Cleveland hardcore band Motives released their second album, Death Throes, today. The record is a balance between singer Ian Slagle’s gritty vocals with melodic instrumentation by guitarists Kevin Burrows and Chris Hanford, bassist Daniel Ackerman and drummer Mike Taddeo. The band is currently on the road with AVOID, but Taddeo took a few moments to speak with Atlas via email about the new music, favorite tour memories and turning Motives into a career in music. 

Can you tell the origin story of your band? What made you all decide to play music and how did  you land on this genre?

We came together and formed Motives when most of us got done playing in other bands in the area. We wanted to make something emotional yet powerful and I feel as though our energetic post-hardcore sound conveys that just the way we want it to.

What names come to mind when you’re thinking of your creative influences?

Some of my personal influences are Purity Ring, Bloc Party and The Japanese House. 

How has your music evolved from your first album to this new record?

I feel like with this record we really matured our sound. I love how the last record sounds and with Death Throes, I think we rounded out the edges and mixed in some more brighter tones.

Are there any topics that you find yourselves focusing on when you’re writing music?

I usually just focus on pushing the pace and finding the little intricate guitar parts that I can match a drum fill up to!

What do you hope your fans take away from your songs?

I hope they think we’re really good and sick.

Got any crazy stories from touring and meeting people?

This current tour with Avoid, I kicked Benny out of his own band and took his spot as the Avoid frontman. We also blew a flywheel in our van and spent an entire day sleeping in a vacant office in a Ford dealership.

What’s coming up for Motives in 2020? 

Hopefully just a bunch of touring and also hitting up the Big Red and Barbacoa Fest in May down in San Antonio.

Do you ever think about a master plan for Motives? 

Usually just in the shower and I always see us in like 10 years as a new band called The Motors playing covers at bars and county fairs.

Is there anything else you’d like people to know, or anything you wish you got to speak about more that people may not ask you?

I just hope people like the record as much as myself and my bandmates do. This was two years in the works and if it flops then it’s your fault I gotta work at Arby’s or something lame.

Don’t miss Motives on tour now! Stream Death Throes below!

Story by Olivia Khiel
Images courtesy of Motives