Soundscape may not be a household name in the progressive rock and metal world, but their journey over the past three decades is one of passion, perseverance, and dedication to their craft. Hailing from Bethel, Connecticut, the band originally came together in 1994, driven by a shared love of music that defied easy categorization. Their early work, including the ambitious rock opera America the Beautiful and their 1997 debut album Discovery, showcases a commitment to creating music that reflects their unique collective voice.
Recently, Soundscape was included in the Progotronics 47 compilation curated by Prog Sphere, bringing their music to a broader audience and marking a new chapter in their story. In this interview, the band shares insights into their history, the challenges and rewards of reuniting after a hiatus, and what lies ahead for their ever-evolving sound.
Soundscape originally came together in 1994, and you’ve had quite a journey since then. Can you take us back to the beginning and share what brought the original members together for “America the Beautiful”?
Todd Rose (guitar): I had recently recorded a demo tape of instrumental guitar tracks to showcase my abilities in the hopes of finding like-minded musicians with which to form a band. I shared it with friends at a well-known music store in the area and they recommend me to Rob. We got together, listened to my demo and hit it off immediately. He plopped three massive volumes of music in my lap for a multi-disc Rock Opera called “America The Beautiful” and we got straight to work. Not too long after we found Scott and Phil Suarez (our original drummer) and the rest as they say is history.
Rob Thorne (vocals, keyboards): Yeah, I had recently finished college and moved back to Connecticut to establish my studio and label, and had just finished composing “America.” My first project was to make a recording of the complete rock opera and while I was casting the singers, Todd was recommended to me as a guitarist for the recording. We really vibed quickly and had a great time recording that album. So much so that we decided to continue on and form Soundscape.
Your debut album “Discovery” in 1997 marked a key point in Soundscape’s history. How did the band evolve during the making of that album, and what were some defining moments in that period?
Todd: While recording “America The Beautiful” our musical chemistry and friendship became more and more obvious and we collectively felt the excitement of writing and recording a collaborative work. As soon as the finishing touches were put on Rob’s “America The Beautiful” we set forth “discovering” our new musical vision, one that would allow each of us to be free to express ourselves in our own unique way but always putting the composition first. Our debut album became just that, 4 musicians with individual voices discovering ONE single voice, and so it was appropriately titled Discovery.
Interestingly it is a concept album about a boy as he navigates his own evolution realizing his dreams and nightmares. In many ways that reflected what we were experiencing artistically as young musicians with our futures ahead of us. After a short period of time we did have some internal conflicts leading to the replacement of Phil Suarez on drums with our friend Lou Caldarola further solidifying Soundscape.
Rob: We spent a good year writing for that album and another several months recording it. For me personally, it was a big deal for me to transition into becoming a performing keyboardist. I was comfortable composing on the keyboard but covering those duties in live performances while singing was something I resisted at first. I’d say that was the defining moment for me that year for sure.
Soundscape performed alongside major acts like Fates Warning and King’s X. How did those experiences shape the band’s identity and influence your music?
Todd: To be honest, from the get-go we were so focused on developing our own unique sound and identity that while playing alongside those bands was an incredible honor (many of them our heroes) it really didn’t have much of an effect on our musical development or where we saw ourselves in the industry.
Rob: Well, we could see that performing progressive music would be a struggle! Those bands, as successful as they were, were struggling to survive commercially, even then. And that was certainly an education.
After a hiatus, you released “Grave New World” in 2009. Given Rob’s commitments with Sacred Oath, how did the band keep the Soundscape flame alive during those years, and what challenges did you face?
Todd: No matter how great the musicians are that you play with it is more important to be friends, you don’t want to have children with someone you hate so why would you want to make music that way? We all took a break, played with different bands and pursued other interests but always remained friends. Even after 30 years we all love and respect each other as people and musicians.
Rob: Yeah, it was a mutual respect for the music that kept the flame alive for us from a distance. And practically speaking, my having the studio made it easier to reconnect.
It wasn’t until 2016 that the core members were able to come together regularly again. What was it like reconnecting after such a long break, and how did that impact the music you’ve been creating since then?
Todd: I had recently gotten out of the restaurant business and felt the desire to create music again. It was as simple as meeting Rob for lunch discussing what kind of commitment we were willing to make as he is a busy family and businessman. Luckily Scott and Lou were on the same page so it came together effortlessly. I think I can speak for all of us that from the first note, at the first rehearsal it was as if no time had passed, the passion to create together was still alive and well.
Rob: I really enjoyed making music with Soundscape again, and we did have fun making those three songs. It was a stretch for me though, to produce those 3 recordings while also recording and touring with Sacred Oath.
