Well with the news out that Rayner is leaving Mithras, it's a confusing time for me, one of reflections, revelations, exaltations and portentous generally.
Rayner and myself formed Mithras way back in 1998, when we were both 18. Back then we had some band experience but wanted to start afresh with a new project and see where it led us. Little did we realise that ten years later we'd be here still! Across those ten years we recorded three albums (and a horde of unreleased material), went through innumerable line-up changes, put in thousands of rehearsal hours, experienced a lot of what life can throw at you while changing and growing as people. The road was rewarding, I achieved great satisfaction from writing and performing and having people enjoy our works and the total immersion experience and atmosphere the band provided around the time of 'Legions...' and 'Worlds...'.
But the road was also difficult; Mithras originally being intended to be a full band, we could never solidify a line-up with another drummer which meant I undertook a greater burden than most, by filling the roles of both drummer and guitarist while being the main composer. While this proved a strength due to me being willing to put aside a lot of what most would call "normal life" to concentrate on both roles and perform them to a higher level than most people can afford the practice time to do, it was also a huge burden on me, and one I'd subconsciously try and shake off whenever a potential drummer came along.
Throughout the band history, I always had to be the do-er in the band, but as time went on, I found myself isolated and responsible for almost everything band related, which was a huge pressure on me, and made something which was originally my artistic love into a difficult and frustrating challenge and hard to reconcile or separate from my life outside the band. Unfortunately, this came at the time when we had one of the biggest opportunities to take the band up to another level, but due to the above we never managed to capitalise on it in the way we could have.
After over 12 years of playing music together, Rayner is like a brother to me but has a lot of other interests outside of music which he dedicates his time to right now, and while it's sad that a chapter of the band has closed, I've got to get back to the reasons behind me making music in the first place; this is a good time for both me and Rayner to go our separate ways musically speaking.
News about what's next for Mithras will come in time, but we've got many options on the table right now, and potential candidates threatening to push rivals down the stairs if that's what it takes!
In the meantime, our first gig in three years is also Rayner's last. I can honestly say that while the past six months have been very difficult for all of us in Mithras, we're also playing way better as a live unit than any previous line-up and representing the songs extremely well. If you catch the show on the 14th of December you'll see Rayner at the peak of his powers and a band behind him gearing up for the future.
Time waits for no man...
Leon Macey
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my arts were thought so mighty yet humbled for who could know the mysteries of life itself
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