When Honoré entered the studio to record what would become their highly-anticipated first full-length album, The Human Experience, they started believing they were setting out to release their most thoughtful and energetic material yet. The band, consisting of Craig Shumway (vocals), Lane Grant (vocals), Trey Mullins (guitar), Landen Terry (guitar), Zac Nagy (bass) and Alex Washam (drums/vocals), spent months fortifying the songs both musically and lyrically before collaborating with Nathan Cloos of Cloos Audio for the mixing and mastering of the record. This resulted in their most dynamic, existential, and exciting songs yet. 

“Forge One Better”, the entrancing first single off of the record, showcases the band’s dive into escapism with their instrumentation enveloping around and over one another as vocalists Craig Shumway and Lane Grant alley-oop between thoughtful soaring melodies and emotionally-charged manic scream vocals. Lyrically, the track centers itself around the reflection of living as a human being torn apart inside of self-realization and epiphany. On writing "Forge One Better", vocalist Craig Shumway states "In the times when Forge One Better was being forged, I became fascinated that most people go through some form of existential or identity crisis at one point or another. Am I a being? Am I a soul? A simulation? What is this all about? What are all these feelings, wishes, thoughts, and experiences about? We wanted to tap into those human curiosities in a musical way with this track, and we hope we delivered that in one way or another."

Honoré’s The Human Experience includes songs that are new but nostalgic and as a whole span a broader musical soundscape than what the band felt like they had with their 5 song debut EP Ursus. 

The band was formed in 2018 by Craig Shumway, Trey Mullins, and Lane Grant. They had attended high school together in Highland, AR and shared a love for writing and performing original music, as well as a particular interest and palette for genres of music that embraced a “sing/scream” vocal style such as post hardcore, emo, hardcore, alternative, and metal music. Their joint friendship quickly ventured into creating sounds, poetry, and songs that they missed and needed from the world. Developing their craft brought on the realization that they had tapped into a sector in the music industry that they could be authentic in identity and song; and an ensemble was needed to assist in playing and writing new material. After laying root in Jonesboro, AR, the three sought the recruitment of Trey’s cousin Landen Terry as co-guitarist, Zac Nagy on bass guitar, and Alex Washam to play drums. With a fresh and original take on a mid-2000’s nostalgic sound, Honoré is at pace to deliver as a heavyweight outfit in the freshman class of a niche genre. The six-piece group meets and practices in Memphis, TN, and claims the town as their home city. 

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The lyrical content is intended to be honest, artful, and open to interpretation. With high alto-ranged singing along with strong mid-ranged clean vocals, catchy melodies & harmonies, clear and concise scream vocals, and not-so but sometimes sobering lyrics; Craig Shumway and Lane Grant pack a one-two punch to remember.  The creation of the musical canvases crafted for the duo to write their vocals over is attributed to Trey Mullins; who has written, arranged, and composed nearly all of the music for all of the instruments used and recorded. The music is largely inspired by but not limited to The Used, Underoath, afi, Taking Back Sunday, Hawthorne Heights, Chiodos, The Beatles, Silverstein, and Nirvana. This music is then, learned, added onto, and enhanced with the personalities of Terry, Nagy, and Washam.

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The original music from Honoré is natural and purposeful; intended to give its listener the gift of a new experience and, if successful, a new perspective. Perhaps to inspire one to question, imagine, create, love, and find purpose and identity instead of inspiring one to harm, consume, divide, and/or conform.

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For more information, visit honore.band.