Your 2016 single “Insatiable” explores the theme of social media’s insatiable hunger for purpose. Can you talk more about what inspired the track and how it fits into the broader direction of the band’s current sound?
Rob: You know, I’m in a perpetual struggle with social media on multiple levels, and I went right to that topic with “Insatiable.” As a father, I question whether the positive aspects of the technology outweigh the negatives. People are connecting, but on such an artificial level most of the time. And I see people ignoring each other while they’re sitting next to each other. Real life is passing them by! And it’s so addictive. People can’t seem to look up for 5 minutes. As a musician, as much as I appreciate the avenues to connect with fans and share new music and experiences, I resent the daily demand for content in order to remain relevant. It’s so distracting from the joyous creative aspect of the work.
The band’s most recent 3-song EP was released on Bandcamp. How does this EP compare to the earlier Soundscape releases, and what can fans expect from this new material in terms of musical style and themes?
Todd: I definitely think these new tracks show a bit more maturity in that we don’t feel the need to prove ourselves technically the way we did 30 years ago and focused on more concise compositions with the virtuosity sprinkled in. There are so many distractions in our modern society that didn’t exist back then so we wanted to make music that would reflect that.
With such a long history of recording and performing, how do you see Soundscape’s sound evolving over time? Are there specific elements or influences you’re incorporating into your music now that weren’t there in the past?
Todd: That’s hard to say, we have always been very open to different musical styles both rock and metal, prog and pop which made us a difficult band to define. Even from the start, we were “not heavy enough” for some but “too heavy” for others, but we just played what we felt was appropriate for the track and I think that will always be our approach.
Rob: I don’t think we’ve changed much at all over the last 30 years.
Rob, as the lead vocalist, you’ve been at the helm of both Sacred Oath and Soundscape. How do you balance your creative vision between the two projects, and how do the different bands influence each other?
Rob: You know, I connect on a deep level with the musicians around me, and in that sense Soundscape and Sacred Oath just won’t ever sound the same. The thing about Soundscape is that my approach is always through the keyboard, and the way I compose on that instrument. In Sacred Oath I do all my writing on guitar. So there is a big difference there, as Todd and I are very different guitar players. Soundscape is always pushing to challenge boundaries too, whether it be rhythmic or harmonic. There is an unspoken rule that we’ve got to find a way to complicate things. Sacred Oath does not wear that yoke.
How has your musical partnership evolved over the years, especially as Soundscape took a break and you were involved in other projects?
Todd: It’s the same as the way it was from day one, when you rehearse four to five days a week with someone for five plus years you know what to expect. Scott and I have had a wonderful working relationship co-composing a number of guitar/bass parts on Grave New World and then sharing them with Rob and Lou. As boring as it may sound, we don’t disagree much musically! [laughs]
Lou, your background with Kicksville is also significant. How has that experience contributed to your drumming style in Soundscape, and what’s your approach to creating rhythms for this band?
Lou Caldarola (drums): Ive always had a drumming background in progressive metal and experimental music! Previous to Soundscape I was regularly working in prog-metal bands (Wintersong, Terminus, Dominion), so the fit with the Soundscape material seemed very natural for my style of drumming. With Kicksville being so avant-garde, it let me try different rhythms and approaches to the music which were drawn from to influence the drumming on our newer material and helped the direction I took the drums for “Insatiable”.
Soundscape is known for its progressive rock influences. Who are some of the key bands or artists that have influenced your musical approach over the years, and how do you incorporate those influences into your current work?
Scott Waite (bass): We all had our personal influences in the band that helped shape who we were as players and that was, I believe the magic of Soundscape. To be able to combine our different influences into a creative process that produced something a little different. Soundscape was certainly inspired by bands like Yes, Rush, Utopia and Kansas, etc. in our approach, but also the prog-metal bands like Dream Theater, Queensryche and Fates Warning. It was more of a blend of inspiration from the different types of music than locking ourselves into a specific category or style of prog but that’s what made us such a unique sounding band.
Looking ahead, what’s next for Soundscape? Can we expect a full album, or are there more singles and EPs in the works? And how do you envision the future of the band moving forward?
Lou: The four of us have had a wonderful working relationship in our music and whenever we are together it’s a fun and enjoyable time, it can be just us talking or creating music. There’s a distinct connection there for us and we DO still have material that we considered finishing, if the right opportunity arrives! Though we do not have a set plan for a release, the idea of us working on more material is always an option which we all truly enjoy. Time moves fast and we all have our musical endeavors that require our attention but something from Soundscape in the future is always a possibility!
Visit Soundscape’s Bandcamp page for music, and give them a follow on Facebook.
