Alchemy Within is a musical project based out of Bel Air, Maryland. His work is described as alternative rock that harkens back to the early 2000s, but there are no boundaries for him and the other musicians who contribute to the songs.
Having just released the new EP The Story Thus Far in March, Alchemy Within has hit the ground running in 2024. I was lucky enough to be given the chance to chat with him about how he started, influences, guilty pleasures, what’s next for the project, and more!
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Mostly Music: How did you start this project? What was it that made you want to create music?
Alchemy Within: I originally started writing solely to maintain my own mental health. Therapy helps, but it wasn’t getting the job done on its own. When I first made Alchemy Within, I had every intention of it being a full band, but I got tired of waiting for people, so I started on my own. I play a little bit of keyboard, but most of the instrumental parts you hear are by cowriters.
MM: What is your songwriting process?
AW: The process usually starts with the lyrics. I’ll have 3 or 4 lines I really like, then build the rest of the song and melody around them.
MM: Do you have regular contributors, as far as your cowriters, or do the other musicians change each time?
AW: I like to have 1 main collaborator, and then if I have someone in mind or someone shows interest, I’ll have them join in, too. Like “Troubled Waters” and “Like A Bullet” have different drummers. I love hearing in the end product how different musician’s influences and stylistic choices blend with mine.
MM: Why call your project “Alchemy Within”?
AW: It’s probably not what you would expect. I was watching something on the History Channel or Travel Channel, something like that, and they were talking about alchemy. I was like, “Huh. That’s kind of like what music is, right?” I wanted the word Alchemy in there, but I didn’t know how to use it, so I used a band name generator. Lol. I typed in that I wanted the word “alchemy” in there, and Alchemy Within was one of the results.
MM: It’s NEVER what I expect! But the generator did you a solid, because that’s good! Who are your major influences, musically? And what is it about that band – or bands – (or artists) that inspires you?
AW: Thank you! My biggest influences are ANYTHING Chris Cornell, Blue October, and Maria Brink. I feel like Chris Cornell is pretty self-explanatory, he’s Chris Cornell. Blue October inspires me because they just kind of do whatever they want and it sounds great. Like one of their songs has an opera singer in it!? I never would’ve thought of that, but it works. Maria Brink is hands down my biggest influence. Especially her Blood and Black Widow eras. She faced SO much adversity and showed so much growth as an artist and a person that I immediately became a fan.
MM: It is inspiring to watch someone face adversity and come out stronger on the other side, especially when much of the judgment is…unwarranted, I guess you might say? Like, it wasn’t that she did shocking or offensive things to draw attention; she just existed in that scene and caught shit for it.
AW: Yeah, she definitely caught a lot of flak that was uncalled for. Those circle pits she would start herself were CRAZY.
MM: Is there anyone you listen to or draw inspiration from that might surprise people? What’s your “guilty pleasure”? (Not that you should be guilty over anything that makes you happy. Lol.)
AW: Usually, Maria Brink and Blue October are the ones that surprise people, but I think they’d also be surprised that I draw inspiration from Dorothy as well.
My guilty pleasures are usually one-offs by different artists, but I think it’s a tie between “Hurt” by Christina Aguilera and “Breakaway” by Avril Lavigne.
MM: I love Dorothy! Saw her (them) with Shinedown, and it made me so happy! Okay. One more of the digging-into-your-tastes type questions, then I’ll get back to the music. Lol. What would be your dream tour lineup that includes Alchemy Within? Be as realistic or unrealistic as you wanna be. I’ve had some fun answers to this one.
AW: Oh crap, that’s a tough one. Unless all of their publicly known personalities are a lie, I think touring with In This Moment and Black Veil Brides would be fun. Maria Brink’s bodyguard kind of scares me, though, not gonna lie. Haha. Myself and a few other people thought he was Jason Mamoa at first glance.
MM: I met BVB in 2018. The VIP was…very controlled, but I got to talk to Andy, Jake, Jinxx, and CC after the show. CC is just as animated as he seems. Lol. And Andy was actually very sweet. My favorite comment he made was “Don’t worry. I’ve been cried on before.” (It wasn’t about me.)
Okay. Back to the music. So I don’t wanna ask your “favorite” song you’ve written, but do you have a track that you connect with more than others?
AW: I think I connect with “Shady” the most because it’s not really about a specific event that’s come and gone, it’s about the ongoing process of self-improvement.
MM: So it’s ALWAYS relatable. You just released “Like a Bullet,” which is how we came to be here. Lol. Can you tell me the story behind that song? You mentioned it was one of your “fun” songs. What was the process when writing lyrics/composing for it?
AW: So the fun part is more the melody and overall sound than it is the lyrics. In a nutshell, it’s about trying to resolve trauma and navigating the consequences/damage. The process was pretty cut and dry. I wrote the chorus lyrics/melody, and my cowriter wrote the instrumentals, then we built off of that. I have no idea why I decided to make the song as high as it is. It only made things 10 times harder.
MM: I would say it paid off. I love the song. I think a lot of people don’t believe I listen to all the music I find, but I do. So, what are your plans for the rest of 2024 from a musical standpoint?
AW: Thank you! I’m just kind of rolling with the punches as far as 2024 goes. I’m branching out a bit and starting to work with different producers and musicians. The production aspect of my music might sound a liiiiiittle different from here on out, but it’ll still kick ass all the same. Hopefully, 2024 is the year I finally find some bandmates!
MM: And if you get a band together, you’ll book shows, right??? Because my little neck of the woods would just be so happy to see you!
Is there any message you want to give your fans (and my readers)?
AW: I will absolutely start booking shows and I’d love to come to your town! To fans and readers alike, I’m always working on something, so at any given point, there is always something new around the corner. Like I just recovered from having Covid and I was still working on music that whole time. It never stops.
MM: I think my last question would be, where all can my readers find your music? Are your songs available on every major platform, or…?
AW: The vast majority of streaming platforms, yeah. The only big one I’m not on is SoundCloud. My distributor doesn’t work with them, and I haven’t made a SoundCloud account yet.
MM: Thank you so much for your time! This has been a lot of fun. We’ll have to do it again soon!
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Listen to the latest Alchemy Within single, “Like a Bullet,” below and be sure to follow his socials so you never miss an update!!!
Mostly Music 