And that is particularly evident on their sophomore full-length, Stygian Waves, issued on March 28, 2025 through the Kscope label. Lifeson spoke to AllMusic shortly earlier than the album’s launch, and defined the way it differs from the group’s first providing, along with chatting about songwriting, elements of his private life, and even a couple of Rush-related subjects.
How would you examine Stygian Waves to Envy of None’s self-titled debut?
“The primary album was very exploratory for us. We did not actually know one another very effectively. I clearly knew Andy [who was previously a member of Canadian rockers Coney Hatch], however I did not know Alf that effectively, and I did not know Maiah in any respect. And we actually got here collectively and labored as a staff on that properly, remotely. So, we might share our recordsdata and all of that stuff. Properly, we made the second document that manner, too. And I feel we benefited from the primary document and attending to know one another a bit of bit higher. And we began engaged on the document proper after the primary one was launched, so we simply flowed proper into it.”
“I feel that this document is extra mature. It exhibits extra confidence on our half. I feel we achieved all of the objectives that we’re after. It wasn’t a lot of on the lookout for issues because it was as soon as the concepts have been set, then we simply adopted by. There’s extra substance to this document.”
“I am soloing extra on this document, which is type of a pleasant factor. It is a bit of heavier, I feel. It is a bit of rockier in a manner, however there’s additionally plenty of cool, funky stuff. And I feel the variability is nice. The manufacturing has improved. Not that I had an issue with the manufacturing of the final document, however this document actually sounds nice. So, an exquisite document to hearken to.”
“After which there’s Maiah. Maiah sits on high of all the pieces else. She’s genius on this document, and he or she’s actually matured as a vocalist, as a songwriter, a lyricist, and as an individual. So, it has been fairly a fairly an attention-grabbing journey for her within the final couple of years.”
Does the album title have a particular that means?
‘No. Stygian waves are from mythology, and are the turbulent waves on the gates of hell. As you movement down the River Styx, as you method the gates of hell, the water turns into far more turbulent and chaotic. And we prefer to assume that there is additionally a strategy to navigate out of these turbulent waters into one thing a bit of extra calmer and constructive.”
Two music movies have been issued thus removed from the album, “Not Lifeless But” and “Underneath the Stars.”
“I am not a singles man, personally. However I perceive that there is some significance, and the document firm feels it is vital to have singles and movies. So, ‘Not Lifeless But,’ we employed a videographer from Argentina to do the primary video. It is an AI generated video, however my understanding is lots of work goes into it earlier than it ever comes close to a pc. So, this argument backwards and forwards, I assume it is a digital/analog argument at occasions, y’know, on steroids, however I feel it appears superb.”
“And this AI stuff is horrifying, but it surely appears superb. It is attention-grabbing to take a look at and watch. So, there’s a lot exercise in these movies. These have been the primary tracks that we thought that we might launch as singles. And the second video, for ‘Underneath the Stars,’ that is a complete completely different method.”
“However I assume they’re efficient instruments to take, get folks’s consideration for moments, however nobody has an consideration span anymore. No person actually cares. So I simply, I ponder about the entire thing. They’re enjoyable to do and so they’re enjoyable to take a look at, however finally, are they a lot of a device anymore? I am actually unsure. I am not the one to ask…despite the fact that you requested me!”
I discover the music of Envy of None to be fairly cinematic sounding. Has the band pursued doing music for TV or movie?
“We have tried very laborious, and we did get a placement on the primary album for the music ‘Liar’ on a Netflix sequence. The identify [of the show] escapes me proper now. Yeah, I feel that that may be superior, as a result of I feel this music may be very cinematic and fairly atmospheric. A number of the fabric I feel would match nice for, like, ‘Not Lifeless But,’ for the subsequent Bond film? Wow. What a fantastic music that may be for the subsequent Bond film. And we’ve supervisors that search out these alternatives. So, hopefully one thing extra will come of that. However I might like to get these type of placements.”
It is laborious to check the music of Envy of None to any particular different artist, which is an effective factor. Are there any influences from different artists that you can imagine?
