As stated in the Albums Released From January to March 2025 post, I am handling the announcement of album and EP releases differently this year. I will be sharing a list every 3 months rather than every 6.
Please note that whenever possible, I have linked the artist’s Apple Music profile. I still use Spotify because of its convenience, but I respect that many are struggling with monetary decisions made by the streaming service and will send traffic to your other platforms if I can. (Release dates may vary depending on when the EP was uploaded to Apple.)
Last year, I attempted to post a list of all the albums and EPs I heard about. I split this compilation into two parts, posting the first at 6 months and the second at the end of December. I didn’t really like the way it worked out, so I’m trying something different for 2025 and sharing new releases quarterly. I am dividing albums and EPs into separate posts, though. That much is staying the same.
Also, in as many cases as possible, I am linking Apple Music profiles. While I continue to use Spotify when building my playlists, I do understand that many artists have conflicting emotions in regard to that particular streaming service. Therefore, I will attempt to send traffic to your alternative platforms. (Release dates may differ, depending on when the album hit Apple. I have used the dates posted by the bands/artists.)
Here are the last of the March releases (at least the ones I’ve found). Tomorrow begins the fourth installment of The Mostly Music Playlist! Be sure to visit each part of the playlist, and remember: my top 50 will drop on New Year’s Eve!
March has been a slow month for me. I’m not really sure why, but I’ve only finished four books over the past thirty days. Here they are, with my ratings, and may I do better in April!
We Used to Live Here (Marcus Kliewer)
Rating: 4/5
To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
Rating: 3/5
The House Across the Lake (Riley Sager)
Rating: 4/5
The October Society: Season Two (Christopher Robertson)
Rating: 4/5
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I am currently reading The Stranger in Her House (John Marrs) and Every Summer After (Carley Fortune).
Collide the Gemini is a post-hardcore band hailing from El Paso, Texas. The trio consists of guitarist/vocalist Chris Reza, bassist Nate Sansom, and drummer Brian Carbajal. They have released one EP so far, 2022’s Dioscuri, but another EP is on the horizon!
I had the pleasure to chat with Chris about the band’s beginnings, their influences, the upcoming EP, and even his favorite sci-fi movies. (We also might have briefly touched on the topic of the Backstreet Boys…) Read on for more!
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Mostly Music: So I always start super basic out of the gate. How did Collide the Gemini form, and what’s the story behind the band name?
Chris Reza: Collide started out of the end of a previous band my drummer and I were in called The Roaring Twenties. Brian [drummer] and I wanted to continue pursuing music so we kept going, but we felt like the new songs and new lineup needed to be under a new name, so we decided to change it to Collide the Gemini.
The name came from my weird obsession with the word Gemini. The more I researched the story behind the Gemini and the twins, the more I felt it connected with our music. The name basically reflects what we try to do musically, colliding opposing sounds – light and dark, heavy and soft, simple and complex – and creating a balance between the two.
MM: That is one of the better stories behind a name I’ve heard, and it serves a purpose while being memorable.
So let’s go back a bit and talk about you. What inspired you to start creating music? Is that something you’ve always wanted to do, or did you have a defining moment that changed your trajectory?
CR: Well, I think art in general has always been something that I’ve wanted to do. Since I was a kid I’ve loved drawing, and growing up, I got into film and photography and graphic design. Music was just another creative outlet and one in which I could combine everything else. Even now I do a lot of our merch designs, music videos, and promos.
MM: Oh, so you’re a multi-talented creative person. I’m jealous. Lol. I want to be good – or…capable, I guess – at so many things, and I’m not. Writing is just about it.
Who would you say is your biggest musical influence?
CR: That’s a tough one. It changes all the time. I would say The Mars Volta. Mainly because they are hometown heroes of ours and also musical geniuses. But I would say we strive to sound more along the lines of a Dance Gavin Dance or Fall of Troy.
MM: On a related note, but also just for fun, is there anyone you listen to that might surprise people? (I refuse to call them “guilty pleasures,” because I don’t feel guilty about anything I listen to. Lol.)
CR: Haha, yeah, I totally agree with you! Like what you like, you know? I would say most people are surprised that I listen to hip hop. I’ve also been known to jam to some Olivia Rodrigo as well, haha!
MM: I still pull out some Backstreet Boys on occasion. (I’m old.) I went to see them in 2019 and my coworkers judged me. Lol. They were used to me listening to rock and metal. Anyway, let me get back on topic.
Y’all released “Take to the Skies” at the end of January. Can you tell me the story behind the song?
CR: Oh nice! Nah, the Backstreet Boys are awesome!
So “Take to the Skies” is a song that will be on our upcoming EP that will be out later this year. The EP is a concept record that I wrote. It’s loosely based on some of my favorite sci-fi films. “Take to the Skies” is told through the eyes of the protagonist’s wife, who must see him leave for this journey to save humanity in hopes he’ll return.
MM: And now you have caused me to debate whether to go ahead with music questions or dive into your taste in films. I can’t help it: that’s the stuff I love to know about my favorite musicians.Okay, I have to ask. Favorite sci-fi film(s)?
