And that is particularly evident on their sophomore full-length, Stygian Waves, issued on March 28, 2025 through the Kscope label. Lifeson spoke to AllMusic shortly earlier than the album’s launch, and defined the way it differs from the group’s first providing, along with chatting about songwriting, features of his private life, and even a couple of Rush-related matters.
How would you evaluate Stygian Waves to Envy of None’s self-titled debut?
“The primary album was very exploratory for us. We did not actually know one another very effectively. I clearly knew Andy [who was previously a member of Canadian rockers Coney Hatch], however I did not know Alf that effectively, and I did not know Maiah in any respect. And we actually got here collectively and labored as a staff on that properly, remotely. So, we’d share our recordsdata and all of that stuff. Nicely, we made the second document that manner, too. And I feel we benefited from the primary document and attending to know one another somewhat bit higher. And we began engaged on the document proper after the primary one was launched, so we simply flowed proper into it.”
“I feel that this document is extra mature. It reveals extra confidence on our half. I feel we achieved all of the objectives that we’re after. It wasn’t a lot of in search of issues because it was as soon as the concepts had been set, then we simply adopted via. There’s extra substance to this document.”
“I am soloing extra on this document, which is sort of a pleasant factor. It is somewhat heavier, I feel. It is somewhat rockier in a manner, however there’s additionally a lot of cool, funky stuff. And I feel the variability is nice. The manufacturing has improved. Not that I had an issue with the manufacturing of the final document, however this document actually sounds nice. So, a beautiful document to hearken to.”
“After which there’s Maiah. Maiah sits on high of the whole lot else. She’s genius on this document, and he or she’s actually matured as a vocalist, as a songwriter, a lyricist, and as an individual. So, it has been fairly a fairly an fascinating journey for her within the final couple of years.”
Does the album title have a selected that means?
‘No. Stygian waves are from mythology, and are the turbulent waves on the gates of hell. As you move down the River Styx, as you strategy the gates of hell, the water turns into way more turbulent and chaotic. And we wish to suppose that there is additionally a method to navigate out of these turbulent waters into one thing somewhat extra calmer and constructive.”
Two music movies have been issued thus removed from the album, “Not Lifeless But” and “Underneath the Stars.”
“I am not a singles man, personally. However I perceive that there is some significance, and the document firm feels it is essential to have singles and movies. So, ‘Not Lifeless But,’ we employed a videographer from Argentina to do the primary video. It is an AI generated video, however my understanding is loads of work goes into it earlier than it ever comes close to a pc. So, this argument forwards and backwards, I suppose it is a digital/analog argument at instances, y’know, on steroids, however I feel it seems to be wonderful.”
“And this AI stuff is horrifying, however it seems to be wonderful. It is fascinating to have a look at and watch. So, there’s a lot exercise in these movies. These had been the primary tracks that we thought that we’d launch as singles. And the second video, for ‘Underneath the Stars,’ that is a complete totally different strategy.”
“However I suppose they’re efficient instruments to take, get folks’s consideration for moments, however nobody has an consideration span anymore. No one actually cares. So I simply, I ponder about the entire thing. They’re enjoyable to do and so they’re enjoyable to have a look at, however finally, are they a lot of a software anymore? I am actually undecided. I am not the one to ask…although you requested me!”
I discover the music of Envy of None to be fairly cinematic sounding. Has the band pursued doing music for TV or movie?
“We have tried very arduous, and we did get a placement on the primary album for the music ‘Liar’ on a Netflix sequence. The identify [of the show] escapes me proper now. Yeah, I feel that that may be superior, as a result of I feel this music may be very cinematic and fairly atmospheric. Plenty of the fabric I feel would match nice for, like, ‘Not Lifeless But,’ for the subsequent Bond film? Wow. What an ideal music that may be for the subsequent Bond film. And we’ve supervisors that seek out these alternatives. So, hopefully one thing extra will come of that. However I might like to get these type of placements.”
It is arduous to check the music of Envy of None to any particular different artist, which is an effective factor. Are there any influences from different artists that you can imagine?
