As the Glory Fades ready to take ‘Minnesota Nice’ to the masses

With an album coming out in early 2012 and a tour on the horizon, Albert Lea popcore band As the Glory Fades is looking forward to spreading the Minnesota nice.

“Minnesota is known for being nice,” said Trevor Olchefske, band member and vocalist. “If nothing else, it’s the nicest state anyone has ever come to.”

That’s why Olchefske and Tim Evans, who comprise ATGF, titled their upcoming 10-song album “Minnesota Nice.” The album is being released by Turkey Vulture Records, an indie label out of Rockford, Ill., Olchefske said.

Although Turkey Vulture Records is known as a more metal label, ATGF’s style mixes pop-punk influences with heavier guitar riffs, breakdowns and screaming.

Olchefske said he and Evans consider their music “popcore,” or a mix of pop-punk and hardcore.

“It’s kind of a culmination of everything we grew up playing and listening to … but we also have the hardcore aspect with breakdowns and screaming and some really heavy stuff in there,” he said.

The culmination of the two musical styles works well for Olchefske and Evans, because they each have different writing styles. When it comes to the Blink 182-esque, vocally driven pop-punk aspects of their music, Evans excels. But when a song needs a breakdown or screaming lyrics, that’s where Olchefske comes in.

“He writes a lot more of the poppy stuff and I’ll write a lot more of the heavy stuff,” Olchefske said. “We do a lot of writing together. It’s a really back and forth give and take because we can be completely honest with each other.”

The ability to criticize each other’s work honestly has been vital to the band’s growth and success since the two men started ATGF in 2010. Olchefske and Evans played together in a band before starting ATGF, but Olchefske said their music has definitely evolved, particularly since adding heavier, hardcore elements to their music.

“A lot of our influence for the singing and the choruses and guitar riffs, we grew up with that,” Olchefske said. “As we got older, we started throwing the heavier stuff in there, and eventually I got really good at writing it.”

A specific release date has yet to be set on the band’s album, “Minnesota Nice,” but it should be coming out in early 2012. It includes 10 songs and comes in just more than a half hour long, according to Olchefske.

The band’s manager is in the process of setting up a tour starting around February, Olchefske said. ATGF plays shows around Minnesota occasionally, they’re hoping to tour as support for another band and grow their fanbase in the upcoming tour.

They’re also hoping “Minnesota Nice” will be a hit with the fans.

“Tim and I are both extremely big Minnesota boys,” Olchefske said. “We love this state.”

Evans was unavailable for an interview.