Faders & Faith: Part 2 — Crafting the Sound of Modern Christian Rock with Josiah Prince

In the world of Christian rock, few artists balance performance and production as seamlessly as Josiah Prince. Best known as the guitarist for Disciple, Prince has helped shape the band’s aggressive yet melodic sound for years. Beyond the stage, he has built a reputation as a skilled producer and the driving force behind The Ranch Studio, where he works with artists to refine and elevate their music. In this interview, we take a closer look at his dual role as musician and producer, exploring the creative instincts and studio expertise that define his work.

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Production Philosophy & Tone
You’ve mentioned that you prefer to “crank out sounds” while inspired and finish a first draft quickly rather than nitpicking early on. How does this “momentum-first” approach help specifically when producing high-energy metal and rock tracks?

My priority is establishing the “moments” in a song. If we have a strong start to the song itself (say, up through Chorus 1) I shift into big-picture mode – how can we make this hit harder by the time Chorus 2 starts? What unexpected texture can we create to add more tension? What if we skip the pre-chorus the 2nd time around? Etc…I try to chase & implement these ideas quickly because the magic is in the room. The quicker we get a full “map” of the song with the twists and turns already sketched out (even with scratch guitars/vox), the more excited everyone will be with our progress. This is a better use of time than, for instance, spending 1-2 hours trying to nail down perfect Verse 2 lyrics – if we get the track to an exciting place, even in raw form, it will be easier to finish the lyrics later, with more emotional sonic information on hand.

You’ve been quoted as saying “Digital because duh!” regarding your preference. In a genre like heavy metal where “analog warmth” is often romanticized, what are the specific digital tools or workflows at The Ranch that you feel actually surpass traditional analog gear?

During pre-production I’m using software instruments (or samples) for all things keys, strings, synths, percussion, drums (during demo phase) etc…a lot of stuff from Native Instruments, Slate, Spectrasonics…and it’s not because these tools surpass their analog equivalents tonally – it’s actually similar to the conversation above. These tools allow me to work quickly and get a compelling “feeling” assembled without getting hung up in configuring a myriad of instruments/microphones/cables. The trick then is to know when a digital element would benefit from being replaced with something human/analog – and I often do that later in the process. For guitars, I track tones on the Kemper but always track good DI’s through an analog preamp which I send to the mix engineer who can then re-amp them as they please.

You identify these as your strongest skills. How do you balance the “brutality” required in Christian metal with the melodic “hooks” needed for radio and accessibility?

I like to find ways to achieve “brutality” without playing the game of “make the heaviest riff of March 2026” which is a tiresome moving target. Sometimes an unhinged lyric delivery or an unexpected chord change can deliver a similar effect to a nasty breakdown. Vocally, I like screams/heavy vocals but the hook/emotion/melody is what I care most about. I prefer for screams to serve a dramatic purpose as juxtaposed with the melodies that listeners get stuck in their heads.

The Ranch & Technical Setup
Your “desert island” gear includes the Kemper Guitar Profiler and PRS guitars. When producing other metal bands like Chaotic Resemblance or Nate Parrish, do you lean on these same tools to create a “Josiah Prince sound,” or do you try to build a unique sonic palette for every artist?

For me, the trademark “sound” that I hope to have is more about dynamics and emotion than a specific tone or set of tones. I would want people to hear a chorus and think that it “feels” like the kind of thing I would do. Soaring, surprising, vulnerable, catchy, intense…hopefully all of the above! For the two artists you mentioned, I think the approach is often more about deciding how much to “produce” the track vs. letting “the band” be the spotlight. Chaotic is a band that has so much raw power in their writing, I’m much more choosy with when to add any additional layers to a song. Nate, on the other hand, loves layering a bunch of guitars to make a thick lush wall and I also love that for his style, so we make sure we don’t leave anything too bare unless it’s on purpose. All that to say, I want to serve the artist’s sonic style and vision as much as possible while maximizing the power of the lyrics and vocals.

Skeleton Psalms (2023) and its 2025 Deluxe Edition were produced “in-house” at your studio. What are the advantages and the biggest challenges of being both the lead songwriter/guitarist and the producer for your own band?

EVERYTHING. Haha. It’s so much fun because we get to just hang out and make music as the same unit that has been on stage together for 13+ years. We really enjoy being our own judges of what is good enough for the album, and what needs to improve, and I think we’re at a place where that barometer is really dialed in. The challenge is mostly in scheduling. Two of our guys don’t live in Tennessee, so we have to be very intentional to get together in the studio and work on songs. In the past when we’ve hired outside producers, it’s like “okay we have these 3 weeks booked, we HAVE to get the album done”. With self-producing it’s nice to have the luxury of taking our time, but it’s a double edged sword.

The Christian Heavy Metal Industry
Having worked with Disciple during both independent phases and label runs (Tooth & Nail / BEC), how has your role as a producer changed? Does a label presence change how you “weed down” 30 songs into a final 12?

