New Maryland Alt Metal Band Red Skies Dawning Is A Story Of Rebirth
- Ann Schlottman
- 5 days ago
- 7 min read
Written by: Annie Schlottman
Maryland’s Red Skies Dawning is a new alternative metal band started by frontman Chris Aleshire, who took songs he had written for a previous solo project and worked with his team to transform them into something special. Now, this band has released a debut EP called From Ashes, and is already planning on getting out and performing and creating more music in the future as a cohesive unit.
The members of Red Skies Dawning include: Chris Aleshire (Vocals/Songwriter); Michael Trujillo (Bass/Vocals); Michael Laulis (Drums); and Wyatt Carpenter (Guitar). The band is based out of Southern Maryland, with deep roots in the Baltimore and D.C. music scenes. Each band member has been involved in different projects throughout the region, and Red Skies Dawning pulls all of those influences together into something new. I had the pleasure of interviewing the band’s founding member, Chris, and he shared the story behind the background of this band with me.
Red Skies Dawning came together in early 2024, but the idea started a few years earlier. Photographer Jack Nutter and Chris were working on content creation for Any Given Sin at an event being hosted by The Sound 228 in Biloxi, Mississippi. On their drive down, Chris showed Jack his last hardcore album from his old band, Taken By Force. Jack told Chris straight up, “You need to start a rock band again — the pop stuff isn’t you.” That stuck with Chris. He reached out to producer Chris Dawson, whose work with Any Given Sin he really admired, and pitched him his idea: take his pop and cinematic songs from Red Skies Mourning and reimagine them as hard rock.
Chris Dawson and his colleague, Jimmy Beattie, were instrumental in reshaping that sound — they rearranged everything, reworked the tones, and helped bring the emotional core of what Chris had written into something more powerful and raw. Chris re-recorded all of his vocals because of how transformative the new direction was, tracking most of them at Jimmy’s house and a few from his own home studio.
From there, Chris reached out to one of his closest friends, Mike Trujillo, who’s deeply connected in the Southern Maryland music scene. He jumped in on bass, and together they brought in Michael Laulis on drums and Wyatt Carpenter on guitar. The chemistry clicked instantly — it just felt like the right lineup at the right time.
Chris shared with me that the band name Red Skies Dawning grew out of his earlier solo project, Red Skies Mourning. That name came from the old saying, “Red sky at morning, sailors take warning”, which was inspired by growing up on the water in Southern Maryland. Chris spent a lot of time crabbing with his stepfather, so that imagery always stuck with him. Red Skies Mourning represented a more introspective, melancholy side — it started as a grunge-meets-pop sound and eventually evolved into alternative synthwave. But as Chris continued writing, he realized he wanted to express the heavier, more aggressive side of himself — the fire and the fight. That’s where Red Skies Dawning was born: it’s the other half of that emotional spectrum. The “mourning” was the reflection; the “dawning” is the rebirth.
The members of Red Skies Dawning each bring something different from their own musical background to the band, and I thought it would be interesting to explore that. Chris gave me a lot of information.
Chris Aleshire (Vocals/Songwriter): Chris came up through the Baltimore and D.C. hardcore scenes, fronting bands like Carved In Stone, Erase the Past, and Taken By Force. His bands shared the stage with legends like Suicidal Tendencies, God Forbid, Crowbar, Bad Brains, E-Town Concrete, All Out War, Candiria, Diecast, Death Threat, Madball, Shadow’s Fall, Murphy’s Law, and GWAR — to name a few. That era taught Chris everything about intensity, connection, and leaving everything on stage. After years in hardcore, he shifted into production and songwriting for Red Skies Mourning, exploring cinematic and alternative pop sounds before returning to rock with Red Skies Dawning.
Michael Trujillo (Bass/Vocals): Mike runs open mics, his own solo acoustic project, and karaoke nights throughout Southern Maryland. He’s one of the biggest supporters of the local music scene — always showing up for other artists and helping new talent get started. His sense of rhythm, groove, and stage presence bring an infectious energy to the band.
Michael Laulis (Drums): Mike is a versatile drummer who plays in several local cover projects and a standout original progressive reggae band called Squid Ink. Chris says he highly recommends everyone check them out because they’re really good. Mike’s technical precision and creativity behind the kit elevate every track.
