Inside The Rage Room: An Interview With NJ’s Young And Doomed
By Raph Copeland | January 8, 2025
Photo credit: @d4n_the_man
Young and Doomed is a New Jersey-based alt-rock group that has been active since 2022, building a reputation for high-energy live performances and an authentic, no-nonsense attitude rooted in the local scene. Their sound is heavily influenced by early 2000s rock and the work of Frank Iero, evolving from these origins into a style characterized by heavy bass lines, energetic drumming, and a recent shift toward a darker, more expansive sound on their latest EP, Horror At Its Very Finest. While vocalist Thalia serves as the primary songwriter, channeling personal frustrations and negative experiences into emotionally charged lyrics, the entire band collaborates to ensure the music reflects their shared values and political stances. Ultimately, the band aims to leave listeners feeling alive or inspired by the raw intensity of their music, viewing their performances as a cathartic outlet for both themselves and their audience.
New Jersey has a legendary reputation for producing raw, honest rock music. How has the NJ scene specifically shaped the "nerve-exposed" energy of your live shows?
Tyler Rodriguez, guitar: The NJ scene has only gotten bigger and better since we started in 2022. People now more than ever are coming to shows and spreading the word. I always give 100% on stage, but when the crowd gives that energy right back at you, it’s an empowering feeling. The NJ scene has always been kind to us, whether we’re put on a bill with indie bands, or put on a bill with hardcore bands, everyone has always been receptive of us and I’m really grateful for that
Thalia Andrade, vocals: NJ has always felt very “no bullshit” to me. The authenticity of your music is very clear to everyone. We’ve seen plenty of bands come and go in the 3 years we’ve been performing, and the ones that have stuck around have always felt like they were in it for the love of the game.
You’ve mentioned that early 2000s rock is a major pillar for the band. What specific elements of that era—be it the production style or the fashion—are you most intentional about bringing into 2026?
Thalia: Our main musical influence has always been My Chemical Romance, but 2000s rock in general still feels so universal. Maybe it’s the context of the time period we’re in, but a lot of those songs have aged beautifully (and a lot of them not so much). Themes of angst, anti-authority mindsets, and heavy eyeliner are definitely what I want to bring to 2026.
Elliot Wyka, bass: What we like the most about our recent EP is the rawness and anger that comes out of the sound. We wanted what Thalia said: angst and very straightforward mindsets on what we believe in.
Young and Doomed is a heavy, evocative name. Does it represent a specific philosophy the band shares, or was it born from a particular moment in 2022?
Tyler: Our name originates from the song of the same name by Frank Iero and the Future Violents. That song holds deep meaning to myself and our vocalist Thalia, because that song is what brought us together in the first place, and really planted the seeds for us wanting to make music and start a band. Over the years I feel like the name has evolved into new meanings apart from just being a nod to Frank Iero. The one that I think represents the band the best, is that it’s a statement on the times we’re currently living in. The decisions that people in power are making are not just affecting the youth of today, but the youth of tomorrow as well. So the name “Young and Doomed” to me symbolizes the current political climate that we’re in and how things just continue to get worse
Photo credit: @mnebab
Your lyrics are described as emotionally charged. Is songwriting a collaborative therapy session for the band, or does one person bring the "nerve" to the table for the others to build around?
Tyler: Thalia is definitely the brains behind each song. The way she takes some of the most negative experiences and turns them into art is something I’m always amazed by. The band will occasionally throw in a phrase or a word if she’s stuck, but the meanings behind each song are all her.
Thalia: I like to write what I know. Songs are usually tied to something I’ve been through or just something bothering me at the moment. I think I do my best writing when I’m mad. It’s very rare that I write something that lives up to my personal standard without having experienced a strong emotion directly beforehand. Our song “Predator” was written a few minutes after I saw the best friend of the person it’s about for the first time in several years. “Hell is Where the Heart is” was written on the anniversary of that specific breakup. Hopefully I have a lot of life left so there are a lot more experiences for me to write about!!
Elliot: Although Thalia writes the lyrics, the meaning behind each song is what we all believe in. The man-made horrors in Horror At Its Very Finest are some of the very things we stand against in society and life.
Sebastian Suazo, drums: This past EP was very collaborative. Of course Thalia did the best job possible writing important lyrics that affect our listeners and ourselves, we just try and put all the energy that she is writing with through our instruments. We made sure that all the words that she spoke were backed up by the best we could be behind our instruments.
You’re known for meaty bass and tight drums. In a genre that often prioritizes guitars, how do you ensure the rhythm section stays at the forefront of your sound?
Sebastian: I have a lot of influences behind the kit and I’ve grown up playing a lot of different genres. Specifically with Young and Doomed I try to make sure that no matter what I'm playing behind the kit, I make sure it is loud, has lots of energy, and its a rhythm that people will at the very least want to bop their heads to. If the rhythm is stuck in someone’s head, I’ve done my job to the best of my ability.
