For Minute After Midnight, the journey toward becoming the band they always envisioned has been anything but straightforward. Built on years of ambition, uncertainty, personal sacrifice, and an unwavering belief in what could be, Matter of Time represents more than just the next chapter in the band’s musical evolution. It is a reflection of everything it took to get here, the person behind the music, and the realization that achieving a dream doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the struggles behind.
In our conversation with Minute After Midnight, we explored the deeper meaning behind Matter of Time, the experiences that shaped its creation, and the relationship between nostalgia and personal growth. From the early days of dreaming big at just 14 years old to reaching millions of listeners around the world, the journey has been defined by persistence and a belief that everything would eventually fall into place. When reflecting on what his younger self would think about where he is today, the artist didn’t hesitate to acknowledge just how far things have come.
“I’d say the hardest thing for younger me to believe would be that we actually made it this far. I remember being 14 years old and having these massive dreams that seemed almost impossible to everyone around me. Yet, I had this sense of unwavering faith, almost like I could see something that didn’t exist yet.”
The road to Minute After Midnight also had it’s breaking points at times. Before the opportunity that would change everything, there has been projects that that never reached the destination that they deserved. Each new band carried the hope that it would be the one, only to bring another disappointment.
“The couple of years before signing with Fearless were hard. I wanted to give up. I had sacrificed everything from financial stability, loving relationships, and an immense amount of time I’d never get back.”
Years of projects not reaching those goals, it can become exhausting and it can cause questioning whether continuation to chase music was worth even trying anymore. He recalled getting down on his knees and asking the universe for some indication that he was still on the right path.
“I was tired and ready to let go. The very next day we got a show offer for ‘Eastside Bowl’ here in Nashville with Archers, who are now my label mates. I hired someone to film it, and it was that show my first video of ‘GHOST’ started to do numbers on TikTok.”
There was approximately a six-month period when “GHOST” performed like a typical release before eventually finding a much larger audience. It’s a reminder that sometimes the moments that change everything don’t announce themselves when they happen. So with that; time became the foundation for the album Matter Of Time. The meaning of the title of the album has grown into something more reflective than its original meaning.
“Well, it’s naturally both. The album ‘Matter of Time’ touches on the subject of duality. As a good portion of the record is darker and heavy while the other half is light and upbeat and encouraging.”
The artist continued to reflect the evolvement of the meaning throughout the years
“At its core when I came up with the title, which had to be at least 7 or 8 years ago, it was the inevitability that we would reach the peak. However, now that the album is about to be brought to the world, I find myself reflecting on all the time that has passed since then.”
Minute After Midnight blends between pop-punk, emo vulnerability, the aggression of metalcore, and alternative rock which has such a great contrast with all the genres that truly reflects what the band stands for. Rather than viewing those differences as separate identities, the artist describes them as reflections of his internal world.
“In a sense, yes, I could see the differentiation in genre and sound as a reflection of my inner world, not so much my personality. My personality is pretty consistent through daily interactions unless I’m provoked or in a mood. It definitely reflects internal thoughts and struggles I don’t necessarily share openly with my internal circle.”
Growing up watching bands like My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, All Time Low, and Bring Me the Horizon during the Warped Tour era left an impression that continues to influence his approach today. Revisiting that period isn’t simply about recreating a particular sound. It’s about reconnecting with the younger version of himself who experienced music without the expectations, pressures, or responsibilities that come with being an artist.
“Definitely the person I was then. The music is obviously timeless and holds a core piece of my heart. I was so young and in a way naive while also innocent. The die hard love for music that I carried back then was untainted by the pressure of being a successful artist. It was nothing but pure love of the game.”
Tracks such as “Masochist” , “Unleash the Beast” , and “It Was Never A Phase” explores the different dimensions of the same internal struggle, but these tracks establish the emotional journey of Matter of Time. For the artist; “Masochist” examines the destructive familiarity that can develop around personal suffering, while “Unleash the Beast” captures the moment when suppressed emotions finally break through. “It Was Never A Phase,” meanwhile, becomes a declaration of identity and acceptance.
“I think what’s interesting about Matter of Time is that, on the surface, these songs might seem like they’re coming from completely different emotional places. But to me, they’re all connected by the same underlying story: the battle between who we are, who the world expects us to be, and who we ultimately become.”
He further explained how each track contributes to that larger narrative.
“‘Masochist’ explores that relationship we sometimes develop with our own suffering. How we can become so familiar with pain that we almost start finding comfort in it. It’s about recognizing those destructive cycles within ourselves.”
“‘Unleash the Beast’ takes that internal conflict and turns it outward. It’s that moment where everything you’ve suppressed, every emotion you’ve buried, and every part of yourself you’ve tried to keep hidden finally breaks through.”
Then comes the acceptance found in “It Was Never A Phase.”
“‘It Was Never a Phase,’ which, to me, represents acceptance. It’s almost a declaration to the world that this was never some temporary identity or something I was going to grow out of. This is who I’ve always been. The music, the passion, the darkness, the dreams. None of it was ever a phase.”
For Minute After Midnight, however, creative freedom ultimately became more important than fitting into a particular category.
“Many times, but once I had the support of my team to move forward and allow me to just be the artist I am. I never looked back.”
He continued:
“Every day is different. It’s not like I didn’t listen to the heaviest albums of all time while simultaneously loving artists like ‘Never Shout Never’. I don’t wanna feel confined with my creativity because who knows what will resonate with listeners and help influence their lives in a positive way.”
And perhaps that is the most important part of understanding Minute After Midnight’s identity.
“Heavy or Soft in my opinion the artist in the genre. It’s just Minute After Midnight.”
Matter of Time is not only about reaching a specific destination. It’s about the years, dedication, exhaustion, and believing in yourself when others might not have. As well as the sacrifices that were made and understanding that success doesn’t shape who you are. It’s the experiences you went through to get to that point. For anyone who ever felt misunderstood, struggled to hold onto a dream, or found comfort in music when the darkness was clouding all your thoughts; the tracks on this album feels familiar. The biggest achievement is realizing that the younger version of yourself still lives within you that allows you to create art that is resonating to others. And for Minute After Midnight; it was only a matter of time.
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