Nicole Brice
May 7, 2025
With heavy riffs and unfiltered emotion, Inner Anguish is carving out a distinct voice in the regional metal underground.
Emerging from the heart of Louisiana’s underground metal scene, Inner Anguish is a band that channels raw emotion and relentless intensity into every note. By blending crushing riffs with visceral lyrics, the group serves as a powerful testament to the enduring spirit of Southern metal—dark, unfiltered, and unapologetically honest.
Since its formation, the band has undergone several changes and now boasts a solid lineup of musicians who were brought together for a specific purpose. Each member contributes their unique flair, resulting in a well-rounded listening experience highlighted by their impressive stage presence and larger-than-life personalities. Inner Anguish consists of Taylor Redwing on vocals, Smitty Lange on bass, Keith Alleman on guitar, Ben Finley on guitar, and Taylor Guidry on drums.
The poetic lyrics are crafted by lead singer Taylor Redwing, who writes from the heart. Every word reflects his genuine feelings and carries deep meaning. Inner Anguish draws from a diverse array of influences, creating a sound that is both distinctive and recognizable, appealing to metal enthusiasts. With the help of their secret weapon, Ben Finley of Shed Sound Hole, each release is polished to perfection.
As an organic collaboration among friends and music lovers, Inner Anguish’s sound and dynamic defy categorization. Their unique approach enables them to adapt to whatever comes their way, ensuring a refreshing and authentic musical experience. Inner Anguish is not just making noise; they are making a statement. Read on to learn more.
MaM: Give us a little background history about how you came together as a band.
Keith: I had a lot of the songs written and recorded already at my home studio. ‘Sin and Bleed’ and ‘This Guilt’ were two of them. We started playing with Ben Finley, and then we were looking for a singer. We had worked with Taylor previously, so we decided to bring him in. Ben was originally on bass, but then we decided to become a 5-piece, so we brought in Smitty, and that’s how it all came together.
MaM: Where did the name for the band come from?
Smitty: We had about 10-12 names to consider, so we voted on them. Inner Anguish received the most votes.
MaM: I think it’s a great name because it just rolls off the tongue.
Taylor: Yeah, we were careful when we picked it because a lot of the names we liked were already taken, so that we couldn’t use them.
Smitty: What’s cool, too, is that with Inner Anguish, if you listen to all of Taylor’s lyrics, it matches very well.
MaM: How did you all decide on the type of music to play, and who influenced you musically growing up?
Smitty: Keith wanted more of that Southern sludge sound, and once Taylor got in the band, his vocals helped to pick up the pace of the songs. The songs were originally much slower. It’s remarkable how each of us brought our own unique contribution to it, and it all just works, becoming our distinct sound. Now, whatever that sound is, I don’t know. It crosses so many boundaries.
MaM: I was just about to say that – I can’t define your sound.
Smitty: Yeah, it’s got a little of everything. People have said how they like the rapping portion of ‘This Guilt’, which just happened. Taylor’s big on Mudvayne, so that’s where that comes in. Growing up, I was big into Type O Negative.
MaM: I saw Type O Negative at the House of Blues in NOLA back in the early 2000s. It was insane. I still have the ticket stub.
Smitty: I saw them on their last tour, and I had the opportunity to meet Peter Steele in 2010. I also love all the Southern stuff, too, like Acid Bath. You can’t be in a band down here and not say Acid Bath.
MaM: Acid Bath was huge for me in high school.
Keith: I’m a big Misfits fan. I enjoy a wide range of melodic black metal and death metal. I like stoner rock, too, but pretty much anything. I hate classic rock.
MaM: What? You hate classic rock?
(laughter)
Keith: Well, I like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, but that’s it.
MaM: Ok, we’ll let you slide with that.
Taylor: My most significant influence on what I do with Inner Anguish is Chad Gray of Mudvayne. Garrett Russell of Silent Planet, too. I believe that anyone who appreciates the type of vocals I do also loves Lamb of God.
MaM: What is it that drives you guys to make music? What is your primary motivation?
Smitty: Fun – just having fun. It’s a release, and I understand why some of those bands go to cocaine.
(laughter)
MaM: I can agree.
Keith: I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t playing music. My mother played guitar and piano and raised me to play. It’s just something I’ve always done.
Taylor: Music has always been there for me. It’s my biggest love and growing up watching my favorite performers on stage live just really made me feel included. Metal has always been there for me and has always made me feel empowered. I want to do what I love, and I want to inspire others with my music. It’s a selfish thing for me, at the end of the day, because it’s a release.
Keith: He’s thrown up after a performance before.
MaM: Seriously?
Keith: Oh yeah.
Taylor: I feel like all the songs we play are emotional, and it’s therapeutic for me.
MaM: Well, music is therapy because of frequency.
Smitty: Yeah, I bring that brown note.
(laughter)
MaM: I recently saw that you have your own beer, which will be available soon. Tell us a little more about that.
Taylor: We’re playing May 17th in Gulfport, Mississippi, at the Metal and Beer Fest, and each band on the bill gets its own signature beer.
MaM: So, what is your signature beer? What is the taste?
Taylor: It’s a honey brown ale, basically, and will only be available at the festival, I believe, so come out and try it!
MaM: You guys are currently in the studio recording new material. How’s that going so far?
Taylor: It’s going great. We’re about to wrap up the drum tracks, and then we'll lay down some vocals. However, we’re aiming for a late-September release.
MaM: How do you guys approach writing new material? Is there a process?
Keith: Whoever brings in a riff, we listen to it and then go from there.
Smitty: It’s not like we go into the studio intending to do a stoner or black metal song. Whatever comes out works. We don’t just sit in one pocket.
MaM: What are you finding as a common theme with this new batch of songs? Do you have one?
Taylor: A lot of this new album revolves around suicide, so I’m not sure how palatable that will be to some, but it seems to be a recurring theme throughout the record. It’s more around the ideation and the activist.
MaM: Tell us a little bit more about the lyrics for ‘This Guilt’. How did those come about?
Taylor: I was afraid this question would come.
(laughter)
Taylor: It’s a difficult question to answer. Usually, when I write lyrics, I’m not thinking about anything. I’ll listen to a track and then write out how it makes me feel. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense, but I’m just vibing with the music and letting it guide me. After a song is finished, I can sit there with the lyrics and read them, and then it all makes sense. To me, though, ‘This Guilt’ is about abuse - whether that be self-inflicted or from another. That’s what I get from that song and the lyrics I wrote.
MaM: What would you guys like to accomplish this year? What would be the ultimate achievement to make this year perfect?
Taylor: I would love to play a show with Eyehategod. I don’t even think we’d have trouble finding a third band because everybody wants to play a show with them. I hope we can make that happen in the future.
As Inner Anguish continues to churn out new material and play shows, they stand poised to bring about a new era in metal – one that defies categorization. Be sure to check out their social media to catch them live soon.
For more information about Inner Anguish:
Facebook:
Instagram:
INNER ANGUISH (@inneranguish) • Instagram photos and videos
Spotify:
Apple Music:
*Band photos by Justin Hammer Photography:
*Live Photos by Photography by Elise Marie
Questions or comments? Reach out to us at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com.