Memphis May Fire brings new material to Brewster Street Ice House

Now five albums into its career, Nashville-based metalcore band Memphis May Fire continues to build its fan base on the strength of a universal message of hope, a theme that can be found across the band’s discography, singer Matty Mullins said.

“We perform and write music for a generation that’s looking for something to be planted in and something to follow and something to look up to,” Mullins said in a phone interview. “And what I’ve always wanted to do more than anything else is just let people know that hope is real and that tomorrow is better than today and no matter how bad your situation is, it can get better and that life is not worth giving up on.”

The band is touring in support of “This Light I Hold,” which was released by Rise Records in October. The band has released two singles, “Carry On” and the title track , to support the album. Memphis May Fire headlines the “March of Madness” tour package featuring Bless the Fall, The Color Morale, Sylar and Bad Seed Rising at Brewster Street Ice House on Wednesday.

“I think the package is stacked,” Mullins said. “I think from start to finish, the night is going to be so memorable — anybody that comes is really going to get their money’s worth. Really looking forward to this.”

Formerly a quintet, Memphis May Fire parted ways with rhythm guitarist Anthony Sepe earlier this year. Mullins said the band will have a fill-in guitar player at its shows but will continue to search for a permanent replacement following the tour’s conclusion. The band includes lead guitarist Kellen McGregor, bassist Cory Elder and drummer Jake Garland.

The title track, “This Light I Hold,” features a guest performance by Papa Roach front man Jacoby Shaddix, who also appears in the accompanying video for the song. Mullins said he first connected with Shaddix when the two presented an award at the “Revolver Golden God Awards” several years ago.

“So when I wrote ‘This Light I Hold’ — that track — which is very much about standing for what you believe in and holding the value in that and knowing the value in that,” Mullins said, “I thought Jacoby would be the perfect guest vocalist for it.

“And the coolest thing about it was that he’s so outside the realm of what people would expect us to have for a guest vocalist, so it was kind of a shock factor thing, too.”

Beyond this month’s tour dates, Memphis May Fire will spend much of 2017 touring in support of the album, Mullins said, adding fans can expect to hear new material at some point later this year.

“I think we live in a very fast-paced society and people like to hear new material and we’re happy to write, record and give it to them,” he said.

Mullins said the band enjoys a close relationship with its Corpus Christi fan base, which has grown significantly through the years. Mullins recounted an especially memorable show that included a last-minute appearance by comedian Pauly Shore, who was in town for a performance of his own.

The band asked Shore to introduce the show by saying he was the new front man of Memphis May Fire and that he would be leading the band on its “Warped Tour” dates, which the band thought would be a fun comical gag, Mullins said.

“We got there and [Shore] was so busy and so stressed out that he was like, ‘Hey, instead of that, I’m just going to interview you’ — and it really didn’t end up working out and we didn’t use any of the footage, but I will say the last time we were in Corpus, I met Pauly Shore,” he said.

If You Go

What: Memphis May Fire, Bless the Fall, The Color Morale, Sylar and Bad Seed Rising
Where: Brewster Street Ice House
When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 29
Cost: $18, advance sales
Information: 361-884-2739, www.brewsterstreet.net