“Properly, I feel there is a comparability to Rubbish, I assume, as a result of Shirley [Manson] and Maiah are each ladies. However for me, no, I’m going into it simply with a transparent thoughts, engaged on these initiatives. And I take a look at them as difficult alternatives for me to play guitar differently than I’ve ever performed it, and search for sounds which might be very completely different than normal, conventional guitar sounds. So for me personally, it is a actually nice train in exploration and increasing my boundaries.”
“When you ask the others that, I am positive they’d have their influences, however I actually do not know. As a result of we work on it pretty steadily, and we’re all the time targeted on it. So you are not getting in lots of different exterior influences, not less than I do not assume so. Everyone does not actually wish to copy one thing else. You wish to be unique. However actually there are flavors of different issues – there is a ’60s vibe that I hear, there is a ’90s vibe that I hear. We’re type of a bit of all around the map.”
“However I feel we’ve a really distinctive mixture in that we’re type of old style musicians and we’re writing type of, I might say, darker cinematic music. However with Maiah’s voice not being a ‘rock type of voice’ and being fairly fragile, it is a actually nice distinction to what the music is, which is a bit of darker. So I feel in that sense, it is fairly distinctive.
How do you method Envy of None songs from a guitar standpoint?
“We get the fundamental thread of an thought. And normally they’re fairly minimal. With regards to me, I do scratch guitars, and I do not do lots of them, however I will do the thematic and perhaps one secondary type of guitar presence. And I do not spend a complete lot of time. I normally simply use plugins and attempt to get by it very spontaneously. After which it goes to Maiah and he or she’ll do a scratch vocal, and it comes again to me, after which I begin doing the ultimate guitars. After which I simply break it down in sections between the verses and the choruses and bridges and any instrumental part – very like I might have executed up to now with Rush music. I imply, that is my system for mapping issues out.”
“After which I type of dive into it. Typically, I begin with an acoustic, and I do acoustic stuff that finally might be electrical, however I discover that I can get a bit of extra natural with an acoustic at occasions. And I really like taking part in acoustic guitar, in any case. So very often with this document, that was a place to begin for me, and invariably, that turned a signature for one more half, the place it could go into an acoustic part, or not less than supportive. After which I might begin constructing the guitars, normally, y’ know, as you may see [shows a large collection of guitars behind him], I acquired all my stuff over right here. Analog stuff, and the amps, and I’ve a cupboard that is in an enclosure. So I love to do these issues extra analog.”
“However I additionally acquired, I do not know for those who’ve checked these out but – that is the Common Audio amp pedals that they’ve [Alex displays two pedal models: Lion ’68 and Enigmatic ’82]. They’re type of new. They sound superb! I am a pedal man for positive, however I am not this type of pedal man – like, emulating guitar sounds. However I did the factor for the TONEX, the place they did my complete catalog of amps. Oh, it is unimaginable. And there is a complete new era, I assume it is pushed AI, a complete new era of those sorts of issues that really emulate the guitar sound.”
“Digital guitar, like plugins, all the time sound prefer it’s taped onto the display. It does not have the depth – you do not really feel prefer it’s tall or deep or fats. And these pedals do it, and the TONEX does it, as a result of they’ve executed one thing in regards to the backside finish of these plugins, which have been missing up to now. They appear to have conquered that impediment. And now these pedals and people plugins like TONEX are an unimaginable step into making it far more handy and nonetheless sustaining a fantastic, nice, nice guitar sound.”
Do you assume Envy of None could play some exhibits in assist of the brand new album?
“Oh, we might like to. We preserve speaking about it. I feel {that a} night time in a smallish theater with a pleasant, refined gentle present with two albums value of fabric could be an evening of simply stunning, nice, very emotional music. However, it is troublesome to get the logistics in place. These are very troublesome, difficult occasions for us – to do a gig, or gigs, could be a monetary loss. So, it is laborious to get motivated to spend so much of effort and time to do one thing that it may value you to do it. No less than these are the preliminary responses that that we have gotten. However we’re holding out hope that perhaps there’s a chance to do even a handful of gigs as a type of particular musical occasion.”
Now that you have not toured for fairly a while, how would you describe a typical day these days for you?