“Nicely, I feel there is a comparability to Rubbish, I suppose, as a result of Shirley [Manson] and Maiah are each girls. However for me, no, I’m going into it simply with a transparent thoughts, engaged on these tasks. And I have a look at them as difficult alternatives for me to play guitar another way than I’ve ever performed it, and search for sounds which might be very totally different than customary, conventional guitar sounds. So for me personally, it is a actually nice train in exploration and increasing my boundaries.”
“In case you ask the others that, I am positive they might have their influences, however I actually do not know. As a result of we work on it pretty steadily, and we’re all the time targeted on it. So you are not getting in loads of different exterior influences, a minimum of I do not suppose so. All people does not actually need to copy one thing else. You need to be unique. However actually there are flavors of different issues – there is a ’60s vibe that I hear, there is a ’90s vibe that I hear. We’re type of somewhat all around the map.”
“However I feel we’ve a really distinctive mixture in that we’re sort of old fashioned musicians and we’re writing type of, I might say, darker cinematic music. However with Maiah’s voice not being a ‘rock sort of voice’ and being fairly fragile, it is a actually nice distinction to what the music is, which is somewhat darker. So I feel in that sense, it is fairly distinctive.
How do you strategy Envy of None songs from a guitar standpoint?
“We get the fundamental thread of an concept. And often they’re fairly minimal. In terms of me, I do scratch guitars, and I do not do loads of them, however I am going to do the thematic and possibly one secondary sort of guitar presence. And I do not spend a complete lot of time. I often simply use plugins and attempt to get via it very spontaneously. After which it goes to Maiah and he or she’ll do a scratch vocal, and it comes again to me, after which I begin doing the ultimate guitars. After which I simply break it down in sections between the verses and the choruses and bridges and any instrumental part – very like I might have carried out prior to now with Rush music. I imply, that is my components for mapping issues out.”
“After which I sort of dive into it. Typically, I begin with an acoustic, and I do acoustic stuff that finally will probably be electrical, however I discover that I can get somewhat extra natural with an acoustic at instances. And I really like enjoying acoustic guitar, anyhow. So very often with this document, that was a place to begin for me, and invariably, that turned a signature for one more half, the place it could go into an acoustic part, or a minimum of supportive. After which I might begin constructing the guitars, often, y’ know, as you may see [shows a large collection of guitars behind him], I bought all my stuff over right here. Analog stuff, and the amps, and I’ve a cupboard that is in an enclosure. So I love to do these issues extra analog.”
“However I additionally bought, I do not know in case you’ve checked these out but – that is the Common Audio amp pedals that they’ve [Alex displays two pedal models: Lion ’68 and Enigmatic ’82]. They’re sort of new. They sound wonderful! I am a pedal man for positive, however I am not this sort of pedal man – like, emulating guitar sounds. However I did the factor for the TONEX, the place they did my complete catalog of amps. Oh, it is unbelievable. And there is a complete new era, I suppose it is pushed AI, a complete new era of those sorts of issues that actually emulate the guitar sound.”
“Digital guitar, like plugins, all the time sound prefer it’s taped onto the display. It does not have the depth – you do not really feel prefer it’s tall or deep or fats. And these pedals do it, and the TONEX does it, as a result of they’ve carried out one thing concerning the backside finish of these plugins, which had been missing prior to now. They appear to have conquered that impediment. And now these pedals and people plugins like TONEX are an unbelievable step into making it way more handy and nonetheless sustaining an ideal, nice, nice guitar sound.”
Do you suppose Envy of None might play some reveals in assist of the brand new album?
“Oh, we would like to. We preserve speaking about it. I feel {that a} evening in a smallish theater with a pleasant, refined mild present with two albums value of fabric could be an evening of simply lovely, nice, very emotional music. However, it is troublesome to get the logistics in place. These are very troublesome, difficult instances for us – to do a gig, or gigs, could be a monetary loss. So, it is arduous to get motivated to spend so much of effort and time to do one thing that it will value you to do it. A minimum of these are the preliminary responses that that we have gotten. However we’re holding out hope that possibly there’s a possibility to do even a handful of gigs as a sort of particular musical occasion.”
Now that you have not toured for fairly a while, how would you describe a typical day these days for you?