Wyatt Carpenter (Guitar): Wyatt’s played in several local acts over the years and brings a sharp melodic sensibility and killer tone to the band. He’s the kind of player who knows exactly when to shred and when to hold back for the song.
Jimmy Beattie (Production/Arrangement): While not an official band member, Jimmy plays an equal role behind the scenes with arrangement and production insight alongside producer Chris Dawson.
The songwriting process for the From Ashes EP was a bit different from how most bands start out. Many of the initial ideas began as songs from the solo project Chris had, Red Skies Mourning, which he co-wrote with Ryan Curtis and Cesar — two incredibly talented writers who helped him explore that cinematic pop and synthwave sound.
When Chris decided to transform that project into something heavier and more visceral, he reached out to Chris Dawson and Jimmy Beattie. Chris shared that what made working with these two gentlemen so special was how collaborative the process was. Every track evolved through back-and-forth feedback, creative experimentation, and trust. He says that for Red Skies Dawning’s next album, that same spirit will carry into a full-band writing process — everyone contributing ideas, riffs, and lyrics — building off the chemistry that came alive during the making of From Ashes.
Chris expanded on the roles Chris Dawson and Jimmy Beattie played. He said Chris and Jimmy co-produced the From Ashes EP together, and both played equally critical roles in defining the sound of Red Skies Dawning. Their partnership was seamless — Chris has a natural instinct for blending power and clarity, while Jimmy brings a sharp sense of arrangement and an ear for nuance. Together, they pushed every song to its full potential.
Chris shared, “They weren’t just producers -- they were creative partners. Chris captured the raw energy and punch that gives the record its drive, while Jimmy refined the textures, transitions, and emotional flow that tie it all together. The balance between them made this record what it is — heavy, melodic, and emotionally charged from start to finish.”
Regarding the inspiration for song topics, Chris told me they come from life’s transitions — the moments where you either break or rebuild. From Ashes is very much about that idea of transformation — learning from the wreckage, rediscovering yourself, and pushing forward. Every lyric comes from a real place, whether it’s dealing with loss, betrayal, isolation, or finding strength again when things feel like they’ve fallen apart. Chris said he’s always written from emotion first — he wants every song to feel human. The sound might be heavy, but underneath that weight is vulnerability. The title of the EP, From Ashes, really sums up the theme: even when things burn down, there’s always a chance to rise again. It’s about endurance, redemption, and the fire that keeps you going.
When I heard the first song released by Red Skies Dawning, “Shipwrecked”, right away the thing that struck me was the unique sound of this band. The guitar riffs are complex. There are some cool electronic elements mixed into the tracks, as well as heavier parts incorporated throughout. Chris is a great vocalist. I highly encourage anyone who is looking for something fresh and new to add to their playlists to check out Red Skies Dawning. I think you’ll really enjoy this band’s music. There is a little bit of something for everyone.
Red Skies Dawning released three singles leading up to the From Ashes EP -- “Shipwrecked”, “Don’t You Forget About Me” (cover of the Simple Minds song from the popular 1980s movie The Breakfast Club), and “Paralyzed”. They wanted to build momentum and work with the streaming platform algorithms. With the EP out in the world now, the band’s goal is to bring it to life — on stage and in front of people.
The full six-song From Ashes EP marks the real launch of Red Skies Dawning as a band, not just a project. They are currently putting together their live set, and the plan is to start performing regionally before expanding out. There are also music videos in the works — especially for “Shipwrecked” — and they’re already outlining the concept for the next record. The next album will be fully collaborative with all four members contributing from the start, taking everything they have learned from From Ashes and pushing it even further.
Chris gave me some final thoughts at the end of the interview.
“Red Skies Dawning is about reclaiming who I am. Every song on From Ashes came from a point in my life where I was either rebuilding or rediscovering myself. This band is that rebirth — it’s raw, it’s real, and it’s everything I’ve wanted to say for years. We’re not chasing trends or trying to fit in. We’re just creating music that feels alive — something that connects, hits hard, and tells the truth.”
— Chris Aleshire, vocalist for Red Skies Dawning
From Ashes EP track listing 1. Where You Been? 2. Obvious 3. Don’t You (Forget About Me) -- cover 4. Dangerous 5. Shipwrecked 6. Paralyzed
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