video for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for the first time in ‘91 is permanently seared into my mind. It had this raw visceral energy that was like grabbing onto a live wire. I’m sure it did the same for millions of others but when I saw that, I immediately dusted off my Dad’s electric guitar and wanted to learn how it all works.
11. If you could sit down and collaborate with any Artist or Band right now, who would be at the top of your list and Why?
Allison: “HEALTH. I love their stage presence, their distinct sound, and the sheer power behind every track they make. It would be an honor to work with them.” Brady: I’m more interested in the production side in terms of collaborations so I’d say Jens Bogren, Ross Robinson or Rick Rubin. I’ve always been the main producer/engineer when it comes to Esoterik so I’d love to see how an album would take shape with another voice, especially one with the accolades like the guys I mentioned.
12. What’s the current Pulse of the Metal Scene from your perspective?
Brady: I feel like it’s a very exciting time in Metal music. For the past couple of decades, Pop has ruled the charts and airwaves but Rock and Metal are back on the rise. Seeing bands like Gojira and Spiritbox on these very mainstream stages at the Olympics and the Grammy’s is such a great things for all artists in the scene. You’re also seeing more bills with a wide range of genres which is encouraging and feels like some a of gatekeeping of the past has subsided.
13. Are there any endorsements or gear brands you’re currently working with that you’d like to shout out?
Brady: Schecter is quickly becoming something I can’t live without. Not a current endorsement but a friend of mine who is endorsed by them turned me on and would be great to collaborate in the future.
14. What does your tour calendar look like? Any big shows or festivals we should be made aware of?
Brady: We’re in the process of changing up our booking agent and the press/promo cycle is a large focus currently while we continue to roll out singles prior to the release of Nü Skin in March 2027. We’ll be back on the road as soon as that hits though!
15. What is your very first Metal album you ever bought ?
Allison: “It all started with a mix CD my older brother burned for me around age ten. It was stacked with Static-X, Drain STH, Fear Factory, Black Sabbath, Black Label Society, Metallica, and Ozzy—among a few others I can’t quite recall.” Brady: Pantera “Cowboys from Hell.”
16. What was the very first metal concert you ever went to?
Allison: Megadeth Brady: Ozzfest ‘97. I still remember the pit during Pantera and how I would usually hang out on the periphery but I said fuck that as shit got real…real quick. It was the wildest thing I’d ever seen with people coming out with blood all over them.
17. Where’s the best place for fans to keep up with you and dive into your community online?
Brady: We’re active on most of the platforms out there but definitely don’t miss the youtube videos and visualizers. We’ll have our new Patreon and Discord up and running soon as well.
