he members of Close Your Eyes have a lot to be thankful for this month. Their sophomore album Empty Hands and Heavy Hearts debuted at #117 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, a huge accomplishment for this style and scene. In addition to this honorable ranking, CYE have also enjoyed rave reviews of their sophomore Victory release, have upcoming tours with the likes of Norma Jean as well as their own headliner in early 2012. It seems as if nothing can stop these five from taking their crossover appeal, arena inspired anthemic tunes and big hearts far beyond the stages of your favorite Christian festivals. Guitaris/vocalist Brett Callaway spoke with Hopecore.com recently to let the fans know his thoughts on writing the new record, connecting with kids and the ever looming definition of a movement.

You guys made a huge impact with your Victory debut. Let’s catch up first; besides touring touring touring, what has the last two years felt like for you guys?

Brett Callaway: (Laughs) It has felt like touring, touring, touring! But I love it! Time just flies for me…maybe because I am having fun or maybe just because I stay so busy. Every once in a while I try to just sit back and let things sink in…but I don’t think I do that enough. Other than touring it has just been either writing or recording. Or the occasional hanging out with family and friends when I am home.

Personally what does it mean to you to be in the position that you are in? To be able to put out this album and tour like you guys do alongside major acts?

BC: Personally, I place a lot of responsibility on myself. I think that we have been totally blessed and given huge opportunities and I do not want to waste any of that! I feel like I have a responsibility to everyone, the fans, the other guys in my band, and our record label. I love all of them and never want to let them down!

Did you guys sit down and write this album or did it happen mostly on the road? Can you paint a scene for the readers so maybe we can get a taste of your surroundings and what this writing process was like for you guys?

BC: Well these songs were written a few different ways. About half of it was written one month that we had off from touring. A few songs were written before that just at random times during practice over the year after we recorded the last album. And then a few songs were written as just ideas that we would send to each other while we were either at home or on the road. (Laughs) And one song, “Erie”, was actually written in a practice space in Erie, PA when we had two days between tours last winter.

The record is very catchy without losing its edge. Tell us a bit about the goals you had with this record having come off such a high of the success of the last? Any sophomore slump fears?

BC: Man, we just wrote the songs that we wanted to. We wrote what we enjoyed and what just flowed out from us. I mean of course you think to yourself “Are our fans going to like this or not?”, but at the end of the day we just wrote the record that we wanted to write. Of course, all of us have songs on there that we like more than others, but it really shows a combination of all of our styles and preferences I think.

Our goal was to not follow or worry about the trends and just write good songs. I think that we succeeded in that. I think we wrote a very punk rock album without leaning too much on what is going on in punk rock and hardcore today.

(Laughs) We always have fears about putting out a new album…sophomore or not.

Often you hear people talk about music being good for a certain season because of the feeling the music exudes. Fall is in full swing for your release, did that fact come into play when you were thinking of how you wanted this album to sound or during the lyric writing process at all? It definitely feels like Fall to me…

BC: (Laughs) Not at all. We actually had no idea when the album was going to come out while we were writing most of the songs. Shane just wrote about what he wanted to write about. He wanted to write a little darker lyrically than the last album…and we just left him alone to do that.

Expand on your title Empty Hands and Heavy Hearts for us. Also talk to us about how it correlates with your cover art of the boy in the spotlight surrounded by the haunting figures in the shadows…

BC: This is more of a Shane question but I will explain it as best I can. Basically the title is just what it says. Sometimes we just feel down, like we have nothing…that would be the heavy heart and the empty hands. The cover is just one part of the story. You have to look at the whole album booklet.

I didn’t think it was possible but the energy is even higher on this record compared to your last, from the speed of the songs, to the intense gang vocals, and the list goes on. Was that a conscious decision or is this just the sound that poured from your message?

BC: Man, this is the sound that pours from my heart. I have been a punk rock guy as long as I have been playing music. This just feels like home to me. I think that all of us wanted to write a fast aggressive punk rock/melodic hardcore record. So, that is what we did. I don’t think we ever really talked about wanting to have more energy…although as much energy as possible is always our goal.

You guys are certainly up there in the spirit filled hardcore movement. Can you share with us an instance in which you really saw the Spirit move at one of your shows?

BC: We don’t always like being associated with that. We very rarely even call ourselves a Christian band because we see bands out there that preach just to put a little more money in their pockets. But on the other side of that, there are bands like Sleeping Giant…Tommy will preach the Gospel till his jaw falls off…but I have never heard the guy say a non-genuine word!

I think that the spirit moves at our shows anytime we can just sit and talk with a kid that is having a hard time…and truly show them love. I mean, sometimes we see people putting their hands up in worship while we play. And that is great! I don’t want to take anything away from their worship! They feel the freedom to do that…and that is amazing! But I think that we all feel that our primary goal that we seek after is going out there and lifting the hurting people out of the darkness and despair in their lives. We are not a “sing to the choir” kind of band. We are a “love the unloved” kind of band. Don’t get me wrong, we love “the choir” and are so thankful for their support! They enable us to be able to reach out to those kids out there that are hurting. And that includes Christians and Non-Christians alike.

There are few bands that have that cross over appeal where you can be so outspoken with your beliefs yet have people from every walk of life respect you regardless because your music is so so good. In your opinion, what does it take to be that band?

BC: It takes being totally genuine. You cannot be fake and ever hope to do that. You also can’t be a jerk. You can’t try to shove anything down anyone’s throat. We treat everyone with love and respect in this aspect and try our hardest not to judge anyone. I mean when I say we treat everyone with love and respect that does not mean we are going to put up with stuff like racism at our shows…we can still love those people without loving the hate in their lives though.

Any videos in the works? If so what can you tell the readers? And what are your upcoming tour plans?

BC: Lots and lots of videos in the works! We have one that will be coming out within the next month and we are shooting another video with Dan Dobi, who did the video for “Song For The Broken”, next month when we are in California.

The tour plans that I can announce are already on our Facebook. Just the short headliner we are doing and the dates with Norma Jean. We have more touring plans confirmed after that…but I cannot announce those yet.