The Region is a hard-hitting pop punk/emo trio from the outskirts of Chicago. Their music is dynamic and heartfelt, blending heavy and melodic elements with nostalgic overtones. Some of their most notable accomplishments include being recognized by Alternative Press as Indiana’s rising pop punk band, performing in front of sold-out crowds in the Chicagoland area, their music being featured on ‘The Scene’ & ‘All New Punk’ Spotify editorial playlists, and their songs being aired on Chicago’s 101 WKQX radio station. They have also collaborated with artists such as Free Throw and Violeteyez.

We had the chance to ask The Region some questions as part of The Refrain Interview Series. Check it out below.

Refrain Music Blog: Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. You have a new single out now. What’s it called?

The Region: Thanks for having us! We recently released a new song called “Under the Rug” and it’s streaming everywhere you can listen to music. It’s a short n’ sweet heavy banger in the realm of old-school A Day to Remember, Knocked Loose, and Silverstein.

RMB: What is the song about, in terms of lyrics? Any overarching messages or themes?

The Region: “Under the Rug” is about scum in the music scene abusing their platform to commit predatory offenses against others, then trying to re-enter the public spotlight as if nothing happened. It also calls out the people who defend and sympathize with these predators. It’s a pretty angry song, and we tried to reflect that feeling with the sound of the music. 

RMB: Is this single part of an album?

The Region: “Under the Rug” follows the release of previous singles “I Was Wrong” and “Peace of Mind”. All three singles will be released as part of a larger collection of songs in 2023. The title, tracklist, and release date are yet to be announced. 

RMB: How does this single differ from your previous work?

The Region: “Under the Rug” is our heaviest song to date, and our first with bassist Phil Cyprian taking the reins on lead vocals. Our previous work is nostalgic pop punk/emo for fans of Knuckle Puck, Free Throw, and Hot Mulligan. “Under the Rug” falls more under the post-hardcore/metalcore spectrum. 

RMB: What’s the story on how it was recorded?

The Region: Our vocalist/guitarist Jake Cyprian produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered “Under the Rug” in the summer of 2022 at his home studio in Northwest Indiana. It was a fairly quick process, as we have a pretty good system in place from self-producing/recording all of our previous music as well. The instrumental came together first, and we took a little longer on the lyrics. We were trying to think of a good one-liner to kick off the breakdown near the end of the song. Then the words “I Won’t Forget” were suggested, and the rest of the lyrics kind of wrote themselves.

RMB: Tell us a little about the band. Who all is in it and how did you form? How long have you been together?

The Region: The Region consists of brothers Jake Cyprian on lead vocals/guitar, Phil Cyprian on bass/vocals, and drummer Jon De St. Jean. In the spring of 2012, Jake and Phil were trying to start a pop punk band in the same vein as The Wonder Years and The Story So Far, so Phil invited over his coworker that said he was a drummer, Jon, to jam one day. In that first jam session, we wrote and demoed out an entire song, decided on a band name, and the rest is history. We’re a decade in with the original lineup, and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. 

RMB: Who are some of your biggest musical influences? 

The Region: Some of our biggest musical influences include Knuckle Puck, Free Throw, The Story So Far, Tiny Moving Parts, Hot Mulligan, The Wonder Years, and Into It. Over It. Phil and Jake have been exposed to music since a very young age, as they grew up in a musical family. Jon has also been musically inclined for a long time, considering his involvement in marching band while in school. 

RMB: What’s the one thing you are most proud of in your career so far?

The Region: The main thing that sticks out for us is getting recognized by Alternative Press as Indiana’s rising pop punk band. It’s like a childhood dream come true, being written about by one of the publications we grew up reading. The best part about it is that it was completely unexpected. We’d never contacted Alternative Press for any write ups or coverage, so to wake up one day and find out that we were in one of their articles was incredibly validating. 

RMB: If you had to pitch your music to a potential fan in less than 10 seconds, what would you say? 

The Region: The Region is a hard-hitting pop punk/emo trio from the outskirts of Chicago. For fans of Knuckle Puck, Free Throw, and Hot Mulligan. In the words of Alternative Press, “For those suffering from emo withdrawal, here’s your antidote.”

RMB: What’s one piece of advice you’ve gotten that you think everyone needs to hear or that has meant the most to you?

The Region: Consistency over perfection. A song is not necessarily defined by how it sounds, but what it makes the listener feel. Consistently dropping quality music/content with imperfections unnoticeable to the average listener is better than obsessing over minor details, and taking forever between releases. Learning from your mistakes is key. The more you do something, the better you get at it. Take note of the things you wish you did or didn’t do, and apply those lessons to your next effort. Remember, people want authenticity; not perfection. 

RMB: What’s coming up next for your musical project?

The Region: We have lots of goodies coming in 2023. More new music, show announcements, merch, videos, etc. Can’t wait to show you all what we have in store!

RMB: Is there anyone you would like to shoutout?

The Region: We just want to give a shoutout to some bands we’re currently digging that deserve your attention. First off is Action Adventure, who just dropped their debut full-length album ‘Impostor Syndrome’ which is one of the best heavy pop punk releases we’ve heard in a long time. Next is stop.drop.rewind with their latest record ‘Heavy Love’. Prog punk that fans of Blink-182 and fans of Between the Buried and Me can equally enjoy. Lastly is Fluorescents, who recently released their single “Weekendz”. They’ve been consistently killing the game and pushing new limits with their music, and we love being able to witness their growth. 
Thanks again for having us! We hope you’re enjoying “Under the Rug” and stay in touch with us on Spotify, YouTube, and TikTok.