Sean Danielsen of Smile Empty Soul Still Feels 16

"I still feel 16," admits Smile Empty Soul guitarist and vocalist Sean Danielsen. "Obviously you grow up, mature and change -- but I've never felt like an adult. I think the grind a lot of people go through with their day-to-day job slowly kills them and makes them miserable."

Smile Empty Soul isn't a band with a straight path to fame. There were lineup changes and label switches. Forays into Billboard territory and live shows galore. Now, the band is back on the road, touring behind their new album 'Consciousness.'

Veterans of the recording process, the guys in Smile Empty Soul struggled with getting the new album ready for release. "It got pushed back because the mixing process ended up taking a while, and we had to get it right and we had to get it the way we wanted it. It was worth pushing back to get it right. Once it's out, it's just out."

Danielsen says he and his other two bandmates made the record "the way they wanted," creating a special sonic sound, difficult for most trios to achieve. "As long as everybody is playing appropriate things for the song, I think we achieve a full sound without five members. Everyone playing the right parts, I think we each fill in the right space."

Smile Empty Soul expects 'Consciousness' to spur at least three or four singles. This should keep the band on the road for many months, but that's just part of the ride for Danielsen. "It's either this or nothing. I think that no matter what happens, we'd still be playing music because it's what we love."