Ignite Bassist, Guitarist Set Ablaze with Nations Afire

Ignite bassist Brett Rasmussen has resurfaced with a new project, Nations Afire, which features Ignite bandmate, guitarist Nik Hill, former Rise Against guitarist Chris Chasse, former Death By Stereo drummer Todd Hening and with singer Steve Ludwig. "It's definitely not a side project," Rasmussen told Noisecreep. "The plan is to be a full-time band that will tour, write and record year-round."

So what does that mean for Ignite? Slow your roll, hardcore fans. Ignite are still a functioning entity with no plans to split. "Ignite is still a high priority for Nik and I, as well. We are just going to be very busy guys, but that's how we like it. We love music to consume our lives and either want to be touring, writing or recording music at all times."

Nations Afire differs from Rasmussen's and Hill's main project in many ways. "Nations Afire is a blank sheet of canvas that we can choose to color anyway in which we like," Rasmussen said. "Having the members of Nations Afire being connected with bands like Rise Against, Ignite and Death By Stereo definitely gives us a lot to live up to. But at the same time, it gives us a ton of experience to draw from."

Additionally, Nations Afire have the luxury of flexible when it comes to operating in the business realm of music. "It would be great to lock down a record label sometime in 2009," Rasmussen said, who also showed the band's willingness and ability to think outside the standard music business model. "However, we have realized that Nations Afire can tour and grow without a label.

"In April, as an unsigned band, we went on a month long tour in Europe, for our first tour ever, and there were a ton of kids that already knew the words to our songs just from listening to the streaming music from our MySpace page. That's crazy!"