Architects are heading back to Australia next month, and drummer/songwriter Dan Searle is in a grounded, reflective mood as the band has entered a new chapter around their eleventh album The Sky, The Earth and All Between.
With three massive shows lined up for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, Architects return comes at the height of a career that has been anything but straightforward. When I caught up with Dan Searle, he spoke openly about why Australia has stayed close to the band’s heart, he remembers their first visit clearly. Parkway Drive brought them over in 2009, something he calls the perfect springboard.
He says the country has always felt like the band’s ultimate adventure because it sits so far from home, joking that as Brits, it feels “as far flung as you can get.” He even came close to moving here with his family before the pandemic.
The conversation turned to The Sky, The Earth and All Between, which he describes as the moment to bring every side of Architects together. He says it arrived at a point where it felt right to “bring together lots of the elements of the band that we had sort of visited or experimented with over the years.” The album’s reception affirmed that instinct. It reunited parts of their audience who had splintered stylistically over time. Searle says it was built around a clear vision, and for him, they “definitely got what we set out to do.”
This record also marked the first time Searle stepped back from production since taking on that responsibility in the years after his brother Tom passed away. Handing production to Jordan Fish came with mixed emotions, but ultimately freedom. Searle says it was “mostly amazing,” because it let him redirect his focus without reducing the work he put in.
Shaking up the creative dynamic has been part of Architects’ DNA, and he feels fresh collaborators push the band into new territory. He admits he loses interest when bands release the same album twice, saying diluted versions of old ideas don’t excite him.
Evolution, even when difficult, has always served them well.
Nine years into being one of the band’s core songwriters, he still feels energised, joking that some fans think he has “ruined the band,” but he feels far from exhausted. Writing the next record feels like they are “making our second,” something he attributes to never losing the spark that keeps the process exciting. He reflects on their climb from pubs to stadiums, remembering years without money or momentum.
Their breakthrough didn’t arrive until their ninth album hit number one in Australia and the UK, he calls that a reminder that “it’s kind of never too late,” and that every band’s path unfolds differently.
Searle also spoke about the gratitude that comes with age, touring stadiums with Metallica and Linkin Park is something they don’t take lightly after spending years grinding in small rooms, saying the joy of those moments has only sharpened.
Australian tour
Architects are bringing House of Protection and President with them, Searle has long standing ties with the members of both acts, and feels President are a natural fit. He said they are simply “some guys that wrote some good songs and had some good marketing.”
The online criticism of them being an industry plant amuses him, with almost two decades in the industry, he says he still has no idea what an industry plant is meant to be.
Outside the band, life is simple. He spends time with his kids, plays drums, goes to the gym and takes the bins out (which reminded me, I had to do the same thing that night). When he’s home, he treats his responsibilities to the band as a job. Practice, writing, staying healthy and being present with his family make up most of his days.
Architects return to Australia this December for three all ages shows.
Architects Australian Tour Dates 2025
Thursday, December 11th – Festival Hall, Melbourne
Saturday, December 13th – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Sunday, December 14th – Riverstage, Brisbane
Tickets are available at livenation.com.au
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