“I am an early riser. I am normally up between 5:30 and 6:30. I hit the health club on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. At 9:00, I come again. That is my studio in my residence, and I like to return again right here and spend time right here. It is my sanctuary. And I by no means get bored in right here. And there is by no means nothing that I do not wish to do after I’m in right here. So, I will spend time right here.”
“I play a bit of little bit of golf, and I used to be going to say some tennis often. And I make my very own meals, I cook dinner my very own meals. I am very aware about my weight-reduction plan and the way I am consuming now, in order that type of fills my day. And as soon as every week or so, I will drop by Ged‘s, and we’ll have espresso and speak about stuff. And see my grandkids. And that is about it. That is about my life.”
How are you doing health-wise?
“I went to a clinic in January in Austria, in southern Austria, known as the Vivamayr Clinic. It’s a wellness clinic that focuses on digestive system. In addition to many different issues – they’ve many most cancers sufferers there, and so they present so many alternative therapies. And it’s totally calm and quiet – no telephones, no music. It is nearly virtually zenning out and diving into this – consuming lots of water, tea, there is not any espresso, there’s clearly no alcohol. And I went as a result of I had surgical procedure in 2023 on my abdomen, and it left me with gastroparesis, which is gradual motility. So, meals stays in my abdomen for ten or twelve hours relatively than two or three hours.”
“So, I actually must eat very fastidiously, and I’ve to be very selective about how I eat and never cross that line, as a result of it is laborious for me to get again over. Y’know, one mistake prices me two or three days of discomfort. I used to be nauseous for a yr. I used to be depressing for just about a yr and a half…till I went to Vivamayr, and so they simply taught me easy methods to take management of how I am consuming, what to eat, when to eat. And it is simply exceptional.”
“As a result of I am not usually that sort of particular person. I am lazy and I simply do not work laborious on the subject of issues I do not wish to do. However this, for the primary time in my life, simply modified all the pieces, and it has been life altering for me. Since I went to see them, I’ve misplaced about 23 kilos, and I misplaced one other I feel 15 or 20 kilos earlier than that. So I am down near 40 kilos in a yr and a half.”
“And if I am cautious and I eat correctly, I can dwell a cheerful, comparatively regular life. If I do not, then I endure. So, you do not wish to really feel crappy I’ve come to comprehend. You type of take it everyday, however now I do not wish to really feel crappy anymore, ever once more. So, I’ve turn into very, very strict about it. I do not drink anymore, I do not smoke, I do not eat junk. Completely no junk. Gluten free, lactose free. Like, all of that stuff – as a result of that is me. That is what I’ve to do. It isn’t a selection. That is what I’ve to do to keep up an honest, comfy life.”
When the Victor album [1996’s self-titled] and Geddy’s solo album [2000’s My Favourite Headache] have been reissued final yr, I hoped perhaps you’ll play exhibits collectively and carry out materials off these albums for the primary time ever. Was that ever a consideration?
“No, but it surely’s not a nasty thought. We by no means even thought of one thing like that. Yeah, that may have been one thing to contemplate. I imply, I actually wished to remix the [Victor] document. I used to be very sad with the unique combine that I did on it. It was very vibrant. Backside finish actually wasn’t there. So, it gave me a second alternative to do this. And after I stripped all the pieces down, I spotted that I would gone so overboard after I recorded the document…I had six tracks of guitars taking part in the identical factor. Like, ‘Okay, doubling is ok. However do you want to have six tracks simply to have that dense ’90s type of sound?'”
“After which after I stripped all of it down right here, I blended it right here on this room. I took all these guitars out. I simply left one or two guitars in order that was extra direct, cleaner, extra air round all the pieces. I used to be a lot happier – the underside finish felt higher. A lot happier with the mixes. It is laborious to return 20 years and revisit one thing, or 30 years revisit one thing, that was so vital, however you’ve got gone past it now. However it was a fantastic train for me to have a second likelihood at it.”
Do you ever return and hearken to Rush’s music?
“Probably not. Each every so often I hear a monitor and…I’ve by no means been capable of separate myself from the man that labored on that music that wished it to be higher. So, all the pieces that I hear I feel might be higher. I simply concentrate on, ‘Oh, why did I play that little factor? Or this.’ It is laborious to only sit again and hear. And I feel that is in all probability fairly widespread for anyone that information music. However, yeah, perhaps I will have a hear extra usually.”
