Breathless By Dawn – Thanks for Asking!

Breathless by Dawn – Thanks for Asking – by Liam Sweeny.

Had a chance to connect with Johnny Willsey of the band Breathless by Dawn for a quick chat. So sit back and be amazed. Enjoy!

RRX: Every comic book hero has an origin story. What is the origin story for the band? (points if you tell it like a comic book origin.)

JW: Our story began in 2009, early adolescents handed the responsibilities of life and deciding brutal music was more important. With deathcore on the rise we knew we wanted to relive the brutal death metal times we grew up in. With this desire to generate sludge together, we united a brutal 4 piece. Our powers became too great and we were sealed in a tomb for 3 long years. Once we emerged we noticed we had not been fully utilizing our brutal power. When we shifted focus, we became too mighty. This caused yet another problem for us to face. With our powers combined we noticed we have not been focused on our main goal. Brutality started to course through our veins again, leaving us as a 3 piece. Now we are here to collect all the flesh we can!!

RRX: Every band’s first song is a milestone. But so is the latest song. Describe the first song/album you recorded, and also the latest song/album you recorded; what are the differences?

JW: First song we ever wrote was Crematory, we still play this song to date. This was featured on our Strangle Your Demons EP. Our newest song, Bone Dust Junkie also reflects a similar sludge but focus in a grimier aspect. This will be featured on our upcoming Blood Remains EP. We write what we wanna hear and hope everyone enjoys it as much as we do!!

RRX: Like songs, every band has a unique feeling about their first show. What was your first show like? Was it your best show? If not, what was your best show like?

JW: Oh man, puttin my brain blob to the test on this one haha. Our first show was either a local Halloween party or at Bogie’s. We’ve played so many shows over the years it’s hard to keep it straight. Our first show was probably not our best but it was necessary to start Breathless by Dawn All of our Bogie’s shows were fantastic. We always had great bands to play with, notably Deicide, Ringworm and Psychostick to name a few. Mike Valente has always helped us out and continues to offer up killer shows for us. Unfortunately due to lineup changes we have been missing out on some really great shows. We’re hoping to get back out there as a 3 piece soon!!

RRX: Music genres are difficult for some bands. Some strictly adhere; others not so much. What is your perspective on the genre you play, or the genres you hover around?

JW: That’s a great question. We have one of the easiest (in my opinion) genres to work with. Sticking within a Death Metal realm, we are able to write funny or dark and twisted lyrics. When it comes to writing riffs, we’re also provided a platform that is vast and wide. We can play simplistic notes or have a complex array of shred. I’m never opposed to playing outside the genre but we just love it too much to write anything different. In the past we have tried different sounds or genres but always come back to our roots. 💀

RRX: It’s a lot of fun living in the present, but we all collect memories and give birth to dreams. We’re talking dreams here. Where you see yourself next year? In the next five years?

JW: We would love to have some more shows that pound along with a full length in the future.

Next year we plan on going out full force and gettin hog wild on stage. Truly hoping we can release a full length within the next 5 years! We dream small hahaha.

RRX: We all get a little support from those around us. And we also can be impressed by our fellow bands. Who do you admire in your community, and why?

JW: Skinless was a huge contributor to our musical desires. We all love Skinless. It’s that type of band we always listen to again and again. They’ve been around for an impressive amount of time and we hope to do the same. They’re all killer musicians and great role models for us musically!!

Johnny Willsey of Breathless by Dawn

2021 Demo Suspended by Hate as well as recent singles Reborn Into Redemption and On Two Feet are available on streaming platforms

More by Liam Sweeny…