“I am an early riser. I am often up between 5:30 and 6:30. I hit the fitness center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. At 9:00, I come again. That is my studio in my residence, and I like to come back again right here and spend time right here. It is my sanctuary. And I by no means get bored in right here. And there is by no means nothing that I do not need to do after I’m in right here. So, I am going to spend time right here.”
“I play somewhat little bit of golf, and I used to be going to say some tennis sometimes. And I make my very own meals, I cook dinner my very own meals. I am very acutely aware about my food regimen and the way I am consuming now, in order that sort of fills my day. And as soon as per week or so, I am going to drop by Ged‘s, and we’ll have espresso and speak about stuff. And see my grandkids. And that is about it. That is about my life.”
How are you doing health-wise?
“I went to a clinic in January in Austria, in southern Austria, known as the Vivamayr Clinic. It’s a wellness clinic that focuses on digestive system. In addition to many different issues – they’ve many most cancers sufferers there, and so they present so many alternative therapies. And it is very calm and quiet – no telephones, no music. It is nearly nearly zenning out and diving into this – ingesting loads of water, tea, there isn’t any espresso, there’s clearly no alcohol. And I went as a result of I had surgical procedure in 2023 on my abdomen, and it left me with gastroparesis, which is gradual motility. So, meals stays in my abdomen for ten or twelve hours relatively than two or three hours.”
“So, I actually need to eat very rigorously, and I’ve to be very selective about how I eat and never cross that line, as a result of it is arduous for me to get again over. Y’know, one mistake prices me two or three days of discomfort. I used to be nauseous for a yr. I used to be depressing for just about a yr and a half…till I went to Vivamayr, and so they simply taught me methods to take management of how I am consuming, what to eat, when to eat. And it is simply outstanding.”
“As a result of I am not usually that sort of individual. I am lazy and I simply do not work arduous with regards to issues I do not need to do. However this, for the primary time in my life, simply modified the whole lot, and it has been life altering for me. Since I went to see them, I’ve misplaced about 23 kilos, and I misplaced one other I feel 15 or 20 kilos earlier than that. So I am down near 40 kilos in a yr and a half.”
“And if I am cautious and I eat correctly, I can dwell a contented, comparatively regular life. If I do not, then I undergo. So, you do not need to really feel crappy I’ve come to understand. You type of take it daily, however now I do not need to really feel crappy anymore, ever once more. So, I’ve grow to be very, very strict about it. I do not drink anymore, I do not smoke, I do not eat junk. Completely no junk. Gluten free, lactose free. Like, all of that stuff – as a result of that is me. That is what I’ve to do. It isn’t a selection. That is what I’ve to do to keep up a good, snug life.”
When the Victor album [1996’s self-titled] and Geddy’s solo album [2000’s My Favourite Headache] had been reissued final yr, I hoped possibly you’d play reveals collectively and carry out materials off these albums for the primary time ever. Was that ever a consideration?
“No, however it’s not a nasty concept. We by no means even considered one thing like that. Yeah, that may have been one thing to think about. I imply, I actually wished to remix the [Victor] document. I used to be very sad with the unique combine that I did on it. It was very vivid. Backside finish actually wasn’t there. So, it gave me a second alternative to do this. And after I stripped the whole lot down, I noticed that I might gone so overboard after I recorded the document…I had six tracks of guitars enjoying the identical factor. Like, ‘Okay, doubling is okay. However do it is advisable to have six tracks simply to have that dense ’90s sort of sound?'”
“After which after I stripped all of it down right here, I blended it right here on this room. I took all these guitars out. I simply left one or two guitars in order that was extra direct, cleaner, extra air round the whole lot. I used to be a lot happier – the underside finish felt higher. A lot happier with the mixes. It is arduous to return 20 years and revisit one thing, or 30 years revisit one thing, that was so essential, however you’ve got gone past it now. Nevertheless it was an ideal train for me to have a second likelihood at it.”
Do you ever return and hearken to Rush’s music?
“Not likely. Each infrequently I hear a observe and…I’ve by no means been in a position to separate myself from the man that labored on that music that wished it to be higher. So, the whole lot that I hear I feel could possibly be higher. I simply give attention to, ‘Oh, why did I play that little factor? Or this.’ It is arduous to only sit again and pay attention. And I feel that is most likely fairly frequent for anyone that data music. However, yeah, possibly I am going to have a pay attention extra typically.”
