Washington, D.C. -- For over two decades, Max Impact has established a legacy of innovation with its dynamic, original songs, many of which are written for specific career fields within the U.S. Air Force. On July 16, the official rock band of the U.S. Air Force released a much-anticipated album that included 10 of these original songs.
Technical Sgt. Gabe Staznik, the band’s newest member, shares his excitement about delivering this unique product to the public.
“I have performed on at least 30 different albums up until this point, but this project feels much different,” Staznik shared. “It is such a great experience to be part of something much bigger, something that will honor our military while providing music that both veterans and civilians will enjoy. I love that it is a very diverse collection of music, in that each song has its own stylistic feel, meaning, and purpose.”
The rock band has devoted many hours in the recording studio, finessing and fine-tuning the music for the new album. As the musical director and keyboardist for Max Impact, Master Sgt. Jonathan McPherson oversaw many aspects of the production process required to create this album.
“Making an album is a huge undertaking,” McPherson explained. “Even one song can take weeks, so when you factor in all the steps for each song on the album, you're looking at an extensive list of items to cover.”
For McPherson, keeping the recording project rolling also meant staying focused on the most important aspect: the music.
“It is not so much about how it was recorded, but what was recorded,” McPherson shared. “The goal I keep in mind for each song is to craft sounds that support the lyrics and the message of the song, bringing out the emotional aspect as much as possible.”
Releasing an original album with Max Impact has been a long-term goal for Senior Master Sgt. Ryan Carson, vocalist and superintendent of the ensemble. He was the only remaining original member of the band when this project began, and he is proud of his group for seeing it through to completion.
“This recording is a huge achievement for us as a flight,” Carson said. “It really is a culmination of the teamwork, musicianship, and professionalism of all the current and former members of Max Impact.”
Max Impact’s guitarist, Senior Master Sgt. Matt Ascione, hopes the message of the album will resonate with listeners.
“The focus of this recording project has been the unique messaging that comes with it,” Ascione explains. “As Airmen musicians, we have the privilege and responsibility to tailor our songs in a way that showcases the excellence of what our brothers and sisters in the service are doing around the globe.”
Max Impact’s self-titled album is now available for download via the U.S. Air Force Band here. Follow Max Impact on Facebook here for exclusive updates and future performance details.