With more than 175,000 records sold and having the best selling debut
in Victory records history, how much pressure did you have to deal
with when you started to write the new record?

WIL: I didn't feel any pressure at all. If anything I felt excited that we were going to do a new record. I just feel grateful and honored that people like my band enough to want me to write more songs.

"Conviction" has a much more mature sound, it is much poppier and even
dreamy compared to "Nightmare Anatomy". How did this development happen?

The Change was pretty organic really. I didn't hold myself down with any set notions of how I wanted the new record to sound. I just wrote what I felt and what I wanted to hear. The life I have led for the past couple of years touring, meeting people and living my dream probably also had a huge impact on the sound. Things aren't as dark in my life and that definitely translates through how I write a song.

I have seen you this year at the Groezrock Festival in Belgium and I was
pretty impressed by your energetic live performance. I’m wondering if there will be that much energy and action on stage with the new material. What do you think?

Fuck yeah there will be. I'm so passionate about these new songs so that potentially could make for a more energetic live show. We'll see what happens.

Aren’t you afraid of losing a lot of your fans?

No I'm not. I know that some people will hate the new record but for most it will be their favorite Aiden record to date. Besides that, I don't write songs for our fans. I write music for me and if people are into it then bonus. If not, Oh well.

I think there are quite a few AFI references in the new record, what
do you think?

I don't really see that.

What topic do you deal with on "Conviction"?

There’s all sorts of topics on this record, Loving the thing in this world that will destroy you, Coming out and being who you truly are, Depression and Darkness. But the main thing about this album that stands out to me is the message that, Conviction is the feeling I have inside my heart that compels me to make people move, dance, love, cry and shout from the tops of tall buildings that we are fucked up, the world is crashing all around us but we are not afraid of living and all we can do is laugh in the face of all our own misery.

How did you manage to have Efrem Schulz from DEATH BY STEREO on "Son
Of Lies"? Why did you choose him?

I'm a huge fan of Death By Stereo and have been friends with him for a couple of years now. We made a deal earlier in the year that we were going to do a guest spot on each others’ new records. Simple as that. He did a great job and I am glad he made time to do it.

What do you think about the term fashioncore and do you think AIDEN is
a fashioncore band?

That's a silly term, and no I don’t think we are. Nobody in Aiden has a pair of pants that cost more than 40$ bucks.

Who is responsible for the really nice artwork of the new record. Did you have any influences on the outcome?

The Great Alex Pardee is the man you are referring to. He did an amazing job and we are so pumped that he was able to do the art.

Let me ask you about Victory Records. A lot of bands are leaving Victory Record for major labels and most of them complained about Victory Records afterwards or even sued the label. Are you looking out for the chance to make the next step in your career and sign to a major label?

Victory Records is a great label and has been so good to us. I don't feel like we need to leave for a major label at all.

You are coming to Germany again for the Taste Of Chaos Tour together with THE USED, RISE AGAINST, GALLOWS and ESCAPE THE FATE. I would like to ask you for a short comment about each of your tour colleagues?

What do you think about..

..THE USED? The best band on planet earth and the best of friends. Also they have cute butts.

..RISE AGAINST? I've been a big fan of these guys for quite some time now and we did warped tour last year together. So glad I get to tour with them again.

..GALLOWS? we haven't tour with these guys yet but have met them and become friends. I’m excited about getting to watch them every night.

Zu ESCAPE THE FATE hatte Wil nichts zu sagen

What do you think would be the perfect line-up for a Tour like the Taste Of Chaos Tour?

The Used
Rise against
Aiden
Gallows

Thank you very much for your time. The final comment is yours.

Our new record "Conviction" comes out next week!!! Get Ready, See you
all very soon.