CR: Haha, no worries, I love talking about that stuff! For sure, the film that really inspired me to write this record was Interstellar. It’s a masterpiece! But Alien, Event Horizon, and The Thing are all in my top 5.
MM: I watched Event Horizon for the first time last year, which is odd considering what a horror buff I am. Haha. I loved it. My dad is a big sci-fi guy, but it’s all the really old films (he’s about to turn 70). I’ll have to check out Interstellar, though. I’ve never seen it.
CR: Oh, you have to watch it! It phenomenal.
MM: In regard to the EP, I like the idea of a concept album. Has your writing process been much different for this record? And (let me see if I can word this correctly) – do you think it’s been easier to write with a story to tell, or has it made the process more complex?
CR: The writing hasn’t changed much. We’ve had some kind of concept or story in mind while writing all of our previous material. I find that’s easier, at least for me, to write this way. Writing in the moment or from my personal experience can be a really good catalyst for songs, but I find that it’s sometimes hard to complete them. Whatever I felt about that topic at the time might change the next day, and I always find myself disinterested in continuing with the song. That being said, I have written about my own experiences. They’ve just been masked by a story, which makes it feel like I’m writing about someone else. If that makes sense, haha.
MM: I was thinking I could see both sides to working with a story. Like, it would be easier in a way because you have a set focus and a point to work towards, but at the same time, there might be difficulties because you’d be confined to working within certain parameters, i.e. your story. I guess that’s why I wanted to ask the question.
Piggybacking off your answer: do you think that masking your personal experiences behind a story makes them more relatable to your listeners? Maybe it’s easier for them to apply it to themselves when they don’t feel so much of the artist’s personal element? (Or maybe I’m overthinking it…)
CR: That’s a good question. I think listeners are going to relate it back to themselves regardless, whether it’s a song about a personal experience from the artist or one about space travel. At the end of the day if the song is hitting us at an emotional level that’s all that matters. We tend to find a way of connecting to it if we love it.
MM: I feel that on a spiritual level. I don’t understand how there are people out there who don’t “get” music. I always wonder if they just haven’t been fortunate enough to find that song or artist that grabs their soul and won’t let go. Lol. Not to be overly dramatic about it, but music means a lot to me.
What are Collide The Gemini’s plans for the rest of 2025? I know you said y’all are going to release the EP…
CR: Collide has a few things planned for 2025. We have our EP coming out this year titled A Spark in the Horizon. No set release date yet, but hopefully before the end of the year. We also have some plans to do some touring this year. We’re gonna do a small Texas run, hopefully this summer. Other than that, we will be dropping singles until we release the EP. So be on the look out for that!
MM: While I have you here, I’m gonna ask just a couple more questions. What’s your favorite thing about playing live?
CR: I would say connecting with fans, for sure. Seeing how our music affects them and sharing that experience. Also, as a fan of live music myself, seeing a band live and being in the moment with them is such a great experience.
MM: I think it would be so cool to experience it from both sides! Last but not least, do you have a dream tour lineup? Collide the Gemini with…?
CR: Oh God, I have too many to list, hahaha. I would love to do a tour with Hail the Sun. We’ve gotten to open up for them a few times and it’s always a good time. But maybe my dream lineup would be The Mars Volta headlining, maybe Coheed and Cambria supporting or something like that.
MM: Thank you so much for your time! And I look forward to all you guys have coming this year!
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Check out Collide the Gemini’s latest single, “Take to the Skies,” and be sure to follow their socials, as well as on your favorite streaming platforms so you don’t miss their upcoming releases or updates about the new EP!
Shock rock legend Alice Cooper has announced some 2025 dates for his Too Close For Comfort Tour. So far in North America, there are a handful of May shows and a few more in August, but I’m sure additional stops will be shared soon! (Alice will be in Europe for much of July.)
“So hard to choose one, but I’d probably have to go with Layne Staley. His style is so unique and full of vibe and emotion. 1B would be Emily Armstrong, new Linkin Park singer. Great songwriting with Dead Sara and new LP stuff and great voice.” – Deadly Vices
South African alt-metal band Seether will be touring the U.S. this May with support from Mammoth WVH, POD, and Nonpoint. This 21-date run is to promote Seether’s upcoming album, The Surface Seems So Far, which was released on September 20, 2024. Tickets and VIP are available at shopseether.com!
5/3 – Phoenix, AZ – 98 KUPD U Fest 2025+
5/5 – Colorado Springs, CO – Ford Amphitheater+*
5/7 – Cedar Rapids, IA – McGrath Amphitheatre+*
5/8 – Peoria, IL – Prairie Home Alliance Theater+*
5/9 – Green Bay, WI – EPIC Event Center^*
5/10 – Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe^*
5/12 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave/Eagles Club^*
5/13 – Mankato, MN – Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center^*
5/14 – Bismarck, ND – Bismarck Event Center^
5/16 – Missoula, MT – The Wilma*
5/17 – Billings, MT – The Pub Station Ballroom*
5/18 – Idaho Falls, ID – Mountain America Center^*
Mostly Music 