Against the Reign is a band that has been in the scene for a few years now, but their latest lineup shake-up has injected a whole new level of fire into the band. They have restructured, rebuilt, and brought in some serious talent - recently adding Christian and Chuck from Deveria/Uncle SAMM on guitar. Stepping in on Vocals is Nick from Catalyst. I have seen all three of the new members perform before and I am excited to see what comes out next. I got to talk with drummer Joe Reinitz, along with Christian and Chuck, to talk about what the next chapter for Against the Reign looks like. You can catch the new era of Against the Reign live on July 25thshow at the Faded Line album release party at Empire Underground.
Who is the best band or artist you’ve seen live?
Joe R: For me, I always love to see the big bands play the big shows. But I have always been drawn to the smaller clubs and venues where you are able to really feel the live music and meet the artists. Nothing means more than when band members take the time to really talk to their fans.
Christian: I don’t know if I could pick one. Pantera always destroyed the place. Iron Maiden as well. I saw the Beastie Boys in 1994 and it was glorious.
Chuck: Iron Maiden
There’s been a big shake-up in the lineup recently. I’ve seen Nick perform with Catalyst, and of course Chuck and Christian from Deveria and Uncle SAMM. How did this new lineup come together?
Joe R: Against The Reign is into its 3rd year and we are stronger than ever. We’ve had a lot of great musicians come and go and have struggled with consistency and dedication. This current lineup is the best ATR has ever been. Bringing Nick into the fold on vocals gives us an amazing voice to do more than we have ever been capable of in the past. He has been working hard and constantly impresses us.
Last year, Bryan and I found ourselves needing to restructure again. At the same time, Charles was wanting to pick up his guitar and start something fresh outside of Deveria/Uncle Samm. He and I talked, and before we knew it, we were making music with him and Christian. I cannot begin to explain how amazing they have been. They are both top-notch musicians and great friends. It’s been a win win!
Christian: Deveria had played shows with Against the Reign in the past few years, so I’ve been friendly with Joe and Bryan. At some point, Joe started discussing guitar solos with me, and I was really impressed with his attention to detail. We had the same philosophy: the solo should be part of the song - it should have melody, feeling, and flashy parts.
At some point last year, Joe asked me if I would have enough time to learn some of their songs and jam. Fortunately, I did, and it’s been a lot of fun playing with these guys.
Against the Reign is ready to rock, how has the chemistry been in the rehearsal room? What direction is the new music going in?
Joe R: The chemistry is still fairly new, but we all get along incredibly well. Charles and Christian have been putting in the work to learn our songs and make them their own, adding new solos and other killer guitar parts.
We don't have a specific direction musically - it’s just what we like. We’re all a bit older and grew up on thrash and heavy metal bands: killer grooves, harmony guitars, melodic choruses. That’skinda our formula
Christian: The chemistry has been great. Being around the same age, we all went to the same shows and grew up on similar music, so it was so easy to connect with those guys. I’ve had a blast learning Bryan’s guitar parts, especially his solos. Whenever I’d be learning one at home, I would text him about how well-constructed they were. The stuff he comes up with makes sense to me, probably because we grew up on similar stuff.
It’s been awesome playing guitar with Chuck too. He’s a fantastic player - totally precise rhythm playing, and his solos are always a key part of the song. We try to do a lot of harmony parts, which is always a blast.
On July 25th, you will be playing at the Faded Line album-release party, which also doubles as the halfway to the EMAs party. What are you looking forward to most aboutthat show?
Joe R: The July 25th show will be fun. The EMAs are such an amazing event that have been established. No one else does this. Being able to get the ball rolling on the 2027 EMAs is amazing. Let’s not forget the mighty Faded Line dropping a new album!
Christian: That show will be off the hook! Killer bands in the middle of summer, and Faded Line will be celebrating their new album. It’s going to be a metal party for sure.
Chuck: Showcasing new songs and getting people ready and pumped up for the 2027 EMA awards
What does the summer look like for Against the Reign? Any shows, releases, or plans fans should know about?
Joe R: We have a few shows currently booked in the 518 and beyond. We’re still working on a few more that we can hopefully announce soon. Meanwhile, the five of us continue to get our catalog of songs tighter and work on new stuff as well. We’re also recording a few of the newer tunes and hope to get these songs out to social media before the 7/25 show.
Where can listeners get more information about Against the Reign?
Fans can check us out on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Come out to a show and hang out at the merch table. Also, we have merch available on MissedMerch.com.