I just lately went again and re-read fairly a couple of of Neil Peart‘s lyrics, as a result of I used to be placing collectively an inventory of a few of his greatest lyrics for a web site I write for. What would you say are a few of your favourite lyrics he wrote?
“Oh, ‘Freewill’ was nice. ‘Nearer to the Coronary heart’ was to the purpose. ‘Xanadu’ was that type of actually cool interval from the extra ‘fantasy’ period – as a result of it is simply so descriptive and colourful, the lyrics in that music. ‘Subdivisions’ speaks to a complete era. Yeah, he was a really, very gifted lyricist. He was an ideal observer, and that is the place he wrote from. I feel for the final third of his writing profession – he was extra of an observer, taking a look at issues round him and commenting on them extra from his personal private viewpoint.”
I feel “Shedding It” is one in all his greatest lyrics ever.
“Yeah. That and ‘The Backyard.’ ‘The Backyard,’ actually, for its time when that music got here out, or when that album got here out [2012’s Clockwork Angels], we by no means would have anticipated that that may be the closing quantity for Rush’s life. And ‘Shedding It,’ boy, it is very, very poignant. All of us face that.”
Particularly as I am getting older, that music sort of takes on a brand new that means.
“Yeah, you discover that too, huh? [Laughs] Yeah, I want I used to be the guitar participant I used to be 20 years in the past, however, I am nonetheless working at it.”
Which modern-day music artists do you get pleasure from?
“None. I do not hearken to any trendy music, to be trustworthy with you. I take that again – I heard a band final week, known as Måneskin. They’re an Italian band. Superb. They sounded actually, actually good. I am not saying there isn’t any good music round, there’s. I am simply not fascinated about trying to find it anymore. These days are over for me, the place I might go to the document retailer and purchase an album and take it dwelling and undergo that complete course of.”
“I do what I do. I might a lot relatively hearken to music I create as of late. And I do loads of that, from my very own private use. I’ve reams of stuff that I document that I play within the background, if we’re having a cocktail party or one thing like that. And it is underneath the radar, no person is aware of who it’s or what it’s. It is simply very nice music within the background. Trendy music, pop music, all that stuff, I am unable to stand it, actually – to be trustworthy with you. It is nearly dancing and leaping round. And I actually do not have loads of respect for it.”
My daughter is a really massive fan of Taylor Swift. And whereas that is not the music I sometimes hearken to, after I do hear it, I’ve to provide credit score that she does a wide range of kinds. It isn’t predictable – it is not a similar type she all the time does.
“I am precisely the identical as you. I am not accustomed to her music – I do know a couple of songs. I do know a Taylor Swift music as quickly because it comes on, which is nice. However she’s a participant, and he or she’s a author, and the way in which she took care of her crew, like, what was it, $90 million in bonuses or one thing for her crew? [The figure was reported to be $197 million] An extended tour – it was a few years. However she thinks like we all the time thought.”
“And once more, I am not a fan of that sort of music – I feel it is effectively carried out and I give her credit score for it. However I give her tons of credit score for being the person who she is, and dealing with herself the way in which she does, and the large affect that she has. Very, very constructive affect she has on her so loyal viewers. It is unbelievable. I’ve complete respect for her.”
Future plans?
“Nicely, I am gonna end this cup of tea and have one other one, and go on and do one other 50 interviews immediately, and for the remainder of the week! I am nonetheless engaged on a documentary on the Nice Lakes with a bunch of individuals – some guys from Barenaked Women, from the Rheostatics. We have been engaged on this for some time. It is an fascinating mission, as a result of we get collectively and we jam, after which we begin pulling stuff out of these jams after which constructing from these. And loads of the jams, as we progress, get higher and higher and higher, and stand alone as components.”
“I am working with a younger feminine artist on a few of her stuff. I do stuff with Marco Minnemann sometimes – I’ve one mission right here on my desktop with him. So, I am enjoying rather a lot. I play day-after-day. I play earlier than I’m going to mattress for an hour, as an absolute. However often, I am getting a minimum of three or 4 hours of guitar enjoying in day-after-day. So, it is all good.”
