Stray From The Path have delivered what they’re calling their final, world-exclusive interview, sitting down with Kerrang! to look back on nearly 24 years as one of heavy music’s most outspoken and politically unfiltered bands. Earlier this year, the group announced that their upcoming record Clockworked would mark their last chapter, alongside a farewell tour that is scheduled to wrap on November 28th in Bristol, UK.
In the interview, the band speaks candidly about the highs, lows, sacrifices, and motivations behind their decision to close the book.
Vocalist Andrew “Drew York” Dijorio addressed the emotional weight of walking away:
“We’ve been doing this for 20 years… I’d rather go out on a high with a victory lap and a new record than slowly lose momentum… We’re not here to be sad, we’re here to celebrate! We just don’t want to be in this band anymore.”
Drummer Craig Reynolds elaborated on the realities of touring at their level, and how it clashes with the increasingly demanding responsibilities of adulthood:
“With a band this size you need to be putting your full momentum into it… You’d come home from three weeks of being gone with less money than you would’ve made if you’d stayed at home!”
Guitarist Tom Williams shared that stepping aside may help make room for younger artists working to break through:
“There are just too many bands now… Let’s make room for bands like those. I like the thought of making way for the next generation!”
The group also spoke to the weight of staying politically active in a world that feels increasingly bleak. Reynolds was blunt:
“…It takes a lot to actually make it. It’s draining to write about all the things you hate… Even the artists who speak up against all this stuff are cooked.”
Dijorio added:
“No one band is ever going to change the world… I don’t want to say I’m checked out, but I’ve done enough. We’ve done enough.”
Bassist Anthony “Dragon Neck” Altamura emphasized that the band’s legacy lives on in their songs rather than in reacting to every current-event flashpoint:
“We’re busting our asses to write songs about these things — songs that might help people think differently… I think the songs we’ve written will live on.”
When discussing influence, the band openly acknowledged the creative debt they owe to Rage Against The Machine, noting the poetic irony that both bands ended their careers during moments of deep political turmoil. Williams explained:
“‘The Battle Of Los Angeles’ is as relevant in 2025 as it was in 2000… Rage made three albums. We did nine.”
Dijorio echoed the sentiment, confident that their catalog will endure:
“Our music isn’t going anywhere… We wrote our hearts out, we worked our asses off, and we believe these lyrics will still be relevant.”
Fans can read the full, in-depth interview over at Kerrang!.
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This band had to blow up more but its sad they calling it quits..