https://northsaskmusiczine.wixsite.com/website/post/set-to-flames-release-dark-beautiful-debut-single-underwater
By Will Yannacoulias
For La Ronge alt rock duo Set To Flames, the long wait is over. The band, formed by Troy Patterson and Shelbey Savoie in 2015, released their debut single "Underwater" just last week. Originally written six years ago and continually reworked by the songwriting team, the dark, heavy track showcases Savoie's powerful, memorable vocal melodies and Patterson's aggressive guitar arrangement. Set To Flames graciously shared with NSMZ a little background on "Underwater" the day of it's release.
The top-notch recording was surprisingly done by the band in a home studio. As Patterson explains, "The entire production so far has been accomplished in our basements. Writing lyrics, piecing our music together, recording, mixing, mastering, and all of the post-production has been done by the two of us in our homes. It’s allowed us to not only understand our music from the performing side, but also be able to really make it our own as we have learned all of the other steps that go into releasing music into the world. It has been a very long, but rewarding process now that we feel that we are ready to showcase the songs we have created."
Savoie shared the entire story behind the song with us, illustrating how it grew and evolved into the final form. "It was the second song we wrote together, back in 2015. We had a previous version of 'Underwater', but never felt that it was a fully-fledged or completed song. We would put it on the back burner, write more music, try going back to it again but something was always missing. It was maybe only three months ago, revision # who knows, when Troy changed the entire key, wrote a different guitar and bass track following my vocal melody line and added a section for a new chorus. I’ve always wanted to keep this song sort of simple and to the point, and decided to use the straightforward statement 'it feels like I am underwater'. Everything quickly fell into place after that and it was then we believed 'Underwater' was finally where it needed to be."
Savoie also offered insight into her songwriting inspiration and what inspires her brooding, personal lyrics. "Underwater is about a metaphorical drowning" she reflected. "It comes from a place of fear of the unknown, a sense of being overwhelmed and not knowing where to turn. A lot of times that comes from conflict in the relationship I have with myself, as I know a lot of times I am my own worst enemy. This song, and many others that I have written focus on this subject. Despite the material having dark and somewhat depressing undertones, I personally am thrilled with how I can take this fragility within myself and turn it into something I find beautiful and dynamic. In the end it becomes almost empowering and not at all seen as the vulnerability it once was."
"Underwater" is the first single from an 11 song full length album which Set To Flames will release in July. "The songs are now complete" Patterson disclosed, "we have just a few final touches to make before announcing the official release date. We are very proud of the album from start to finish and have been working towards this for a very long time. We now feel that we are ready to show the world what Set To Flames is all about!"
"Underwater" is available on all major streaming services.
