With blistering guitar work, soaring melodies, and an unmistakable appreciation for classic hard rock, Pittsburgh-based XDB has carved out a distinctive place in the independent rock scene. Led by acclaimed guitarist Xander Demos, the five-piece band has evolved from its progressive metal and instrumental roots into a dynamic musical collective that embraces arena-ready hooks, intricate arrangements, and the chemistry of five accomplished musicians.
As the band prepares for the December 1, 2026 release of its highly anticipated album, Gods of Aliens, there’s plenty to celebrate—and even more to look forward to. Featuring Xander Demos, Rob Kane, Guy Cole, Brendan Callahan, and Emily Stroup, XDB brings together different generations, musical influences, and creative perspectives to forge a sound that’s both familiar and refreshingly original.
We caught up with the members of XDB for an in-depth conversation about the group’s history, the making of Gods of Aliens, their favorite moments from the recording sessions, and their plans for what promises to be an exciting 2027.
- Xander, you’ve built a reputation as a technically gifted guitarist with a passion for melodic metal. How has your musical vision evolved over the years, and how does XDB represent where you are creatively today?
Xander Demos: I would say thank you, first of all, for that compliment. It’s funny how my sonic vision has changed throughout time. I loved doing prog rock and metal in the 90s when progressive type guitar wasn’t “cool” but as the 2000s started I wanted to go more instrumental. And, I did. But I didn’t want my songs to be instrumental wank-fests. I wanted to write SONGS and my instrumentals were no different—I wanted them to be memorable. XDB is exactly where I wanted to see the evolution… “evolve” to.
- For the entire band: How did the current lineup of XDB come together, and what does each member bring to the group’s chemistry, sound, and songwriting process?
Brendan Callahan: Xander, Guy and myself have been playing together in various projects for about 6 years. Rob joined the band in early 2024, and Emily joined in mid 2024. We make it look so easy because everyone has amazing musical chemistry!
In the studio, everyone takes their parts and runs with them. We all have highlighted sections on the songs and when you see us perform live, you can tell we all enjoy what we do.
What’s really cool about this band is that we have the “Young Jedis”—being myself and Emily—as well as the “Seasoned Veterans” with Xander, Guy and Rob. It’s an incredible dynamic that makes us stand out and gives us a unique sound and style that no other band in this town has. The talent with this group is off the charts, and I love every minute that I get to perform with these four amazing musicians and friends.
Xander Demos: It has been a journey! Echoing what Brendan mentioned, we rebuilt XDB with myself, Guy (at his demand!) and Brendan from a tribute band we were in. Emily and Rob came along at the right times to realize the vision.
Keep in mind that I started out as a solo artist in 2009 and I had some rotating players in and out of what would eventually become XDB. Notable players are Paul Ricciuti, Jeff Anzelone, Jeff Morris and Ben Chiarini.
- Xander, your guitar playing has always balanced technical precision with melody and emotion. How did you approach the guitar work on Gods of Aliens, and were there any new techniques or influences that pushed you outside your comfort zone?
Xander Demos: Great question—lead vocalist Rob Kane was there for most of my solo playing and he had some great ideas to rein me in from getting too crazy. At the same time, I feel I’m still at my peak for technique so there have been things I reached back to especially in “Love of My Life.” I have newer techniques that I employ as well because as a guitar player, I am always learning new stuff.
- For the band: Gods of Aliens is an intriguing album title. What’s the story behind it, and are there any overarching themes or concepts connecting the songs?
Xander Demos: I had written a song called “Gods and Aliens” a while back (note the “and” instead of “of”). Believe it or not, I had a trilogy concept of three songs that all tied together but we didn’t do it for this album.
Our next album is going to be called Generations and we will be putting those songs on there. All I can say, without releasing too much, is it is about technology.
- For everyone: When it comes to creating new music, how collaborative is the songwriting and recording process? Can you share an example of a song from Gods of Aliens that evolved significantly because of another band member’s contribution?
Rob Kane: That depends on the song. Sometimes an individual has a specific vision for a song and things are pretty set in stone—the arrangement, lyrics, harmonies, instrument parts, etc. Other times a song starts with an idea and the band collaborates and shares ideas to bring it to life.
Each member of XDB brings a wealth of playing experience and varying influences to the table. Our diverse ages and set of influences combine to create songs that are unique to XDB.
“Love Will Find a Way” is an example of a song that was pretty much written and unchanged once presented to the band. “Love of My Life” and “Give Me Your Love” were more collaborative and we each contributed our own ideas to the song—instruments, parts, vocal harmonies, keyboard parts, and other elements—and it evolved from a solid idea into the recorded song you hear on the album.
Xander Demos: It starts with a melody, or a vision or even a riff. We just go from there but one thing I notice is that we all strive for the melodic, anthemic types of choruses and a hard-driving rhythm.
I think a good example was “Just Between Me and You.” It was a late addition and Brendan did the lion’s share of the arrangement and writing. When he showed me how the song was played I thought, “Wait… that’s in B minor… Where’s my 7-string?!?”
