Editors Note: In a brand new interview for the Black Metal Archives, our roving reporter Krisanna Marie sits down for a chat with Joey Rival of Rival Order.

Tell me about your musical career/projects? Who are you? Where are you based?

Joey: I have had quite the journey that’s for sure and I am certainly thankful for the experiences along the way. I am originally from upstate New York, not the city, ha, I always have to clarify that since most people think when I say New York that the whole state is just the city. My environment was more woods and harsh winters, definitely very black metal, ha-ha. I had a band that my brother and I started in our early teens and at that time, for our ages saw moderate success. We got signed to a small indie label, played a ton of little gigs and would say that experience had certainly shaped my life moving forward, it really was where I found who I was and what I wanted to do. Funny part of it all, I was fronting a band as a kid who grew up completely terrified of the stage, avoided it in school like the plague. To find myself loving fronting this little group all these years later was crazy. We unfortunately hit a point in that journey where things went bad at home, family, (long story) but I left home at 17 from the parking lot of my work, no goodbye, with nothing more than a backpack and hopes to start over. I arrived in California and been here ever since. I spent years trying to find a group to click with like I had. Been in and out of several projects, even tried a tribute band for a little but nothing fit or worked out and the years flew bye. I later built up a home recording setup and started Rival Order. I figured if I can’t find local people to do a traditional band then I’m going to make my own using the new tools available with the internet. I got to work with some amazing artist and got to release several tracks and continue to do so. I am always keeping a look out for opportunities to do a traditional thing again, but I am at least thankful I get to keep playing and making music even in this way. To sum it all up, music is very much my core and always has been, I have a job to pay the bills and the everyday stress and responsibilities like everyone else but that magic I felt as a kid in a band putting myself out there through this artform, that never left.

What first inspired you to do music? How did you start?

Joey: I grew up around music, some of my earliest memories were of my father’s band which I’m sure left an impression on me as I grew. I always had a pull to the guitar, asked for one almost every year for holidays or birthdays, only ever getting the silly toy ones until I was about 15 and got my first. From that moment on I was certainly hooked.

Tell me about Rival Order:

Joey: Rival Order is definitely my passion project. I built it from the ground up and meticulously chose each piece in its development. This was where I really started to learn and grow as an artist in the modern world. I wore so many hats taking this on from not only being the song writer, but the recording engineer, band manager, video editor, graphic design, basically taking on the work of a whole team to make this possible. I got some great artists involved to really help bring my songs to life. I would love to see a full functioning revival of the project at some point, but until the time I get the right people involved it’s on pause. I used the experience and knowledge from this to go and work on my solo music and continue to do so.

Anything up and coming?

Joey: I am always working on something and keeping options open to partnering with other artists. Released an EP this year and tracking ideas for another hopefully early next. July 9th Fade Away a track I did guest vocals on with Saelent is being released.

What do you think is the biggest obstacles in the music industry right now?

Joey: The biggest setbacks/obstacles to me are the industry itself. The music business has always been a business, yes, I get that. It’s never been easy to “make it” but now feels imposable. Something over the last 10 plus years shifted from acknowledging great music to being about your numbers, streams, and followers. We have drifted so far from what I had seen of this industry to what it is now. The cost of living and doing any of this music stuff is almost impossible for the average person. I often wonder how much great music is passed over because maybe that group or person doesn’t have the same finical backing to buy streams and follows or pay advertising. With today’s accessibility and social standards, it feels like this is one of the most over saturated markets to be in and try and be heard. My own personal battles with this are fought daily. I often feel what’s the point anymore when everything is ignored or over shadowed by trash that has more backing. There is no money for up and comers to even think of this as a full-time career or even have a bit of an ROI. I spent thousands, producing for myself, dipped into retirement funds because I believed I wanted to create something of myself to leave my own mark knowing I would not see anywhere near what I spent come back. Now we are facing AI in this space, this already over saturated space. This is all a heavy weight on not only my shoulders, but I know many other genuine artists as well. All we can do is continue to do for ourselves and take it one step at a time.

What is one of your best most fulfilling memories as a musician?

Joey: I have two stand outs for that one. My very first band when I was in my teens won a local music festival and just the gig itself was a blast. Second would be the recording of my Rival Order release getting to work with Dirk Verbeuren from Megadeth.

Guilty pleasures outside of metal & music that nobody would ever know about you?

Joey: Tough one because I’ve been open about my hobbies outside of music. I enjoy gaming, always have. I love motorcycles, though I haven’t ridden in a while. Big movie buff, half of my conversations with friends and family consist of some sort of movie quoting. I also genuinely just enjoy being in nature, the stillness of it the fresh air chilling on a boat doing some fishing, just getting away from it all.

What does a typical writing session look like for you from start to finish?

Joey: Everything I do with my writing starts with the riff. Guitar was my foundation and is my spark for any songs that may have developed. I track all ideas and when I get something that stands out, I build off that. Once I have a good musical foundation, I’ll start working on some vocal melodies. It’s at this point I feel out what the song represents to me and what direction I want to take the overall story. I realize I may do this backwards from some other artist I have listened to who comes up with lyrics or vocal melodies then put music to it but this is just the method that feels right to me and how I write.

Funniest experience as a musician?

Joey: Probably a time when some old bandmates and I got together for a few drinks and decided to record ridiculous tracks. Taking some heavy riffs and putting nonsense vocals to it. Just a good time with friends.

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?

Joey: The owl made it to three, I gave up counting after twenty. Pretty sure Google has the actual answer but I prefer to stick with “the world may never know”

Kill, Marry, Fuck: A stuffed animal with one leg and no head, Ozzy, Cher

Joey: I assume those are my choices, ha-ha, I think I would have to answer in that same order. Stuffed animal is gone. Ozzy, marry, I use to watch the Osbournes and there would never be a dull moment. Last Cher.

Where can the works find you online?

Joey: www.joeyrival.com

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