Elliot: Simply put: beefy bass. I love a good tone especially to start off our first song on the second EP Obituaries, and it gives people something to remember that isn’t just guitar.
When you are writing those fast riffs, do you find they come from a place of frustration, or is it more about capturing the adrenaline of a live performance?
Tyler: For me, it’s definitely about capturing the adrenaline of a live performance. I tend to be very active on stage, so when I write a riff I usually have to check a few boxes. One being does it sound good and fit the vibe of the band. Another being can I play this riff while I’m moving around a lot. Little things like that help me narrow down the riffs I write and help me decide which ones are worth pursuing or which ones need adjusting. When it comes to bringing those riffs on stage, I pay close attention to see how it’s perceived. One of our new songs “Hell Is Where The Heart Is” almost always gets people bobbing their head or moving in some capacity. That to me is kind of like the “final exam”. From that, you can determine if the song is fine the way it is, if it needs some tweaking, or maybe it needs to be played somewhere else in the set. I enjoy the process very much and it has worked for me pretty well thus far!
You’ve teased a move toward a darker, more grandiose era. What was the catalyst for moving away from your earlier sound toward something more epic in scale?
Tyler: We’re all just different people now with different tastes. I’m still very proud of our earlier songs, but since then we’ve all become better musicians with different influences. With our new EP Horror At Its Very Finest, I feel like we have really found our sound, and I can’t wait to expand upon it
Thalia: I think there’s a severe lack of drama in a lot of of the music that comes out of this genre nowadays. When we recorded our second EP, those songs just felt so much like us as a band. It felt right I think, moving in that direction and making music that is larger than life is just the natural next step in our sound progression.
Elliot: While the rest of the band gained a general interest in heavier music, I’ve always wanted to move in the direction that we’re in right now. I think the grittiest and rawest that we’ve expressed in Horror At Its Very Finest is what we should have sounded like all along. To me, it seems like what we put out in this latest release brings together everything we have worked towards as a band in the few years we’ve been together.
How do you balance the gritty instrumentation of your roots with the polished ambition of this new, larger-than-life direction?
Tyler: That’s something that I myself am trying to figure out. I’m allowing myself time to really sit with the idea and try out different things versus rushing the process and pushing out something that’s formulaic and comparative to riffs I have written in the past. Since I feel like we have just really found our sound, it's been a challenge trying to create something that’s true to that but also a step up. It’s very much a situation where I know where the destination is, it’s just about finding the best way to get there
If a listener is hearing Young and Doomed for the first time during this new era, what is the one emotion you hope they walk away with?
Tyler: Alive. This EP to me is equivalent to the feeling a rage room brings people. Getting a chance to just take out any and all frustration and break stuff. That’s the feeling I want people to have when they listen to it. It’s full of fast paced and powerful songs that make you wanna run through a wall
Thalia: Anger. A lot of this era revolved around anger.
Sebastian: I just want people to be touched or inspired in any way. I want them to walk away with the energy that we give while we play because we literally put every ounce of ourselves wherever and whenever we play.
Elliot: Screw the government.
Many fans feel a deep personal connection to your lyrics. Have there been any particular fan interactions that validated why you chose such an exposed writing style?
Thalia: There’s a short monologue I do before we perform ‘Predator’ about how much I hate adult men who prey on young girls. Every time I say those lines and the crowd reacts, I feel like a piece of young me heals a bit.
Looking at the year ahead, what is the dream stage or venue you feel would best capture the atmosphere of your new material?
Tyler: First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia is a venue I think we would do really well playing at. That venue consistently puts on some of the best alternative/hardcore/punk shows in the east coast, and I would love to play there and experience it myself
Thalia: I wish Saint Vitus was still around. I feel like this era would’ve done well in that environment
Elliot: I think we would play great at Underground Arts in Philadelphia. It reminds me of the Meatlocker in Montclair, but if it was mixed with Monster Mini Golf. One of the coolest venues I’ve been to.
Photo credit: @spaceshipmusiq
Anyone you'd like to thank?
Tyler: My family for always believing in me, my bandmates for putting up with my crazy ideas and terrible jokes, and anyone who has ever supported us in any way. Whether it’s listening to us, coming to a show, buying merch, or whatever it is: THANK YOU for supporting us
Thalia: All of our friends and family who have been with us throughout our journey as a band, the state of Pennsylvania for inspiring like 3 songs, my ex boyfriends for inspiring the rest, women in general, any dog we have come across before or after shows and practice, and of course, Wawa (editor’s note: Wawa kicks ass).
Elliot: I’m always thankful for the people that come to our shows, whether it’s one person or one hundred. We wouldn’t be a band without the support of our friends and family of course, but we also have to thank the people that show up and listen to our music in the first place.