Living in Hope: Resthaven’s Future in the Metal Scene

For bands in Toronto’s metal scene, playing shows regularly is the big goal. Small bars or bigger venues don’t matter as much — the point is getting on stage. As bands grow within the community, more opportunities to play live usually follow.

“The future looks pretty bright. . . I think we’re past the local band stage of having to play every gig we’re offered,” said 26-year old Braydan Parsons-Reilly, lead guitarist and vocalist for Resthaven.

Resthaven is known for both their studio tracks and their dynamic, high-energy live shows. In August, the band wrapped up their first Ontario-wide run, The Death of Summer Tour. Parsons-Reilly said it opened doors and also tested him in new ways.

“It really taught me that you need the headspace for it. . . some things can change during the tour, and you have to be prepared for that.”

Parsons-Reilly started Resthaven in 2020, releasing the band’s first demo, Decade of Perdition, a year later. Soon after, Billie Rogue, Charles-David Isautier (also known as CD Grind) and newest member Logan Baynton joined him to build the project. At the end of September, Resthaven will play their first out-of-province show in Montreal. Parsons-Reilly says he never expected the band to get this far. “I thought we’d be a local band that just plays in bars. . . the fact that people actually care about us is pretty rewarding.”

Resthaven’s most popular track on Spotify, Left in the Gutter, has passed 1300 streams and keeps climbing. For a local metal band, those numbers aren’t easy to hit. “The close friends and people I’ve met in the scene motivated me to do better and never give up. . . and of course, the fans,” Parsons-Reilly said. “Those two things have kept me going.”

Resthaven’s newest album, Lunarwave, digs into themes of abandonment and loss. “I was in the best mental state writing that record, funny enough, but the lyrics were things that I dealt with in the past,” Parsons-Reilly said. He pointed to Chained as an example: “That song is really about making newer memories with people instead of moping around and being sad about things from the past.”

When asked what advice he would give to his younger self, Parsons-Reilly paused. “Well, if I gave advice to my younger self, I wouldn’t have become the person I am today,” he said. After a moment, he added: “Believe it or not, you playing that guitar will get you somewhere.”