'Soaring To New Heights'

"I've finally found my brothers!" The exuberance with which guitarist Jason Fubler sums up the coming together of Baltimore's Agents of the Sun also captures the boundless positive energy with which they approach and deliver every aspect of their music.

Agents of the Sun comprise years and miles of experience for each member in countless previous bands across the country. The pursuit of that dream is how AGENTS OF THE SUN, with their debut album Aurora, achieve national attention as one of the hotly anticipated new bands of 2003 "about to burst into the limelight any minute now." (Up and Coming Magazine).

With their folow-up album, 'MONARCHS OF A FALLEN SOCIETY', the mounting frustrations of feeling misrepresented as a band fueled the writing and recording, and the harder-charging testosterone of the band’s live show is finally captured, especially in the weighty gravity of 311 drummer Chad Sexton’s bass-driven mixes and the mastering expertise of Joe Gastwirt.

Chatting recently with guitarist, Jason Fubler, I first asked why they had deemed the time now right to unleash Monarchs of a Fallen Society on the general public? "We have evolved as a group and are finally getting the chance to make the music that represents who we are as musicians. 'Monarchs of a Fallen Society' is our music the way that we hear it and the way we want it to be heard. Besides, whatever you do to one side of the equation you have to do to the other, so X is probably equal to 10-11-05."

Was it always to be called Monarchs of a Fallen Society? "We considered another title, but we all thought it was a great title as soon as we heard it. The album’s title is actually a literal reference to the Monarch butterflies soaring from the ashes of a burning city in the album's cover art. That image represents us. Who we were, who we are, and who we will become."

Which of the tracks taken from the new album do you feel encapsulates Agents of the Sun at their finest? "We feel you have to look at the album as a whole to get Agents of the Sun at our finest. Every song is a piece of us ... the album brings all the pieces together."

And, while we're on the subject of revealing things, is it true that you (as a band) want to be "... bigger than the weather"?! "Well, ... yeah! Weather affects everyone and that's what we want ... for our music to affect everyone."

How did you all come to find yourselves, especially after all the relocating and such? "We all were in different bands practicing in the same building. Everyone was done with their bands and wanted to try something new. We all got together one night, jammed and three songs came out that night. We all quit our bands the next day and started Agents of the Sun."

Having named your debut Aurora (for the Goddess of the Dawn) and with the band name Agents of the Sun, is there some underlying Mythology aspect to the band? "No, we actually named it Aurora because it was the dawning of the rest of our lives." Have you a funny (or inspirational!) story to tell of just one of your musical encounters among the many journeys that you have taken thus far? "Agents+Arkansas+Jager=Smackdown 2004!"

All your songs seem smothered in personal realism, but can they all truly be such ... or are some just fanciful stories constructed for the listener's pleasure? "Actually, every song is very real. We write about what we know and what we feel. Our music is the best way we know how to express ourselves…its who we are."

OK, what "cheesy" '80s song would you love to cover today if asked ... and why?! "It would be 'Sunglasses at Night' by Corey Hart because we do ...!"

If there were just 3 words that described Agents of the Sun's music, what would they be? "Honest, Melodic, Rock."

What would you say has been your crowning musical achievement thus far? "Being asked to tour with 311, one of our favorite bands. It was a dream come true for us…an opportunity that we’ll never forget."

Finally, if you were asked to record a single for charity, and had to choose 3 other musicians to aid you in the project (no one from your band!), who would they be, what instruments would they play, and what would the name of the song be?! "Chino Moreno-vocals (Deftones), Chad Sexton-drums (311), Sting on Bass and the song title would be, 'Make Love, Not War'."

Interviewed by Russell A. Trunk