The Metal Crypt - Breakker Interview

Interviews

Interview with guitarists Ben Brower and London Fowler, vocalist Clare Mairéad and bassist Stevie Lang
Interview conducted by Luxi Lahtinen

Date online: October 24, 2025

Hailing from the city of brotherly love, Breakker is a force to be reckoned with in the heavy metal scene. Formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this five-piece band has quickly carved out their own space in the heavy metal landscape, blending the raw energy of both classic hard rock and heavy metal. Their sound is a potent mix of hard-hitting riffs, thunderous drums, and powerful vocals that make every track feel like a battle cry.

In June 2025, Breakker took a huge step forward with the release of their self-titled, five-song EP, released through Heaven and Hell Records. This explosive collection of tracks showcases the band's fierce musical prowess, culminating in a standout bonus cover of Wild Dogs' "Stick to Your Guns." With this release, Breakker proves they are a band to watch as they continue to climb the ranks of the metal world.

We had an opportunity to pose some questions to the band; to talk about their journey, their latest release, and the fire that drives them forward in this short interview. Let's dive into the heart of Breakker and discover what makes them one of the most exciting bands on the rise today.

Breakker has had an impressive start with your self-titled EP released in 2024. How would you describe the journey of creating that record? Were there any challenges or moments of inspiration that shaped its sound?

Clare: Joining Breakker came at a sort of cross-road in my creative career. I was brought up doing musical theatre, fell out of love with it, and decided it was time to challenge myself to follow my true passion. We began doing covers for a solid year, Iron Maiden, Kiss, W.A.S.P., Lita Ford, etc., which ultimately went on to inspire the sounds we wanted to capture in our original music. The beauty of the EP is the vast collection of creative influences and personal connections to the lyrics across all members, and I hope our next record will reflect that as well.

Your music features heavy riffs, melodic and catchy passages and high-energy vocals that seem to resonate with classic hard rock and heavy metal fans but also feel fresh. How would you describe your sound to someone who hasn't heard you yet? What would you say sets you apart from other heavy metal bands today?

Stevie: I would describe our sound as a blending of several different styles of hard rock and heavy metal to create our own sound. We take hard rock melodic bands like early Def Leppard, Ratt, Dokken and blend it with classic metal bands like Dio, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, with some '70s influences like Kiss and Thin Lizzy, too. We bring the best of everything and make it our own.

What was the writing and recording process like for the EP? Did the band work together from the ground up, or did any of the members have specific ideas that helped shape the overall project?

Clare: Ben came to us with rough demos of songs, and over the course of a few months they began to take shape and evolve. This was my first time working on a record, and the most exciting part for me was adding in my own flair to the melodies and lyrical ideas. We wanted to get this music out quickly and give people a taste of who we are as soon as possible!

Since forming in 2023, how has Breakker's sound and style evolved? Have you noticed any shifts in how you approach your music, especially now that you've completed your first EP?

Clare: We're certainly louder, more kickass and confident! The inclusion of a second guitar has elevated our live sound, and as a vocalist, I've become more experimental with my delivery. We're leaning into the grittiness. We're from Philly, after all.

One thing that stands out about your EP is its intensity. The songs are straightforward with a suitable amount of aggression to them, but there's also a lot of emotion embedded in the music. How do you balance these two elements – aggression and emotional depth – when creating your music?

Ben: At the moment, I am the principal songwriter for Breakker. I work best in a collaborative musical setting. I tend to bring complete songs to the group, which are then interpreted and revised by the band collectively. I don't think I'd characterize my songs as particularly aggressive sounding. I do like to keep the overall high energy, though; I don't like long meandering compositions. Lyrically, I tend to write from a very real-world grounded perspective. If a particular theme or current event resonates enough with me, I'll try to incorporate that into my lyrics without being too obvious about it. I love fantasy and mystically inspired themes in metal; I am a huge Dio fan! But I cannot seem to write in that voice myself. I've tried and it just feels inauthentic coming from me. Anything I compose for this band needs to be almost like an audio thrill ride. Big hooks, memorable melodies, interesting changes, gets right to the point and it's gotta rock! That's my personal criteria for composing a Breakker song.

The heavy metal scene has had an incredible resurgence over the last few years, but it also comes with a lot of competition. How do you stay motivated and find new ways to keep your sound fresh in a scene that has so many great bands?

London: All of us in the band are influenced by great hard rock and heavy metal bands. But I believe what keeps the music fresh is incorporating outside influences. We come from different backgrounds in the arts and music. I, for example, come from an R&B and country music background. Those roots will always shine through my guitar playing, which I believe keeps our music fresh and interesting.

Speaking of the scene, how has the response been to Breakker's live shows so far? What's the energy like when you hit the stage, and how do you feel the crowd connects with your music?

London: The reactions we've gotten have been very positive! Since I joined the band and Ben has moved to guitar, we've been getting a lot of compliments on our dual guitar work, which has enhanced our live sound. We have a mix of excitement and nervousness right before we hit the stage, but we release all that energy into our playing and that gets the adrenaline going.

You've been building a solid fanbase, especially after releasing your EP. Are there any standout moments or fan interactions that have really stood out to you since your debut shows?

Stevie: We have played so many shows since 2023. All were great, but if I had to pick a few favorites they would be: Our CD release party show in Delaware, opening for Mike Tramp's White Lion, opening for Graham Bonnet and playing our first festival in Madison, Wisconsin at the Blades of Steel Festival. I'm really looking forward to November 15th when we share the stage in Brooklyn with one of my favorite new bands, WANTED, at Lucky 13.

Let's talk about the future. Now that you've released the EP, do you have any plans to take Breakker on the road? What can fans expect from your upcoming concerts, and are you planning to tour internationally at any point?

Ben: We would love to bring Breakker to wherever there's a demand to experience the band live. We love performing and feed off the energy of a receptive audience. We are continuously adding new material to our set and have so much more we can't wait to share with you! Logistics are always a factor when putting together a string of shows far from our home base. We are, like most independent bands at our level, all reliant on our day jobs to pay the bills. But if we are lucky enough to be invited to come play at a festival or to do a touring run supporting a more established band, we'll do everything in our power to try and make it happen whenever and wherever!

As a new band in the scene, what are your main goals for the next year or so? Any specific milestones you're aiming for, whether it's in terms of music releases, collaborations, or live performances?

Stevie: We will be recording singles this month and hope to have those released along with a music video by the end of the year. Next year, we'll have a full-length album recorded and look forward to playing many more shows in many different places- hopefully, internationally!