ALT.
PHOTO CREDIT: NEASAN MCGUINNESS
1. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions! Before we jump into it, would you be so kind as to introduce yourself and what you do in the band?
Hey, my name is Daniel Cullen-Richards and I am the vocalist for Alt.
2. Would you please provide a little context about the band—where you’re from, how you formed, etc.?
Alt. is an alternative rock/metal band from Adelaide, Australia. We formed in 2019 after we decided to move on from our previous band After Change. I was the only remaining original member of the band towards the end and wanted to try a different style and change the name to something new to accompany the change of sound. We all met through playing the same shows but in different bands, some of our members worked together in their day jobs and for James we were actively seeking a drummer and stumbled across him.
3. What about your personal alternative music journey? What got you hooked? Take us down the iceberg if you would.
I grew up singing as early as I learned to talk, whatever my parents were listening to at the time whether that be Hall & Oates, Savage Garden & Tears for Fears but my first love was Michael Jackson. I learnt all the words and dance moves and used to perform them for my family. That was until my “cool” older brother showed me Linkin Park. Probably the biggest gateway band into alternative/heavy music for people of my age. I continued to explore the heavier side of music listening to Nu-Metal, Post Hardcore/Emo, Metalcore, and Deathcore until I eventually felt like I had heard it all and grew tired of it. That’s when I started to listen to more pop, alternative and drum & bass. All these genres and bands formed the way I write music and vocals to this day.
4. Who would you say are some of the primary influences alt. is inspired by?
It changes on who you ask; for me it’s Linkin Park, Bring Me The Horizon, Wargasm (UK), Don Broco, The Prodigy, Post Malone & Troye Sivan. Other members would tell you Architects, Polaris, Twenty One Pilots, Alexisonfire & House vs Hurricane.
5. So you’ve just announced the new EP Nevermore. What can listeners expect? What themes does the EP explore?
After playing many shows off our releases dysfunctional and ABEYANCE, I thought that what was lacking was more energy. I found this specifically after touring with Don Broco and Enter Shikari (separately). I spoke with Simon (guitar) and he agreed. We made a conscious effort to make all the songs feel quicker, have more energy and organically, with that on some of the songs, more aggression.
The EP Nevermore is a concept EP following a protagonist set in the year 2073, where Earth has been pushed to the brink of collapse by war, corruption, and unchecked consumption. With the planet left barely habitable, escape is a luxury reserved for the wealthy, while the rest are forced to fight for survival in brutal arenas, earning their passage off-world through bloodshed.
Following our unnamed protagonist, the story charts a desperate journey from the ruins of Earth to the promise of a new world: Nephilim. But what awaits is far from salvation. Beneath the surface lies a familiar darkness. One that threatens to repeat humanity’s past mistakes.
As history begins to echo itself, Nevermore evolves into a tale of awakening and defiance. Realising the cycle must be broken, our protagonist ignites a revolution against a ruthless regime, determined to reclaim freedom and re-write the future before it’s too late.
6. Tell us a little about the music videos as well—what was the vision for them and how do they tie in to the contents of the EP?
In total there will be three videos showing the protagonist’s journey from being surveilled to ultimately being abducted. It would be extremely expensive to represent the worlds we have tried to build and scale of what is happening. So we wanted to let the music talk and the videos to emote feelings that we associate to the tracks and guide the listener through the range of themes rather than being literal.
7. How else would you say your sound has evolved from the beginning to now?
Confidence is the main thing here, we started this band not really knowing who we were as young musicians. We didn’t really know what alt. sounded like as dysfunctional was born. Going into ABEYANCE we had an idea. Fans reacted more to the heavier and darker tones on dysfunctional, so we leant more in that direction and with a deeper understanding of who we were. Now we know who we are, what gaps were missing and we wrote six of the best songs of our lives. Confidence is how our sound has evolved and confidence sounds darker, heavier, faster and angrier.
8. In Australia, your music is released by Resist Records. For non-Australian readers who may not be familiar, the label is one of the most respected hardcore labels in the country if not world. How did that relationship come about?
When we finished recording ABEYANCE, we reached out to a lot of labels in Australia and abroad. After speaking with Graham at Resist, we knew we had found our home. We all grew up listening to Parkway Drive and more recently Polaris so we knew he had what it took to take us to where we wanted to get to.
9. For the rest of the world, you’re with SharpTone Records, another banner label particularly for metalcore. Maybe this is a little too “insider-y,” but it’s something I’m curious about. Was this facilitated by Resist or was that an independent conversation, and why were they the right home for you?
Resist and SharpTone had a relationship already with Polaris and a few other bands. Graham introduced us to them during the initial conversations, and we hit it off with them straight away. They had some new exciting bands on their roster along with some older legacy bands. We felt like we filled a gap in their roster as well as being the best label to represent us to the rest of the world.
10. Looking back, what would you say have been the major highlights of the band’s career so far?
All of our headline shows in Adelaide have been unforgettable for us, though the ABEYANCE launch will always hold a place in my heart. Headlining the Thursday night pre-party at UNIFY was another incredible experience we will never forget. As well as our tour with Northlane, Plini and now monstrous Sleep Token as a very young band trying to find its way playing some of the biggest theatres in the country. First international tour of NZ with Thornhill was also a great time, too.
11. What’s on the docket for the rest of 2026?
Releasing Nevermore to you all and playing the launch here in Adelaide on June the 20th at the Lion Arts Factory. Some more things are yet to be announced so keep your eyes peeled on our socials.