Caleb Hyles On His New Music: "I Want This Album to be Able to Sit Beside You Through Inevitable Pain"

Judge and Jury Records' rising rock / metal artist Caleb Hyles globally released "UNPARALYZED" featuring Teerawk (aka Trevor McNevan) of Thousand Foot Krutch to digital and streaming outlets. The single is available now via https://ffm.to/unparalyzed. 

Hyles has a dedicated fanbase of millions. With his vocal talents being recognized by televisionshows and video series such as "RWBY" and "Kaiju No.8," Hyles launched his debut original album Second Wind in 2022.

Looking to solidify his foray into original music, he began collaborating with Howard Benson and Neil Sanderson of Judge and Jury Records in 2022, which led to thebreakthrough "Darkness Before The Dawn" single featuring Lacey Sturm of Flyleaf. The song becameboth Hyles' and Lacey's most popular track for over a year following its release in 2023 while the song's metal version with Wolves At The Gate (May 2024) garnered over 160K Spotify streams within10 days.

With the reception of this song catapulting Hyles onto rock fans' radars globally, he followed up with "Never Back Down," which highlights a rap-rock twist provided by Manafest. Queuing up "UNPARALYZED" with Teerawk of Thousand Foot Krutch, Hyles' upcoming album (release date andtitle tbd) delves deeper into his signature blend of powerful vocals and meaningful themes. 

Q: Caleb, thank you for doing this interview with us. Let's start with your journey; how did you feel the call to be involved in the music ministry?

I grew up in the Methodist church with my family, going to church every Wednesday and Sunday. Both of my parents were greatly involved in the choir and volunteer activities around my hometown, Montgomery, AL. Naturally, I found myself drawn to music and singing at a very early age, so I've truly been singing for as long as I can remember (which is becoming increasingly less with each passing day). I didn't *seek* out a calling in the music industry; rather, it sort of fell in my lap in the pursuit of other careers, such as sports production and cinematography. 

Q: You launched your solo debut album in 2022. Tell us about how God led you to that point.

My career is mostly composed of reimaginings of popular songs in cartoons, movies, and Top 40. As that found success, I started to branch into other avenues, which included original music. My friends and colleagues were greatly influential in this category, and my Father, in particular, was especially supportive because he himself is a singer-songwriter. He attempted to have a career in that field in his 20s and 30s before branching into radio hosting, which became his life's work before retiring ten years ago.

So, in 2019 I started writing for my first solo record, and for much of that year and the pandemic, I was refining the music and lyrics for the eventual January 2022 release. It has been encouraging, humbling and challenging to see the feedback on my first record, "In One Breath," and I'm all the more excited for my sophomore record to see the light of day.

Q: On your new single, "UNPARALYZED," you got to work with Teerawk (aka Trevor McNevan) of Thousand Foot Krutch. How did you get to work with him?

The label I'm working with, Judge & Jury, is a team made up of industry veterans with a combined century's worth of experience and connections. One of which is Trevor McNevan. I grew up with Christian Alt-Rock as a primary genre I listened to, so the opportunity to write with and share an original song with Teerawk was too great to pass up. I am very pleased with how our song "UNPARALYZED" turned out. 

Q: Share with us the heart behind "UNPARALYZED."

I find it almost prophetic that UNPARALYZED was such a collaborative effort. Between Trevor, Dustin (of Starset), and Cody (of Wage War), we've crafted something powerful and evergreen, topically. Oftentimes, in life, we feel paralyzed or stuck in place because of our circumstances. Both micro and macro, we feel the weight freshly each morning. However, we're not destined for a life lived in isolation or stagnation. Crucially, with our friends, family, and faith, we can overcome any and all obstacles creatively and with community. "UNPARALYZED" speaks to all those things, and we hope that people can pull the comfort they need for the moment from its message.

Q: I believe you are currently working on your new album. Can you share with us some details about it?

 Yes! It's completely written. Now, it's simply a matter of arranging and recording. We're figuring out our schedules as I speak to you, so I suspect we'll begin the process of laying down the pieces for these final tracks very soon. We potentially have some other opportunities we're looking to explore, so those *might* take precedence, but it's all working towards the completion of the album. I can't wait, personally. 

Q: How do you hope this new record will speak to the lives of your listeners?

The album has been named and it is titled, The Darkness Before the Dawn. A somewhat cliched title, but truthfully, it is the most prominent theme throughout the whole track listing. This isn't an album of songs meant to necessarily bolster you to conquer every challenge/obstacle in your life. Rather, it's a collection of aching laments about being stuck or feeling trapped in a darkened season of life. More than anything, I want this album to be able to sit beside you through inevitable pain and be a steadfast comfort in the midst of enduring. Darkness will come, and there will be a time to move into the light, but for now, let's be together in this long-suffering. We'll go together.

Q: If our readers would like to attend your concerts or get to know you better, where can they go?

I try to keep things simple! Just search up "Caleb Hyles" on any and all social media platforms and you'll find my music as well as the eventual tour! At least, that's what I've been told will happen! Thank you again for your time and reaching out!

 

 

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