Interviews: Miss May I

In celebration of the 15th anniversary of their debut album "Apologies Are for The Weak," metalcore giants Miss May I take a reflective journey back to where it all began. This album, a seminal piece in the metalcore genre, marked the arrival of a group of young, determined musicians who were ready to make their mark on the scene. With raw energy and unfiltered passion, they captured the essence of a movement, connecting with fans across the world.

As the band prepares to release a reimagined version of this iconic album, Levi Benton, the band's vocalist, shares his insights into the creation, evolution, and enduring impact of "Apologies Are for The Weak." In this interview, Levi opens up about the challenges and triumphs that have defined Miss May I's career, the lessons learned along the way, and what the future holds for the band. Join us as we explore the past, present, and future of Miss May I in this exclusive conversation with Levi Benton.

1. Looking back, what does "Apologies Are for The Weak" represent to you as a band? How do you think it shaped your career and the metalcore genre?

“Apologies Are For The Weak” initially meant that we wanted to give no apologies or hold back on who we were and what we sounded like. It was the day of the Myspace age and we were young and tiny and not big enough to play sports in the midwest, but we loved metal and wanted to be taken seriously. I think this album really got our point across and let people know what we were about and in doing so it has become a staple in metalcore and we are very thankful.

2. What were some of the most memorable moments or challenges you faced during the original recording of the album?

The biggest challenge we faced while recording this album was the schedule. We had to drive from Troy, Ohio to Connersville, Indiana every day after school to record the album and then the next morning we would leave early enough to make it back to school just in time for class. We did that for an entire month to get this album finished.

3. How has your perspective on the music and lyrics from that time changed over the years?

The biggest perspective change we have faced over the years since this album has just been our ability to write music. This album was the beginning for us and there wasn't really any structure because we didn't know what we were really doing until we met with more producers and had some time playing live shows on the road.

4. What do you think made "Apologies Are for The Weak" resonate with fans then, and why do you believe it continues to do so today?

To be honest, I don't really know what made it resonate with fans. The only thing we could really think of is the innocence of the album. We wrote it as kids obsessed with metalcore and we hope that people can hear that feeling throughout the album and relate being those kids that are obsessed with metalcore as well.

5. What inspired you to re-record "Apologies Are for The Weak" for its 15th anniversary, and how did you approach the process differently this time around?

We are at a point in our career where we really can just be ourselves. We know this album had such a huge part of our career and with its anniversary coming up we felt it was only the right thing to do as a celebration. This time around we really could attack some of the parts organically as opposed to learning them and sorting them out previously as kids when we were still learning our instruments.

6. Can you tell us about the choice of guest artists featured on the reimagined album? How did these collaborations come about?

The choice of guest artists came from a few different areas. Some of them are people we knew who were inspired by the album, some of them are people we met throughout our career and some of them are people that took us out on our first tours and showed us the ropes of the road when we first began on this album cycle.

7. What new elements or changes can fans expect in the reimagined versions of these songs?

The biggest things I think fans can expect are our performance ability and our musicianship. When we first tracked this album we were still figuring out what we wanted to sound like and do, so a lot of it was experimental. Now it has shaped us and it's great to revisit those takes and do them years later as we have progressed as artists.

8. Was there a particular track that was especially fun or challenging to revisit and rework? Why?

The hardest one to revisit was “Arms Of A Messiah”. That song has always been challenging for me just because of the speed and range within the song. At the time of the original recording, I could barely do low screams and I was learning it as we wrote the song so revisiting it and actually knowing what to do was a blast.

9. How do you feel the metalcore scene has evolved since your debut, and where do you see Miss May I fitting into it today?

Metalcore has flourished since we started and it’s been amazing to watch. When we started there was no XM or radio waves that would even come close to our style of music and now there are dedicated stations for metal and more. Miss May I was fortunate enough to be a part of that wave and it has helped our careers along the way.

10. What has been the most significant lesson you've learned over the past 15 years in the music industry?

The biggest thing I have learned is to be true to yourself and do what you want to do. Every time we have strayed from the plan or who we were as individuals it has blown up in our face. The more we relax and just have fun the more the band grows.

11. As you prepare for your upcoming US tour, what are you most looking forward to? How do you plan to incorporate the new reimagined tracks into your live performances?

I am looking forward to playing songs we have not played before from this album. Since we are playing it in its entirety we get to finally perform some tracks that have never made the setlist until this tour.

12. What message do you hope to convey to both long-time fans and new listeners with this anniversary celebration and reimagined album?

We mainly wanted to celebrate an album that changed our lives. It was never meant to move the needle or promote the band, but more or less be a gift to our fans who have been with us since day one.

13. With such a dedicated fanbase, how do you stay connected with your fans, especially with the challenges of social media and online platforms?

Our bond is one that I think our fans understand and they know they are a part of our family. We are not an overly active social media band, but we do interact in person with our fans and always give them our time and love to meet as many as we can. Whether it's a festival or our own show you can always find us wandering around and being a part of the show.

14. What has been the most memorable fan interaction or experience you've had over the years?

There has been a lot over the years, but I would say this one time in Brazil we were with Asking Alexandria and we all had to wear disguises in order to go in public. Then we got spotted and had to run back to the venue with security as a crowd of fans chased us.

15. Beyond this anniversary project, what’s next for Miss May I? Are there any new projects or directions you’re excited to explore?

We can say there is going to be some new music for this tour to look out for and a whole new Chapter to Miss May I in 2025.

16. What do you enjoy doing outside of music that helps you stay inspired and creative?

I love restoring old condemned buildings while I am off tour. It's a great creative outlet to turn something no one wants into a livable work of art and then give the keys to a family to enjoy.