Culture
Chained Saint talks transitioning to college life as a metal band and their love of old school production
By: Nicholas Kobe
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WOUB) – Formed in 2022 while still in high school, Chained Saint combines the old-school analog production and grit of classic thrash with the frustrations of modern American youth, creating music that feels like a natural successor to Megadeth and Slayer. With help from Alice in Chains vocalist William DuVall, the band released its first LP, Blindside, in 2024.
With a new single, 1000 Tons, out this year and more music on the way, Chained Saint continues to build on its promising debut to cement itself as a new cornerstone of modern metal.
Ahead of the band’s upcoming appearance at Louder Than Life 2025, vocalist Sean Sterling and guitarist Ethan Kahn spoke with WOUB’s Nicholas Kobe. Find a transcript of their conversation, edited for length and clarity, below.
Nicholas Kobe: My first question: how would you describe Chained Saint in one sentence?
Sean Sterling: Honestly, if I had to describe our band in one sentence, I would say “a raw source of energy.”
Ethan Kahn: I’d have to agree with Sean.
What about the members of the band in general fuels that energy?
Sterling: Well, honestly, I think it’s just a matter of the fact that we’re not afraid to just kind of keep it real, to be unapologetically us. We like to do things the old-fashioned way. We like to do things the analog way, and that just ends up producing more of a raw sound and energy.
You brought up the old school production. What about the sound of those records speaks to you in a way that modern production doesn’t?
Kahn: For me, there’s just an energy to it. There’s a warmth. Those records, they kind of just hit the emotional side of music differently than more modern stuff does, just because of the nature of the technology.
Sterling: Yeah, I agree. On top of that, just like when you think about everything that’s in the digital world, it’s made to replicate analog. So in that sense, it’s [going back to analog] almost like it’s almost like cutting out the middleman and getting straight to what you want to do.
So as a younger band, you’re often the youngest people in the room. How do you navigate it and stay confident as young people in the music industry?
Kahn: I’m more just like excited to see those types of [older] people because like I’m just a fan. So many just amazing musicians that are going to be at Louder Than Life. It doesn’t really make me anxious; rather, it kind of just excites me that I’m going to be up there with those people who inspired us to even get to where we are. So for me, it’s not as bad; it kind of uplifts me.
Sterling: On top of that, we’re able to go behind the stage and like ask people questions and inquire. Especially having somebody like William [DuVall] in the studio, you get to learn so much about the craft that we all do. So working alongside such big acts, it’s almost like absorbing their energy.
What would you say is the most valuable thing you’ve learned recently, either from William or anybody else?
Kahn: I mean, for me, I would just say the work ethic. He’s really just so in tune with his craft and what he’s trying to do. He knows exactly what he wants. I think that kind of rubbed off on us, going through the process of recording.
Sterling: You hit the nail on the head. I can’t even lie to you.
Given the band’s age range, have all the members of Chained Saint graduated from high school now?
Kahn: As of now, yes, I was the most recent.
So what’s the difference between being a band where everybody’s in high school versus a band where everybody’s in college?
Kahn: I’m only on my second day of class right now. So I don’t really know. But I mean, during high school, you got to balance everything and like, make everything work. So then you can do this stuff. But so far, like in college, I think it’ll be a bit easier, and I have a bit more time, I don’t have to stick to a high school schedule. But I do have to make like an one hour commute to go to practice, but I think it’s all worth it.
Sterling: Chained Saint is based in Fort Lauderdale, but Ethan and I both go to college in Miami. So, like he said, that’s an hour commute whenever we want to practice. On top of that, I’m in the Frost School of Music, and our schedule is a little different than the rest of the university because there are certain things we have to take. Like I have a class every Tuesday, that gets out at 9:20 p.m. So, like that just completely rules out Tuesdays.
It’s important to be able to get a college experience too, because college is an era and once you leave college, you can’t get that back. It’s like having a work-life balance in a way. Yeah, college is fun. Yes, education comes first. But Chained Saint is my career. Chained Saint is my business. Chained Saint is my job. So, I also love it. You have to work around and figure out exactly how you’re going to do both.
If there was anybody that was at the age you guys were when you started Chained Saint, what advice would you give to them before diving into this headfirst?
Kahn: I mean, if you love it, just keep doing it. We started off as just kids in our, you know, in my garage, trying to play covers of songs together. Just keep doing it. You never know what you’ll get.
What’s next for Chained Saint? You have an album out, but where do you think you’re going after this?
Sterling: I love answering this question. Go check out our social media. We’re playing Louder Than Life and Warped Tour. In terms of new music, stay tuned, keep an eye out, and please keep an ear out. We’re definitely not shifting our sound, but we’re definitely experimenting with our sound, saying like, ‘what do we like, what do we not like?’