According to a recent press release: "Philadelphia-native progressive group IN THE PRESENCE OF WOLVES rattled the east coast metal scene with their 2015 full-length release, Thalassas, deftly mixing a bevy of classic progressive rock, modern prog-metal, experimental, post-hardcore and jazz rock influences that have since been unparalleled by any up-and-coming local artist of late. Tight live and recorded performances and mind-boggling technical precision have already pushed IN THE PRESENCE OF WOLVES far beyond the limitations of their contemporaries, and they've only just begun." We get drummer Mason Ingling from the band to answer our 10 Quick Ones about the upcoming release and more...

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

I think people who listened to our first release, Thalassas, will notice more of an edge on this record. I don't think we tried to hide anything, but I would tell people, who may not notice on a first listen, to keep an ear out for reoccurring themes musically. You'll notice similar riffs reinterpreted throughout different tunes in the record.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Well I've always had a fascination with music. I was like 2 or 3 listening to Metallica and Guns N' Roses. I couldn't tell you an exact moment, but between my dad and my Uncle, who did security for Danzig and roadied for Jersey metal bands in the 80's, they really pushed me further into wanting to play in a band. These guys got me started with bands like King Crimson, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Deep Purple, Dio, Primus, etc.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Man that's tough, but if I had to choose I'd pick the following:

• Iron Maiden
• Dave Brubeck
• The Dillinger Escape Plan
• Art Blakey
• King Crimson

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

Well, I saw Brian Wilson do Pet Sounds recently and I've listened to SMiLE several times the past couple weeks, so It’d be great to collaborate with him. It would be an interesting meeting to say the least.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

Generally I'd describe us as "alt-prog" to the avid music junkie. We're too light sometimes for metal shows, and most of the time we're too heavy for rock shows, so it's really tough to set us into a general genre.

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

Definitely playing live. Aside from playing music and going crazy in new cities with my best friends, I love the aspect of playing to new people who have never seen us before and getting to watch their reactions as the show is unfolding in front of them. We pride ourselves in putting on the best show possible.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Well I don't think we've ever cooked for each other, I'd imagine it would go terribly since Chris is picky about what he eats, Vini's diet only consists of candy and 20 piece chicken McNuggets, I try to eat really clean, and Jim eats pop tarts on park benches. We are all craft beer fanatics, but Vini is usually the one who will drink too much, get naked, and/or get lost in a college campus (ex: Harvard Yard Dec 2015 #NeverForget). He’s also the first to pick up an acoustic and drunkenly sing John Mayer tunes. Our favorite thing to do is change lyrics of songs or play songs in different styles. Our latest concept is to take Dream Theater's Metropolis Part Two and rerecord it in an early 2000's emo style.

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

Left wing for the Philadelphia Flyers.

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”?

Well anything I've ever recorded on drums I'd love to do over. Obviously those are representations of how I was playing at the time, but as you progress as a musician and listen back to an old recording, you find yourself recreating in your head a new way of playing a part of a song. That's another reason why I love playing live, I can take liberties and mess around with different fills and even changing the way I played a groove meant for a certain riff.

10. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Well, I'm currently jamming to Fats Navarro Vol. 1, a Blue Note record I picked up recently. I would have loved to been on a Van Gelder session with players like Sonny Rollins, Lee Morgan, John Coltrane, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Lou Donaldson, etc. I doubt that I could compete with the drummers in those sessions like Art Blakey and Philly Joe Jones, but to just be a part of those sessions in some way would have been something else!

IN THE PRESENCE OF WOLVES LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER