We recently spoke to the members of Born of Osiris while they were touring with Chelsea Grin, Make Them Suffer, and Kingdom of Giants about their recent album The Simulation and plans for a follow-up. Before wrapping up the interview, we got in-depth about the group's dream tour including what other bands they want to hit the road with and which songs they'd choose from each album to perform in a retrospective setlist.
What band have you not yet toured with that you’d like to hit the road with?
We'd say Lamb of God, Meshuggah, Gojira, Underoath, and Nothing More.
On the contrary, who is someone that you have previously toured with that you’d like to again?
Cameron: Killswitch Engage for sure, we just recently did that.
Lee: It’s always fun to tour with Veil of Maya and After the Burial because we grew up with those dudes. Although, we’ve over toured with those dudes too.
If you pick only one song per Born of Osiris release to perform in a sort of retrospective setlist, which songs would they be?
The New Reign EP
Lee: I still to this day love playing “Abstract Art,” so personally I’ll go with that one.
Nick: “Bow Down” is a classic.
Joe: I love the jumpy vibes of “Empires Erased.”
Cameron: The sporadic tempo changes of “Brace Legs” are really awesome to play.
Ronnie: “Empires Erased,” I also love the jumpy vibes.
A Higher Place
Ronnie: Yeah, we don’t play that one that much anymore. I kinda forgot that record. “Now Arise” is the one we play the most so that’s my choice.
Cameron: It has been awhile. It is hard to think of these titles. “The Accountable” was a fun one. It’s a cool song and a newer sound for us at the time. Our other albums were more successful and we have put out so many since then, so that’s why we haven’t been playing this album, but yeah we might bring “Now Arise” back.
Lee: I liked playing “Elimination” because the ending was really heavy live.
Joe: I’ve always wanted to play either “An Ascent” or “A Descent.”
The Discovery
Lee: “Recreate” for the longest time was one of the songs I was most proud of as far as songwriting. It was a cool experience, I actually worked with Misha [Mansoor] from Periphery on that one.
Nick: I’ve always liked “Ascension.” That one’s pretty jumpy too.
Joe: Mine’s definitely got to be “Singularity.” That’s one of my favorite songs to play live.
Cameron: Mine would be “Devastate” because I like the dark vibe and it’s maybe a bit black metal-y. It’s a heavy, mean song.
Ronnie: I was going to say “Singularity” as well. I always try to bring that one back, but it never happens. There’s a lot of fun vocals in that one.
Tomorrow We Die Alive
Ronnie: I’d say “Machine.” That’s our biggest song.
Cameron: “Source Field, which we haven’t played yet. That would be sweet to play.
Joe: I guess “Divergency,” it’s probably the second most popular from that album.
Nick: It’d be a tie between “Machine” and “Divergency” for me, but there definitely is another track that I’m blanking on.
Lee: I’m looking at the tracklisting and there’s definitely some sick ones we don’t play like “Mindful,” “The Origin,” or “Aeon III.” Yeah, I think I’ll go with “Aeon III.”
Soul Sphere
Lee: I wish we played “War Lords.” I like “Illuminate” too, but I’d go with “Goddess of the Dawn.”
Nick: “Throw Me in the Jungle” is fun.
Joe: “The Sleeping and the Dead”
Cameron: “Tidebinder”
Ronnie: “The Sleeping and the Dead” is a good one and I like “War Lords a lot. I wish we played “Freefall.”
The Simulation
Ronnie: Right now, “Under the Gun” is my favorite song to play live and I wasn’t expecting that. It just became such a good feeling to play that live with all of us.
Cameron: “Disconnectome” just for all the different time signature changes. It’s a little off the wall too and unexpected. I also have a sort of drum solo for the first time ever, so that’s cool to me.
Joe: I’m going to say “One Without the Other.” I really enjoy that song vocally and it’s going to be really fun to play live.
Nick: I love playing “Cycles of Tragedy.”
Lee: “Cycles of Tragedy” and “Under the Gun” are good. I want to play “Disconnectome.” And “Analogs in a Cell” is a really challenge to me because it was just hard enough to make me a better player, but doable live.
What countries do you still want to tour in or revisit?
Ronnie: I want to go back to Japan. That was my favorite place to tour.
Nick: Australia, I love it there.
Joe: Brazil.
Cameron: Brazil was cool, we played in Sao Paulo and it was super cool. I know there’s other really cool place in Brazil I want to see and play. Or Alaska would be cool.
Lee: I guess I would say I’ve always wanted to play in Hawaii for some reason.
