Episode 177: Firmament

On episode 177 of March Forth with Mike Bauman, Mike chats with Firmament! Hailing from Canton, Ohio, Firmament is a melodic, metalcore/progressive rock duo comprised of brothers Eric and Brandon Carbenia. Formed in 2014, Firmament released their debut LP entitled Spirit of Place in 2018. The album received critical acclaim and drew the band comparisons to the likes of Tool, Porcupine Tree, and The Contortionist. Having persevered through lineup changes, financial struggles, personal hardships, and a hiatus marked by a relocation to Austin, Texas, Firmament moved back to Ohio in 2023. On May 2nd, they dropped their sophomore album entitled A New World If You Can Take It, which was self-produced by the Carbenia brothers, and mastered by Kris Crummett and Jens Bogren. The 17-song effort takes listeners on a musical journey that explores themes of personal loss, mysticism, and philosophy, all while fusing Firmament's own blend of alternative rock, modern metalcore, and progressive post-hardcore.  In this episode, Eric and Brandon talk with Mike about how they got into music, including music theory and music production, their relocation to Austin, learning about different people and lifestyles, life in Ohio and the rust belt, the stories and themes which helped inspire A New World If You Can Take It, a visit to New Vrindaban in West Virginia, how they incorporate those stories and elements in their music, and more. This episode also features the song "Liquid Lush" off A New World If You Can Take It from Firmament, available where you get your music! Follow Firmament on Instagram @firmamentband. To stay up-to-date with Firmament, visit https://ffm.to/firmamentband. Follow Mike on Instagram @marchforthpod. To stay up-to-date on the podcast and learn more about Mike, visit https://linktr.ee/marchforthpod. If you or someone you know needs mental health resources, please visit the following links: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us; https://988lifeline.org/ Thanks for listening! If ya dug the show, like it, share it, tell a friend, subscribe, and above all, keep the faith and be kind to one another.