From there, using that lower-tuned guitar gave it a nasty edge and it grew from there.
Guy Cole: From my perspective, being the drummer for XDB, the songwriting and recording process is extremely engaged, but in a structural way for me. Meaning that an initial melody or skeleton of the song will be given to me to lay down the drum parts. I might not be writing the lyrics, but I am locking in the groove and building the foundation.
I look at my role as shaping the physical movement and energy of the track. An example of a song would be “Once Upon the Night.” This song was initially an all-instrumental tune from Xander that came to life by adding lyrics. And wow, what a difference!!!
Brendan Callahan: What’s cool about this band is that we all have some unique influences and styles that each member brings to the table—much like Guns N’ Roses—and when we all come together those ideas blend together for some amazing compositions!
Rob did most of the recording and production at his home studio or at Xander’s, and he is a master at what he does—the mix is simply phenomenal.
Most of the songs we write initially start with one member’s ideas, and by the time we all add our own spin to our parts, the song completely transforms for the better.
Take “Mind’s Eye,” for example; I believe Xander wrote it back in the early 90s and we had an old reference tape for the song’s structure. We kept the core essentials but after we all contributed, it turned into a totally new song. In my humble opinion, it’s one of the highlights because of that.
- Xander, you’ve shared the stage with some impressive musicians throughout your career. What have those experiences taught you about performing and connecting with an audience, and how have those lessons influenced XDB’s approach to live shows?
Xander Demos: I have been very fortunate to have been on stage with some great musicians. Whether it was touring with Ripper Owens or playing the NAMM Jams or anywhere in between… I always learned things I may never have before.
When it comes to XDB live, I have very simple principles when it comes to live shows. The main one: Go out and give 110%. Not a lot of people there? Who cares—act like there are 10,000 people. Just deliver the same energy live as what we recorded.
- For the band: With Gods of Aliens approaching release, which track are you most excited for fans to hear, and what makes that particular song stand out to you personally?
Guy Cole: I would say “Love of My Life.” I see this song as the current love anthem for people. It grabs your heart and pulls you in. This song is one of my favorites to play on the album.
Rob Kane: I’m excited for the audience to hear them all. While every song on this album is identifiable—when you hear it, you think, “I recognize that sound, that’s XDB!”—yet each song is unique and you can also hear the influences of each member of the band from 70s rock to 80s metal to progressive rock of the 90s.
I think the standout is “Love of My Life,” though. It’s got a great, catchy, sing-along hook and the guitar solo is just killer.
Brendan Callahan: I can genuinely say that this is an “all killer, no filler” album and you simply can’t go wrong with any of them! We have played about 2/3 of the tracks live at some point so far and I’m very excited to hear feedback from the fans on which tracks are their favorites.
However, without being “that guy” in tooting my own tune, I think my personal favorite is “Just Between Me and You” and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.
I wrote this one at the end of last year and while it has a different feel from much of the record, my vision for the lyrics and music came together just as I had imagined it. When I heard the vocals that Rob recorded, I listened to it probably a dozen times in a row.
Xander Demos: I think all of the tracks are great. I absolutely love “Love of My Life”… fun song, uplifting and I enjoy trying to pull off my solo live since it’s chock full of “Xanderisms.”
We are going to start rotating in some other tunes hopefully so we can explore what it’s like to play them in a live setting.
- For everyone: Looking beyond the release of Gods of Aliens, what’s next for XDB? Are there plans for touring, music videos, or other projects, and what do you hope listeners take away from this new chapter in the band’s journey?
Xander Demos: We would love to tour but it would have to be weekend-based like a lot of artists do. We are working on music videos because that’s really what moves people today. We collectively are a mostly visual audience, primarily since the 1980s. And of course, we are working on a new album already.
Brendan Callahan: We’re planning to make it a busy and very exciting 2027, and we have already been discussing ideas for a follow-up album.
When we started up with the band, we were more on the “prog” metal side of things and a bit heavier, but with this album we have evolved beautifully into more of a hard rock/AOR band, and I think the next album will continue in that style, but with some new and distinct ideas.
We’ve shot some music videos before and it’s something I hope we will do more of. We’re going to be sure to have some fun gigs coming up, so come out and see us!
I’m very excited to share these songs with our fans and I hope the music touches each person who hears it.
Rob Kane: Of course! We’ve been discussing touring where and when it makes sense for us. We’ve been discussing releasing music videos, maybe covering other artists and putting our unique spin on things like we did with “Time After Time.”
We did a cover of Europe’s “Superstitious,” which is one of Xander’s favorite guitar solos of all time. We need to release that.
We also showcased Emily’s vocals with a cover of Jordin Sparks’ “Battlefield” and she absolutely shines on vocals.
We have plenty of material to choose from for a new album so it’s a matter of picking the songs that fit together and showcase XDB’s talents as well as fit together.
We write songs to process personal emotions, express stories, and connect with listeners, and we hope we help our listeners feel understood, less alone, and emotionally moved by our music.
By James Colton