I lately went again and re-read fairly a couple of of Neil Peart‘s lyrics, as a result of I used to be placing collectively a listing of a few of his finest lyrics for a web site I write for. What would you say are a few of your favourite lyrics he wrote?
“Oh, ‘Freewill’ was nice. ‘Nearer to the Coronary heart’ was to the purpose. ‘Xanadu’ was that type of actually cool interval from the extra ‘fantasy’ period – as a result of it is simply so descriptive and colourful, the lyrics in that music. ‘Subdivisions’ speaks to a complete era. Yeah, he was a really, very gifted lyricist. He was a fantastic observer, and that is the place he wrote from. I feel for the final third of his writing profession – he was extra of an observer, issues round him and commenting on them extra from his personal private viewpoint.”
I feel “Dropping It” is one in every of his finest lyrics ever.
“Yeah. That and ‘The Backyard.’ ‘The Backyard,’ actually, for its time when that music got here out, or when that album got here out [2012’s Clockwork Angels], we by no means would have anticipated that that may be the closing quantity for Rush’s life. And ‘Dropping It,’ boy, it’s totally, very poignant. All of us face that.”
Particularly as I am getting older, that music type of takes on a brand new that means.
“Yeah, you discover that too, huh? [Laughs] Yeah, I want I used to be the guitar participant I used to be 20 years in the past, however, I am nonetheless working at it.”
Which modern-day music artists do you get pleasure from?
“None. I do not hearken to any fashionable music, to be trustworthy with you. I take that again – I heard a band final week, known as Måneskin. They’re an Italian band. Wonderful. They sounded actually, actually good. I am not saying there is not any good music round, there may be. I am simply not interested by looking for it anymore. These days are over for me, the place I would go to the document retailer and purchase an album and take it house and undergo that complete course of.”
“I do what I do. I would a lot relatively hearken to music I create lately. And I do lots of that, from my very own private use. I’ve reams of stuff that I document that I play within the background, if we’re having a cocktail party or one thing like that. And it is beneath the radar, no one is aware of who it’s or what it’s. It is simply very nice music within the background. Fashionable music, pop music, all that stuff, I can not stand it, actually – to be trustworthy with you. It is nearly dancing and leaping round. And I actually do not have lots of respect for it.”
My daughter is a really large fan of Taylor Swift. And whereas that is not the music I usually hearken to, after I do hear it, I’ve to present credit score that she does quite a lot of kinds. It isn’t predictable – it is not a identical model she all the time does.
“I am precisely the identical as you. I am not conversant in her music – I do know a couple of songs. I do know a Taylor Swift music as quickly because it comes on, which is nice. However she’s a participant, and he or she’s a author, and the way in which she took care of her crew, like, what was it, $90 million in bonuses or one thing for her crew? [The figure was reported to be $197 million] A protracted tour – it was a few years. However she thinks like we all the time thought.”
“And once more, I am not a fan of that type of music – I feel it is effectively executed and I give her credit score for it. However I give her tons of credit score for being the person who she is, and dealing with herself the way in which she does, and the big affect that she has. Very, very constructive affect she has on her so loyal viewers. It is unimaginable. I’ve complete respect for her.”
Future plans?
“Properly, I am gonna end this cup of tea and have one other one, and go on and do one other 50 interviews right this moment, and for the remainder of the week! I am nonetheless engaged on a documentary on the Nice Lakes with a bunch of individuals – some guys from Barenaked Girls, from the Rheostatics. We have been engaged on this for some time. It is an attention-grabbing venture, as a result of we get collectively and we jam, after which we begin pulling stuff out of these jams after which constructing from these. And lots of the jams, as we progress, get higher and higher and higher, and stand alone as elements.”
“I am working with a younger feminine artist on a few of her stuff. I do stuff with Marco Minnemann infrequently – I’ve one venture right here on my desktop with him. So, I am taking part in lots. I play every single day. I play earlier than I’m going to mattress for an hour, as an absolute. However normally, I am getting not less than three or 4 hours of guitar taking part in in every single day. So, it is all good.”
