"We chose the song as the album name along with the artwork of the bird as the album cover to represent being musically free."

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Last Friday, the edgy rock band from LA, California, STITCHED UP HEART, released their newest album Darkness via Another Century records. They have been on countless tours and legendary festival line-ups and have been consistently making their way to the top. I must say, they are doing a damn good job. The release of three EPs led to their 2016 full-length debut, Never Alone, which charted at #4 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, #7 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums chart, #14 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart, and last but not least, #23 on Billboard’s Top Albums chart.

Darkness features previously released tracks such as “Lost” featuring Sully Erna of GODSMACK, “Darkness”, “Problems”, “Bones”, “Crooked Halo”, “Dead Roses”, “This Skin”, and their most recent music video and single, “Warrior”. The LP was produced by FROM FIRST TO LAST singer/guitarist, Matt Good and is available to purchase now in various CD, vinyl, and merchandise bundles exclusively at http://CenturyMedia.store. Lucky enough, I was able to speak with Mixi about the new album and the process of working on it along with many other questions I know fans were dying to know.

KNAC.COM: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me for a little bit! STITCHED UP HEART has officially released its forthcoming newest album Darkness. What were you excited for the most with the launch of the album?

DEMNER: Honestly, I’m just excited for it to finally be out there! We wrote 70 songs for this record and broke it down to our favorites and we were pretty much finished with it almost a year and a half ago so we’ve been just releasing songs over every month.

KNAC.COM: What was the process like when recording the album? How long did it take to finish?

DEMNER: We started it on February 18th and finished it September 18th. It’s funny because we wrote 70 songs but ended up only using the songs we wrote towards the end, the majority of it, I can say, we were trying to somewhat pave a new lane for us and try different things and really just experiment with it. We found a “new” lane we particularly liked but it doesn’t mean the next album will sound the same but we just really felt good about these songs on this album.

KNAC.COM: Wow, that is truly amazing, definitely a lot of songs you guys recorded.

DEMNER: Yeah!! I know there are a lot of good ones coming too. I’ve actually been digging in since we’ve already been writing and just preparing for the next record so we are not waiting too long for everything to be released. Hopefully even release a song here and there so we have music constantly moving.

KNAC.COM: Can you explain a little bit of why the album was named Darkness?

DEMNER: So Darkness is also a song on the album that kind of sums up the rest of the record, which is about going through dark times over and over again and honestly not being afraid anymore, which is also what I learned in the process of this album so we wanted to continue that sort of theme. We chose the song as the album name along with the artwork of the bird as the album cover to represent being musically free. What music does for me, it basically sets me free from whatever is going on day after day, so that’s what I feel like it represents and sums up. At the time, I was going through challenging things so I put that into my music with this album. My goal is always to make music to help others like it did for me. Music has always helped me throughout my life.

KNAC.COM: How would you describe the sound of your new CD to any potential new fan?

DEMNER: I would say its modern rock if I was to put it in a genre… You know, heavy guitars, electronics, and a female kind of pop-melody tune. Also I would say, lyrically introspective and definitely dealing a lot with mental health.

KNAC.COM: Who’s your influences music wise?

DEMNER: There is a lot!!! *laughs* I mean the first stuff that I heard music wise that my parents listened to was a LOT of THE BEATLES. So i listened to a lot of oldies growing up before I knew of anything and then my neighbors dad had a huge CD collection with all kinds of music including METALLICA, NINE INCH NAILS, KORN, GODSMACK.. All of those really good bands, even PANTERA. I would go over and borrow CD’s, come back home and then listen to them all and then give them right back while hoping he didn’t notice me taking them *Laughs*. A big thing inspiration-wise was female artists back in the day since there wasn’t that many. For example, Avril Lavine, Alanis Morisette, you know, there was the 90s movement with the grunge era but for the heavy music stuff there wasn’t a lot of female fronted bands.

I mean, there was ‘NO DOUBT which I really think helped give me inspiration. I would think to myself “well, females could do this too” you know, like even Lita Ford’, Joan Jett, EVANESCENCE. I think all of them inspired and planted seeds in my head that I can do this too.

KNAC.COM: Speaking of GODSMACK, what was it like recording and even touring with Sully? I’ve always been a fan of his and I hear he’s actually a super cool and down to earth guy.

DEMNER: Seriously, he’s the chilliest dude ever!!! Since day one, we have been friends. He makes you feel really comfortable and we just became closer and closer over the years. After a while, my management asked me to approach him to sing a song with us and I was so nervous but he said yes! I was so shocked but mainly excited. It took us a few months but I flew to Nashville, tracked the vocals, and next thing I know, we were on tour together. We have some festivals coming up with GODSMACK, but hopefully this Coronavirus issue doesn’t destroy them.

KNAC.COM: I know you are a foster mom to several cats and I think that is absolutely amazing of you to do. When did you start fostering?

DEMNER: I quit drinking about 5 years ago and I was looking for stuff to do. I was usually used to bar hopping and honestly just having hangovers all the time so I didn’t know what to do with my time. After searching around, I ended up coming across a little kitten bottle feeding class, I checked it out and loved it. It taught me a lot, especially how to actually bottle feed them and I ended up fostering them. So now, instead of drinking I foster baby kittens and bottle feed them which really makes me feel selfless and helped me change as a person with all the dumb things I did in the past. I feel like I’m making up for it in a way.

KNAC.COM: Are there any 'crazy' behind-the-scene stories from recording sessions that you can share with us?

DEMNER: Yes!! Since we are totally on the subject of bottle feeding kittens, I actually bring them in the studio when I’m writing. *laughs* It’s nice having them with me because I feel a positive energy with the new life of a little kitten. It brings that feeling into the music so it gives us all positive energy and changes the aspects of everything.

KNAC.COM: What was your first reaction when you found out Sebastian Bach wanted you guys specifically on his tour?

DEMNER: I think I’m still in shock, I was like NO WAY! I mean he’s a legend! Now unfortunately I have to wait a little longer but it’s insane and exciting. He was so sweet and wrote a message about how he handpicked us on social media when he announced us on the bill. He told everyone to check us out and everything. I really can’t wait to meet him, it’s going to be really cool!

KNAC.COM: Any future plans for STITCHED UP HEART?

DEMNER: We’re really pushing hard to try and get out of the country. We’ve been to Canada and Mexico but we are trying really hard to get to Europe or Australia. Right now we have that as our main goal. Not sure when it’ll happen especially with everything going on in the world. I mean, it’s hard to see through the forest of the trees when everything is crazy around you but there are definitely moments that are amazing and motivates us to keep going and that is definitely what we are doing.