Introducing: Ways.

French band Ways. offer up an engaging yet hard-hitting sound fusing elements of alternative metal, metalcore and post-hardcore and they summarise as “powerful, dynamic and melodic.”

The Parisian collective is built around brothers Bruno and Nico, who played in various bands separately over the years and started together just before starting Ways. They brought in Clément on vocals then saw a little rotation of band members before bringing in bassist Anthony around two years ago and completing the lineup with drummer Etienne last year.

On the quintet’s approach, Nico told us: “We wanted to express the idea that there are always multiple possible paths in a situation. That despite difficulties, it is always possible to step back and visualize the different routes to take to move forward. The design of the logo was created around this idea with open and closed lines. The dot at the end of ‘Ways.’ means that there may be a moment when it is difficult, if not impossible, to find solutions or continue moving in a certain direction. It is necessary to find other ways to move forward. Ultimately, when you know the band’s story in depth, I think we chose our name and its meaning well!”

We spoke to the band ahead of the release of their latest single Erase, which was released two weeks ago and errs towards the heavier end of the Ways. sound. It opens up with drawn-out high-pitched guitars and rolling drums that feed into big engaging vocals. That flows into a heavier chorus “I swam against the tide along, Believing, denying all along, I could see your bright side, So long I swam against the tide.”

The pace drops a little with rolling drums and a light guitar lick but big screamed vocals jump in with pounding drums. It drops back into another catchy chorus, which feeds into chunky guitar chords and a little lick with intense screamed vocals. The pace suddenly drops again with a completely unexpected but enjoyable light piano lick, then intense screams build up to a final blast of the chorus.

On the track, Nico told us: “We are very excited for people to discover this new single. It’s a slightly different piece compared to our usual style. We dabble in screamo at times and have experimented with new sounds. It’s also a particularly unique song in terms of its subject matter.

“Erase is about the regret of not being able to see the distress of a loved one during a period of self-discovery. It reflects the inability to be empathetic, even when the emotions may be evident. It’s both a fast-paced track and, at the same time, carries a somewhat heavy atmosphere. This second single showcases a new aspect of our composition and provides a glimpse into our upcoming EP.”

Erase follows on from previous single Why Do We Fall?, which was released in February and, intriguingly, about which the band reveal “This is the first song we’ve written that ends on a note of hope.” It opens up with a searing lick and backing synths supported by chunky guitar chords, which gives way to a massive opening verse led by Clément’s huge vocals, big low-tuned guitars and doomy cymbals. That flows into a more melodic but intense chorus, before a second verse drops into a superb bouncy riff and big screamed vocals. A second chorus drops into a slower section, which gradually builds up to an instrumental conclusion. Check it out in the video here:

There’s plenty more in the Ways. back catalogue, including last year’s reworked single So Far So Good, which originally featured on their 2018 debut album Aftermath.

The Ways. sound has been influenced by a wide range of bands and genres. Nico tells us that he and Bruno draw inspiration from metalcore and post-hardcore bands like Counterparts, Architects, Alexisonfire, The Ghost Inside, Thrice and Underoath. And he adds: “We also have a different approach to composition, even in the atmosphere of the songs. We compose and arrange together with Anthony and Etienne, which allows us to have a song where everyone has contributed.”

Clément adds Marilyn Manson, AqME and Sum41 into the mix as the three bands that aided his musical development and awakening. While Etienne also namechecks Architects and Underoath, and Anthony says his favourite band right now is Polaris, who he and Etienne talked about the first time they met, along with Silent Planet.

And when it comes to writing music, Clément tells us: “For writing lyrics, I draw inspiration mainly from human nature and nature in the broad sense.”

And Etienne adds: “I’ll mostly talk about my drum parts, as I don’t really compose songs per se. I would say that it’s the desire to express musicality through my instrument, which is rhythmic and by nature perhaps a little less conducive to “musical expression” – we mostly imagine a drummer accompanying the rest of the band, rather in the background in terms of creativity.

“I always try to compose parts with originality, but while keeping coherence with the style, it’s not always easy because one can quickly get lost in technique or demonstration. Anyway, when I’ve worked well and written good rhythms, I immediately feel it when playing the song in question. Everything is smooth, challenging and everything falls into place, it’s pretty cool when I achieve that result.”

Ways. are currently hard at work on their next EP, which is scheduled for release this autumn (fall). On the EP, Nico says: “We are really proud of the work we’ve done and the songs that are coming. We can’t wait to share them with as many people as possible.” Also expect a tour to promote the EP in 2024, with plenty more things in the works for the future.

And Nico adds: “We have been around for a few years now, and we have had the opportunity and the luck to achieve some incredible things, such as our tour in Cuba, for example, and also opening for bands we love. Like any band like ours, we have had our fair share of struggles with significant lineup changes, doubts, challenging moments, and life changes. Despite all that, the passion remains just as important and powerful for us. We are still more alive than ever, and we are excited to share this energy with you on stage. Thank you for the support.”

You can follow Ways. on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, Deezer and YouTube.