Luke Chase: Our name, Digital Exile, has to do with our artistic frustration with the digital medium. I like to write more conceptual albums, where the songs flow into each other and the lyrics share a common theme. But the emphasis in the current environment is on short audio bits and single songs, which fragments our vision.

Luke: I have always loved the lyrical approach of Thrice because they have presented biblical passages and verses in contextual ways where they can still be thought-provoking, but easier to understand for those who would not be willing to read the Bible (based on their own principles). Most of our influences write introspective lyrics that observe and critique with poetic depth. That is not to say we agree with everything they have to say, because we certainly do not. But they are artists, nonetheless. In terms of our music, we are influenced by the progressive rock genre. We have always desired to write music within that genre that can display a level of technicality, but never at the expense of the melody. These are some of the bands that we believe have found a good balance of that.

Luke: The main challenge has been getting everyone together for recording/touring. Some of us are still in school (undergrad and grad), and the rest have jobs. Our debut album was a wonderful project to accomplish. We were unable to do any shows this summer, but we have plans for next summer. We'll just have to see how that goes. I have always been a fan of unique live performances. The bands that I like to see live always know how to keep the audience guessing. Energy, stage-presence, and showmanship are huge. It's also important to not necessarily change the songs, but to play them differently by adding to them. I wrote this album years ago, so it has had some time to develop and hopefully mature. As far as the live performance of these songs goes, I think they will continue to undergo development.

Luke: We are releasing a bonus track around Christmas time. It will be a little more dance-driven, and different from the rest of the album. When we went into the studio to record our debut album, I had already written 3 and a half albums. We will (Lord-willing) enter the studio next summer to record our second album, which is completely written.

Luke: I think, like any independent group, you have to rely heavily on friends and family to check out your music and spread the word. We have sought to be proactive in marketing the album and it's been quite a learning experience for all of us. Right now, this is not our employment, so it is easier to maintain our vision for the albums.

Luke: The Lord has taught us to wait on His timing, stay humble, be thankful, and not hold onto this too tightly. My brother Gabe and I couldn't help but thank the Lord everyday we went into the studio. This album has been written for about 6-7 years, and we are truly grateful to see it come to fruition. In theory, it's easy to stay humble while not many people know who you are. However, humility is never easy; no matter how big or small your band is. We are learning to trust Him, and see where He leads.