The current artists making rock roll are the hardworking bands who consistently put out solid music. They define their sound, bust their asses touring, and connect with fans on socials. They are always on my radar. The perfect example of one of those bands is From Ashes to New. Formed in Lancaster, PA in 2013 by Matt Brandyberry — or Matt B — the band’s impactful brand of active rock conveys a message without being preachy. It injects just enough rhythmic vocals to catch rap and Nu-Metal fans, while hitting hard enough to grab the bangers.
The band’s fifth release, Reflections, is out now. Their single “Drag Me” is their first number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts. They hit the road this week as support for friends and former tourmates Shinedown, along with Coheed and Cambria. Life is good for this PA band.
Ten Years In: Still Grinding, Still Growing
Matt B joins me this week. In this episode, we discuss ten years of making records, how being negative isn’t always a negative, the “One Day Song” that fuels creativity, and Matt’s growth as an artist, vocalist, and member of the music community.
I really enjoyed having a conversation with Matt Brandyberry. He is passionate, insightful, and reflective — the real deal. Reflections is a record the band can be proud of.
*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*
Terrie Carr: Matt B in the house! From Ashes to New is coming to New Jersey, and I’m really super excited about it. I’m going to get to see you guys in a couple of weeks. 2026 has been a freakin’ amazing year for you. Reflections has been out for a couple of months. Let’s talk about record one to record five. How is it different, and how are you different as an artist?
Matt B: Well, I’m about 12 or 13 years older! I’ve grown, and I’ve learned a lot. I wouldn’t say I’ve learned a lot more in the way of music theory — I still ignore a lot of that because I write based on emotion and how I’m feeling. I’ve learned how to hone in on my skill, what I’m good at, and what I’m not good at. I think I’ve done that with producing, writing, performing — everything. I’m definitely a more seasoned artist. Back then, I was just an emotional kid who had something to say. I’m still an emotional person, and I still have something to say. I think I’m just a little bit better at saying it now.
The band has obviously grown a ton. We went from being a new band selling 20 to 50 tickets to now selling thousands. We’ve grown quite a bit, and our catalog has grown extensively — our fan base as well. We’re still growing, still getting stronger, still getting bigger. As I’ve said in previous interviews, people still consider us a “new” band, and I’m really grateful for that. I think that’s amazing. I love it.
Motivated by Fear: The Mindset Behind the Music
Terrie Carr: Slow and steady wins the race. You guys have been out for a while — five records in. The last record did really well for you, so this was a tough follow-up. I think the band has always had a very significant sense of self. There’s always been a self-awareness and an evolution in your sound. And being thought of as a “newer band” with a younger fan base? That is the best of every world. It doesn’t get better than that!
Matt B: It doesn’t really. I’m so grateful for it because we could be considered something else and never have reached our pinnacle. I just think that we are not there yet. I post all the time on my personal Facebook page about the new upcoming band. People tell us we are new, and I’m like, “oh, thank you for telling me that we’re gonna blow up and thank you for this and thank you for that.” And people are like, “have you not?” From an outside perspective, maybe yes, but from an inside perspective, it’s still a grind, still a climb, and you still feel the same.
I am the end-of-the-world guy. We were at an airport about a year ago, and Danny Case — our vocalist — said to me, “Everything is such a live-or-die situation for you.” He’s like, “You’re always worried that failure is right around the corner.” I was like, “Yeah, because if I don’t think that way, then I get complacent. And if I think that everything is okay, that leaves me susceptible to failure.”
If I’m constantly worried about it, if I’m constantly aware of what could happen, it pushes me to do better things. It pushes me to be greater and not get lazy, because a lot of people — especially artists — will procrastinate. You always hear people say they never finish a piece of art because they’re never satisfied with it. If I were like that, I would have nothing to say. I can’t be like that. I’m just like, “Hey, we’ve got to do this because if not, tomorrow you’re gonna lose your house. Do you want to lose your house?” I don’t think so!
“Drag Me” and the Road to Number One
Terrie Carr: “Drag Me!” Wow — as soon as I heard that song, I was like, “this song is a number one.” Did you know it? Did you think, “this could be our first number one”?
Matt B: No! I didn’t. Typically, I can hear a song and go, “that’s the one.” But I’m conditioned to believe that rap and screaming can’t work. Over the years, I’ve gotten phone calls, emails, and text messages saying, “Hey, get rid of the screaming, get rid of the rapping.” And it’s like, “Well, okay, so get rid of our DNA?! Get rid of who we are?!” That sounds silly. Do we want to present ourselves to people as something that we’re not? That doesn’t sound like a good idea, regardless of whether it helps us climb charts or not.
I want to be genuine to who we are. I don’t want to be fake. We’ve actually created songs I hate — I can’t stand some of them because we were told, “Hey, create this, create this, create this.” So with Reflections, it was just — no. Blackout, the band’s 2023 release, was the first step toward that. There was one song on Blackout — and I won’t tell you which one — that was created not for an algorithm, but for the format. I don’t like that song. I’m not a fan of it for that reason. Blackout was the first time that we were more focused on doing what we wanted, and we saw the success of that.
On Tour With Shinedown: Brothers on the Road
Terrie Carr: Changing the mainstream! You are getting ready for tour — just a few days away from the Shinedown run. I love this tour, and I’ll tell you why. I’ve worked on radio shows for more than half my life. There’s something about this bill that I can’t wait to see in my neck of the woods in the New York/New Jersey area.
Shinedown, From Ashes to New, Coheed and Cambria. I think of you guys as the young band bringing in that younger crowd — the fan under 30, a little bit over 30. Then I think of Coheed — I’m such a Coheed fan. They’re going to bring in some of those prog folks. They have a diehard, amazing fan base. And then Shinedown — I remember playing Shinedown more than 20 years ago for the first time on the radio, having the guys at a tiny little barbecue joint playing for seven people. Their fan base is a bit older now, and they’re getting their kids to Shinedown shows. This is not a bill where every band sounds and looks the same. This is a fantastic rock-and-roll bill of catalog, musicianship, and showmanship.
Matt B: We love the Shinedown guys. They are brothers to us now. Matty and Zach are best friends. We kind of knew ahead of everybody that they were looking at putting us on the tour. 2022 was so good that maybe we should run it back — it’s been four years. It not only helps us plan out our year, but we know that we’re gonna have a great time. We know it’s gonna be a fun tour.
Those guys are the best of the best in so many different avenues. They’re such good people — a class act. Every single one of those guys is just a good person. The reason why they are where they are is because they’re good people. So to tour with people in such big venues, in front of so many new people, and to know that it’s just gonna be a comfortable tour — that’s everything, because it’s a hard life.
When you go out there for five or six weeks and leave everything behind, it’s tough. The first couple of years you’re doing it, wet behind the ears, you’re like, “okay, this is cool, this is sick, this is the life!” Some people never get past that, and that’s fine for them. But once you do, you get it — it’s gotta be good. It’s gotta be fun in other ways. There has to be good chemistry, good vibes — everything’s gotta be great. And Shinedown brings that. That’s the best thing about hearing you’re gonna do a tour with Shinedown. You know you’ll have a great time.
What’s a “One Day Song?” Would Matt recommend being a rockstar to his kids? Check out our full hang below!
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