THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT — the formidable musical partnership of Grammy-nominated STONE SOUR guitarist Josh Rand and co-songwriter and vocalist Casandra Carson — has dropped a new lyric video for the ballad “Worthwhile”.
Speaking about the track, Rand comments: “When I started writing music for what would become THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT, it was about trying new things in the creative process. Writing songs on piano for the first time was refreshing and exciting. I’m really proud of how all three piano songs turned out, ‘Worthwhile’ being my favorite.”
“Worthwhile” is the fifth and final video to be made available from the duo’s recently released debut, self-titled EP and follows “Purgatory”, “A World On Fire”, “Ignite” and the band’s debut release, “The Nothingness”, which was featured on several major playlists across streaming platforms, including Rock Hard on Spotify, Breaking Metal on Apple Music, Break Through Rock on Amazon and Metal Radar on Deezer. “The Nothingness” was also included on SiriusXM Octane‘s Test Drive the week it was released.
Nurturing the project from concept to execution, the instrumentation on “The L.I.F.E. Project” EP was written, arranged, recorded and produced by Rand in his home studio and mixed by Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD, PARKWAY DRIVE). Completing the collaborative effort with the addition of Carson, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT presents an important milestone in an already decorated career for Rand, one that was punctuated with the addition of a one-of-a-kind vocal lead that understood how to compliment the music with her lyrical pen.
Stylistically, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a fluid combination of classic metal sensibility and Rand‘s penchant for pushing the boundaries of contemporary heavy. From the ethereal, cinematic soundscape of the piano-latent ballad in “Worthwhile” to the sonic sledgehammer of “A World On Fire”, the broad spectrum resonates as especially impressive. Between Rand‘s instrumental framework, accentuated by Carson‘s ability to articulate poignant stanzas, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT remains a passion project culminating in perfect collaboration.
Arriving at the intersection of time and circumstance, Rand found himself at a proverbial fork in the road. Rotating back to real world after an extensive two-year run on the road completing STONE SOUR‘s “Hydrograd” album cycle, Rand resumed his routine of immersing himself in his craft, songwriting with clear intent – breaking new ground and exploring new sounds. Shortly thereafter, a series of events would prompt Rand to make some significant professional decisions.
The pivot would find Rand continuing to push his creative pace as a songwriter, while devising a brand-new outlet that would feature his stylistic signature throughout. Accustomed to working with the kind of vocalist that is equally commanding and versatile, Rand knew he wanted to maintain a standard of a dynamic lead, while bringing something new to the space of hard rock and metal.
As chance would have it, just a few degrees of separation stood between Rand and Carson. The resulting introduction of THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a five-track EP that offers a complete presentation of a songwriter asserting his stride after more than two decades steeped in his craft. Building off the sonic stamp he established during his six albums, twenty-year tenure with STONE SOUR, Rand‘s current iteration holds true to his track record, without relying on it.
“The L.I.F.E. Project” EP track listing:
01. Ignite
02. Purgatory
03. The Nothingness
04. Worthwhile
05. A World On Fire
