Reverya Interview: Inside the Ethereal and Heavy World of Affliction in Bloom

Reverya is a Tampa-based progressive metal trio weaving together cinematic heaviness, ethereal textures, and emotionally charged songwriting. Formed in 2022, the band has already made a mark with their conceptual debut album Affliction in Bloom, a journey through grief, resilience, and the beauty found in decay. Drawing influences from Spiritbox, Jinjer, Periphery, Invent Animate, and Evanescence, Reverya delivers a sound that blends crushing riffs with atmospheric depth. In this MikeOnMetal exclusive, the band shares how the record came to life, the personal stories behind its songs, and the creative vision that shapes both their music and visuals.

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Q. Reverya formed in 2022, but the sound you’ve created already feels fully realized, melodic, emotional, and heavy without being overproduced. What were the early conversations like when the band first started? Did you already have a clear idea of the music you wanted to make

At first, I had a handful of demos that I had been working on with a producer friend of mine that were intended to be for this band, and those songs consisted of Dream Travel and Wisteria along with some other unreleased songs that we’re saving to circle back to later on. So with that I already had the heavy ethereal emotional conceptual direction going on. But then our music got a lot more complicated and technical once Travis and Kaleb joined the band, so at that point it was the three of us and all of our influences meshing together to create songs like Dahlia, Asphodel and Pyrophyte which we love all those songs but of course we’re always wanting to improve with every release so we’re excited to release our music.

Q. Your blend of heavy guitars, ambient textures, and both clean and harsh vocals doesn’t sit neatly in one subgenre. Do you think of yourselves as a metalcore band, or is that label too limiting for what you’re doing?

We do always categorize ourselves as metalcore, but I think it’s more accurate or inclusive of our catalog to say that we’re melodic metalcore or ethereal metal or something like that. But we do have a broad spectrum of music to fit into one genre, but I think that our heavy songs are enough to dominate short and soft songs like Allium and Lily and Magnolia so it’s just safe to say we’re a metal band which at the end of the day is the main genre of music that we want to create.

Q. Affliction in Bloom is a deeply emotional album that explores themes like grief, loss, and resilience. What inspired you to dig into those subjects, and did writing the record feel cathartic in any way

Just various personal life situations was the main inspiration for the lyrics. I had some stuff that I wanted to write about and then other subjects that came up later in the writing process. It did feel really good to let it all out but at the same time I was very nervous to release some of these songs because of how personal they are.

Q. Songs like “Wisteria” and “Dahlia” strike a powerful balance between haunting and heavy. Were there any songs on the album that were particularly challenging or personal to write

For me it was Pyro. I struggled so much with that song. I struggled with the lyrics, the performance, the timing, everything. I had written something originally but we ended up changing it completely. It was a long journey to get it to where it ended up. That song was tough. Also the Asphodel breakdown I struggled with a lot. Everything else came more easily and naturally. Dahlia and Forget Me Not are the most personal for me as well as Magnolia.

Q. How does the songwriting process typically work between the three of you? Is it a fully collaborative effort, or do you each naturally fall into certain roles when creating new material

It’s really a different process for every song, but for the most part it’s always a collaborative effort. If we have ideas for instruments that are not technically ours we’re never afraid to speak up or try to explain what we’re thinking.

Q. Your sound has drawn comparisons to bands like Spiritbox, Jinjer, and Evanescence. Do you feel those comparisons are fair, or do they miss what you’re actually trying to create as a band.

I think it’s the most flattering thing in the world to be compared to all 3 because they are huge influences of ours and we just have so much respect and love for those bands that it’s hard to not feel unworthy of that comparison because they are just so incredibly talented and have worked so hard to get to where they are. Evanescence has been with me my entire life so Amy’s musical influence is basically embedded in my soul now, and I wouldn’t be screaming if it wasn’t for Tati and Courtney, so it always makes my heart swell when people say that we sound anything like those bands.

Q. The visual aesthetic behind the band, from music videos to album art, feels very intentional. How important is that visual identity to you, and how much control do you keep over that side of your work

I always like to stick to the goal of having a theme or concept around each release and we always develop a strong vision for what we want the artwork and visuals to look like so it’s really very important to all 3 of us. I really do wish we had the means to do more and sometimes it is frustrating wanting to go all out visually but physically not being able to because of financial or geographical limitations or whatever the case may be. But we do try our best to make things happen the way we want and I’m eager to keep getting better at that because to me, creating the visuals is a whole other fun part of honoring our songs that I look forward to working on. 

Q. With your debut album now out in the world, what does success look like to you right now? Is the focus on building a live presence, connecting with listeners, or maybe even looking ahead to the next release

For the rest of this year and next year our goal is obviously to put out more music and stick to a good release plan and create really good content for all the new songs. We want to enhance our live performance with a good light show so we’re trying to figure that out. We want to tour more and play shows with other bands we like all while continuing to write and prepare for the following album. If we’re able to do all that and see growth in our band, I’ll be happy with that.

Q. The lyrics throughout Affliction in Bloom feel personal, but also accessible. What do you hope someone takes away from the album the first time they listen to it.

I’m always curious to know what people think and how they perceive it, because the songs have personal meanings to us, but I try to write in a way that leaves it up to interpretation. I just hope that people can find comfort in the lyrics. I don’t necessarily hope they’re relatable because a lot of the subject matter is not particularly happy but there are moments that offer hope in the chaos and mental detriment so I’d love for the lyrics to offer comfort at least. I also hope that people are able to identify that the album has a certain flow and I hope that people are able to identify the lyrical and instrumental motifs that link it all together because we spent a lot of attention on details like that. For a first album, we’re really proud of it so we hope that people think that as well as we continue to put out new music.

Q. What’s been the most surprising or unexpected reaction to the album, whether from fans, reviewers, or even people close to you?

When Wisteria came out, we had a friend of a friend write a 4 page essay/review on it. It blew us away to realize that our intentions behind the song could be picked up on by people who really take the time and attention to listen.

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With Affliction in Bloom, Reverya have proven they are more than a promising new name in progressive and melodic metalcore. The Tampa-based trio of Nadine (vocals/keys), Travis (guitars), and Kaleb (drums) have crafted an emotionally immersive debut that blends crushing heaviness with atmospheric beauty. Set for CD release on October 24, 2025, the album unfolds as a conceptual garden, each track representing a different flower and the emotions it symbolizes. Drawing from personal loss, resilience, and a deep connection to nature’s imagery, Reverya invite listeners to experience the record from start to finish, letting every bloom tell its story. As they prepare to take their sound on the road, this is a band whose growth will be just as captivating as their music.