Who are we chatting to and what do you do in the band?
Ryan Felton, guitarist of Chaos Divine.
Who are your biggest influences?
Our sound is heavily influenced by bands like Devin Townsend, Mastodon, Gojira, and Katatonia, as well as older stuff like Pink Floyd and a lot of ‘80s music.
What do you love about making music?
The process of creating something from scratch and putting in the long hours to build a record with a close group of friends that, once you have finished, allows you to stand back and be proud of what you’ve achieved and share it with the world.
What drew you to progressive music?
Initially it was all of the big ‘90s guitar heroes – Vai, Satriani and Petrucci. It then became more about the songs themselves and starting a band, spending countless hours in the rehearsal room making our songs as big and epic as they could be and keeping things interesting. I think this is why prog is such a great avenue of music, because it allows you to be totally independent and creative without having to fit the confines of more commercial music.
If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your music, who would it be and why?
It would have to be the great man, Max Cavalera. Sepultura was one of the first heavy bands I discovered when I was younger and I’d love to show Maxy how he has inspired me to follow my passion in heavy music.
What can a punter expect from your live show?
Big sounds, high stage energy and catchy music – and some brand new songs.
Catch Chaos Divine at Progfest on Saturday January 26 in Melbourne, Sunday January 27 in Sydney, and Monday January 28 in Brisbane. Grab your tickets here.
