Who are you and what is your role in the band?
My name is Angel Graves, and I am the lead singer and guitar player for Devils Envy.
How did the band get started?
I started the band back in 2013 with the help of our drummer, Sean; and bass player Zakk Sandler, who is now currently with Falling In Reverse. Although, we didn’t publicly launch until 2016. The band started with a few song ideas for a short comic series, and we then decided to perform the songs live and establish ourselves as a performing act. We did start with a frontman, Ryan, under a different band name (Embrace The Envy). After scheduling conflicts and experimenting with our sound, we then moved on with the next frontman, Justin. We decided to evolve our music to where there’s less screaming involved and parted ways with him. We are all still on great terms, nonetheless. I then decided to give singing a shot, which I realized I am much more comfortable doing so. Even while playing guitar. Our bass player Jeff was with us during 2017, but due to scheduling conflicts, we also needed to part ways. Austin Diaz, who was the guitar player for BlackTide, joined Devils Envy as a permanent member after playing a few shows with us. We have a great network of session musicians that have filled-in as bass players at our shows. We then decided as a group to keep the number at 3 for the time being, sinceit has not negatively affected how we write and record.
Who are your influences and how do they play a role in your sound?
I know for me personally, my musical influences always vary per song or album. I either draw inspiration from movies that I watch, the video games my kids play, or even other artists I’ve had the pleasure in working with on tour. There’s so much amazing talent out there that it inspires me to be a great songwriter. As a band, our main influences are in the hard rock realm.
What has been your most meaningful experience being in this band so far?
Learning how to fend for ourselves, for sure. I’ve taken on the role doing most of the leadership; booking shows, promoting, etc. It all has been a great learning experience so far. I have two of the best musicians that I know, to write songs with, and we keep learning from each other and growing together as artists. They’re my best friends and are very supportive of my vision for it all.
Favorite memory from a show you’ve played or a place you’ve travelled?
We had the pleasure of opening a show for Upon A Burning Body, in Orlando; A couple of their members actually watched our entire set, and they came to us and compliment the music and performance. It was highlight of ours, since we’re all fans of their band. I’ve done a lot of traveling, tour managing other bands. There are so many amazing places I can’t wait to bring Devils Envy to.
What do you hope to accomplish with your music?
We hope to bring something daring to the table. Since there are so many new artists out there, we realize no matter how hard we think or try, it has all been done before. We’ve humbly accepted this, and decided to just do what feels right, sonically, to us. Rather than worrying about who has the best guitar tones, or ‘who used the biggest name in the industry to mix and record their tracks. We just like to give our listeners and fans pure entertainment value, to the best of our abilities. We love to engage fans and reach out to them, but we don’t like showing off too much what goes on behind the scenes. Reason being is that I personally feel like this band is our alter ego; an outlet where we don’t necessarily have to give out every single detail of what goes on in our camp or in our personal lives. Our main goal is to be a voice for the voiceless, and to share our artwork and music with our friends, fans, and eventually, the world.
Something about you that no one knows?
I’m a huge comic book fan. My favorite heroes are Batman and Thor. I also have a weakness for chocolate chip cookies and big dogs.
What is next for the band?
We recently were discovered by Sameer of Flyleaf. He offered to manage us, and it has been great ever since. he’s such a great mentor to us. We’re currently working on a couple of tours. And a second EP release by the end of the year. We are still working on the comic strips, as we speak; it’s a very lengthy and costly process, but we have some surprises coming soon.
Anything else you want to add?
To all of Rock Revolt followers and readers: Please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We love your stories and how our music motivates and inspires you. Be sure to download our latest single “Psycho” – Now on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, Spotify, and more. Also, request us on your favorite radio station, including Sirius/XM Octane!
Also, I’ll be with P.O.D. on the Gen X run. Feel free to come to a show near you and say hi!
