MINUTE AFTER MIDNIGHT, the brainchild of Derrick Ryan that sprouted from the fertile musical grounds of Nashville in 2016 and who cannot be tethered to singular genre parameters in favour of mixing alt, rock, and pop, will release the new album MATTER OF TIME on November 13 via Fearless Records. Pre-order it here.
Coinciding with the album news, the band has also shared the video for new single INFAMOUS.
Infamous is the kind of song that makes an artist, well, famous. The track questions if it’s better to be famous or infamous, or to be hated for who you are rather than loved for who you are not. The sentiment is fueled by the kind of unharnessable energy that defines punk rock with more-bounce-for-the-ounce percussion. When singer Ryan declares “I’m just here for your entertainment” in the chorus, it transforms from a lyric into a mission statement delivered with such convincing bite. The breakdown that populates that final third of the song is so potent it could register on the Richter scale. Minute After Midnight are clearly carving their own alt rock path with song like Infamous.
Speaking directly about the song, Ryan says, “Infamous is about being counted out for so long that eventually you stop looking for anyone’s approval. It’s stepping into your villain arc, embracing everything people might say about you, and becoming impossible to ignore. If they’re going to talk, I’d rather give them something worth talking about.”
When the clock strikes twelve, one day gives way to the next. The slate wipes clean, life restarts, and another chapter commences. Minute After Midnight sounds like a new beginning born from the high-speed collision of bright pop-punk, heartfelt emo, intense metalcore, and expertly executed alternative rock steeped in the lore of an evocative mythos. The Tennessee-born singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer acts as a conductor both sonically and aesthetically, conceiving a larger-than-life vision and ushering it into existence. After quietly amassing tens of millions of streams and building buzz, he makes the most of the moment on his full-length debut LP, Matter of Time.
“Everything stems from the concept of time,” says Ryan. “When you think about it, music itself is keeping time. The name—Minute After Midnight—is a reference to time. The title A Matter of Time was also fitting for the album. I always believed it was only a matter of time until this happened. I’ve got my chance to start now.”
Derrick grew up between Bristol and Knoxville. Following college, he found his way to Nashville where he planted down roots. Pursuing a life in music, he honed his talents in genres as diverse as pop, country, electronic, and house, grinding to be heard non-stop, cultivating his voice with various features, and sharpening his songwriting skills alone. He introduced Minute After Midnight with independent tracks and received substantial activity on TikTok and airplay from SiriusXM Octane.
Anything went in the Matter of Time writing sessions as he channeled inspiration from the likes of My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, All time Low, and Bring Me The Horizon. Ryan shares, “I was nostalgic for the bands I would see at Warped Tour back in the day. I was trying to embrace that headspace for the record.”
Ultimately, the album is designed to uplift and inspire hope. Because what else is there?
“When you listen to this, I hope you realize there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” states Ryan. “Even in the darkest of dark, you can always keep moving forward. If you have dreams, it’s only a matter of time until you accomplish them.”
INFAMOUS – OUT NOW
https://minuteaftermidnight.ffm.to/infamous
MATTER OF TIME – OUT NOVEMBER 13
https://minuteaftermidnight.ffm.to/mot