You may have heard us playing New Lives by Problem of Time recently here on Phoenix FM – and we caught up with Trent Duncan to find out more about the band and their music.
Tell us a little bit about your yourself?
My name is Trent Duncan, I am the vocalist for Problem of Time. I have been writing music since high school, and been recording on and off for Problem of Time for over ten years. This particular project with Problem of Time is something that started out as a live gig around 2011. With time this has turned into song-writing hobby and side project from my actual life and career. I always found it odd when artists break up due to financial issues, or being tired of touring, or whatever reason. For me writing music is a life-long passion that I am able independent of all other factors. I cannot find a reason not to write and release music. If it is successful, that’s great, if not, well then it doesn’t really matter because I enjoyed the process; it acts as a form of therapy. No matter what, I will still be writing and releasing music for years to come, and hope to perfect my craft in the process. Problem of Time is my best outlet for this passion, and I really have a solid group of guys in the band that are contributing to the final product, I am really appreciative of the other members.
When did you first start to develop a passion for music?
In elementary school actually. My older brother was really into the Smashing Pumpkins. I remember being drawn to it through the hallways of my childhood home, waking up to the sound of Billy Corgan on the weekends. It just so happened that my Fifth Grade teacher around that same time started to organize Karaoke events at school. Well I started singing Pumpkins songs, and before long I was making Pumpkins mix-tapes out of cassettes for my brother and I to listen to in his car. Then in high-school I eventually was introduced to Punk music, Vans Warped tour, and got interested in that genre. My late cousin, Tyson Stevens, he was in a pretty successful band in the genre, Scary Kids Scary Kids. I loved their music. Tyson was a bit older than me, so I looked up to him and started a band of my own in high-school. We didn’t have any success in that group, but I learned how to write music and became proficient at guitar, it was a good time.
Which artists did you listen to while growing up?
Well the Smashing Pumpkins of course. I was interested in all the popular groups growing up before going down the rabbit holes of niche genres: Metallica, Nirvana, Radiohead, Sublime, Tool, Alice in Chains, the Cranberries, Deftones, Incubus, The Offspring, Linkin Park, System of a Down.
Then when I got to high-school and was introduced to punk and post hardcore genres, I started listening to bands like Newfound Glory, Coheed & Cambria, Thursday, Silverstein, The Used, Underoath, Hawthorne Heights, Scary Kids Scaring Kids (of course). I even got into the metal band In Flames at that point.
How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard you before?
Problem of Time’s music blends rock elements of hardcore punk, and metalcore. We often display an aggressive sound with intense vocals ranging from screaming to clean melodic choruses with some sort of hook. We use heavy distorted guitar riffs, aggressive drums and bass. We attempt to somewhat capture the sound of the post-hardcore bands of the early 2000s. Lyrically, I try to deliver emotionally raw and honest lyrics (at least that is the intent). The lyrics are usually addressing darker themes of heartbreak, depression, and internal conflict. These are the elements of music that I find cathartic, the fuel behind the type of music that drives me, and my goal is to emulate that.
What music have you recorded and released to date?
July 15th 2023, The Primrose Path. Our first Album was called The Same Fate, released in 2020. And the first Problem of Time EP, Double Bind, was released in 2011. I additionally released a solo singer/songwriter Ep called on Riffs and Wavelengths back in 2014.
Which artists do you enjoy listening to at the moment – and do they influence your work?
Oh absolutely they influence me, I listen to all the top Metalcore bands these days. Invent Animate, Currents, Counterparts, Trivium, Killswitch Engage, The Amity Affliction, Architects, August Burns Red, The Devil Wears Prada.
Who would your dream collaboration be with?
Good question. I suppose it would be The Amity Affliction. I love their music, they seem like really cool guys, I’m sure it would be an awesome experience.
What are your plans for the future?
Regarding music, the plan is to write music for the next 10+ years and perfect my own style. My group is currently producing our music on our own, with no label or professional producer. We have been learning how to do this, I believe that our latest album shows that we can produce compelling professional quality music independently. I would love to build a fan base that supports our music, and we might do shows again in the future in a limited capacity, but right now we are all content to simply write and produce our music.
Where can we find out more about you?
You can find us on Instagram at @problemoftime.
