Orlando’s withpaperwings have only been around since 2023, but their rapid evolution is already setting them apart in Florida’s heavy music landscape. Formed through friendships on the local show circuit, the group released their debut, a 3-track demo, in 2024.
Since then, withpaperwings welcomed bassist Griffin—also of Memento and Miracle—into the family, joining guitarists Shawn and Ben, drummer Van, and vocalist Evan. The revamped lineup began trading ideas and tightening their musical chemistry.
Their new EP, Six Thousand Days, marks a major leap from their early material. The melodic metalcore elements hit harder, the songwriting feels sharper, and the breakdowns lean into a near-deathcore level of heaviness. The band credits the shift not to changing priorities, but to growing together as writers: “We just understand each other as musicians a lot more,” they explain.
Beneath the intensity lies a heavy emotional core. "Lyrically, the majority of the songs center around the passing of our singer Evan’s father," the group told No Echo. “'Blinded' is about the religious trauma Evan faced that cost him his family." That blend of catharsis and pointy neck guitar fury gives Six Thousand Days its urgency.
Musically, the members told No Echo they pull influence from all over the heavy spectrum—Agnostic Front, As Blood Runs Black, Avenged Sevenfold, The Black Dahlia Murder, Hatebreed, Killswitch Engage, and more—filtering those roots into something distinctly their own.
Looking ahead, withpaperwings are aiming for more touring in 2026, fueled by the strong response to their recent shows. As for what’s been inspiring them lately? The band points to a stacked list of 2025 favorites, including releases from Unmoved, xSeraphx, To Forever Fall Through God’s Safety Net, Grael, Discontent, Erode, A Visage of a Mangled Body, and Killing of a Sacred Deer.
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Six Thousand Days is available on vinyl and CD via The Coming Strife Records.
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