Our label relationship is very low pressure, in a great way. We love everyone there, and they are big believers in Disciple. During the album process, we will ask for their opinions about certain songs, but they also give us a long leash creatively. At the end of the day, they trust us to make a good album, and we keep that trust by delivering!

You have a background as a songwriting teacher and have worked with independent artists like Jessica Walker. How much of your “producer” role in the metal scene is actually “songwriting coaching”?

Song coaching is a non-negotiable requirement for anyone passing through here. If someone wants to work together, they have to be okay with me getting into the weeds of the song itself and offering insights on how to strengthen it. I love tracking huge guitars, but my ultimate goal is to create songs that move people. Sometimes an artist might not realize that the service I’m actually providing is more about a strong song than a good recording.

Kevin Young has said that when you joined the band, you were making a conscious effort to write “Disciple-sounding” songs. Now that you are the producer, how do you define what that “Disciple sound” is in 2026?

For us, the modern Disciple sound represents the chemistry of the 4 of us who have been “Disciple 3.0” since 2013. We all went through a phase, as you mentioned, of finding how our creative voices fit into a Disciple framework. But Kevin encouraged us to just focus on writing great songs – whatever the style is – and if he is singing on it, then it’s a Disciple song. This helped me feel free to lean into my own writing style, whether it be emo anthems like Erase and Promise To Live, or darker/experimental songs like Come My Way or Cuff the Criminal.

Early Career and Roots
You started out in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Philmont in 2005. How did the local music scene there shape your early understanding of what it meant to be in a touring Christian rock band?

There was not much of a Christian music scene in Charlotte at that time (2005-2007) – we played shows with a ton of hardcore bands and always felt like the wimpy little brother band (this is responsible for how much we emphasized stage presence and energy, which is such a huge part of my show mentality to this day!) Every now and then we would get the chance to open for a “Christian-ish” tour passing through – Showbread, The Showdown, MxPx – but that was the extent of our exposure until we made the trek to Cornerstone festival in 2007.

In the early days of Philmont, your band was known for a DIY spirit—even directing your own music videos. What lessons did you learn during those independent years that you still use today when helping young artists navigate the industry?

You said it. The DIY spirit. When you’re in a ‘van band’ not getting paid and operating every day in survival mode, it creates such resilience and adaptive skills, which never go out of style haha. You learn that every puzzle can be solved, every obstacle is just that, and even if you have to cancel a show, you’ll make it to the next one…and however many tasks you can learn to tackle yourself (i.e. music videos) the more creative you can be on a budget.

Philmont eventually signed with Forefront Records (EMI CMG). Looking back, how did that transition from a “four-piece indie band” to a “five-piece label artist” change your perspective on the business side of music?

Those years were rich with education. I could speak for an hour on just this era. We were discovered by Forefront at Cornerstone Festival 2007, signed a record deal right before Christmas, and traveled to Nashville almost immediately in early 2008, for two weeks of two-a-day co-writing sessions with top Nashville Christian writers. This was the ultimate boot camp – we were getting into these great rooms, but also felt conflicted about letting “outsiders” speak into our band’s sound (THIS exact situation is something that I guide artists through all the time now.) The A&R team at Forefront was very direct with us about which songs they thought were good and ready, and which ones still needed work. We took their cues to improve a lot of our material, while also standing up for songs that we believed in. We also saw up close the label machine operating at full strength, at a time right before digital downloads & the economy forced everyone to go into a scarcity mindset. We sold 35,000 units of our debut album, which wasn’t enough to justify keeping us on the roster. So yeah, a lot of lessons learned!

Transitioning to Disciple
Kevin Young has mentioned that you were originally a “try-out” for Disciple and that he wasn’t very familiar with Philmont at the time. What was going through your mind during those first few shows on the road with a legacy band like Disciple?

I was extremely nervous and excited. My 2nd Disciple show was at Disney World for crying out loud. But as I’ve come to learn, the best things a touring musician can do are: be a good hang, be low maintenance, and know your role. I tried to stay out of the way and be helpful and respectful. But internally it was all “what’s happening now? What’s that guy doing? Am I supposed to be somewhere? Which one is the tour manager again? Wait, they have catering?”

You moved from the “pop-punk/pop-rock” world of Philmont and your project Alright Years into the much heavier territory of Disciple. Was it a challenge to adapt your playing style, or had you always been a “metalhead” at heart?

It was 100% a challenge. I was in total “fake it til you make it” mode. I had a PRS guitar, but all the rest of my gear was totally wrong for Disciple’s sound. Worse yet, my hands were totally wrong for Disciple’s sound. My saving grace was that I learned every song frontwards and backwards, played them well enough on stage, and played them with confidence. It’s honestly a miracle that Kevin let me stay around for long enough to move through the learning curve of figuring out what a good heavy tone sounded like, and how to play like a metal guitarist.

You have been with Disciple for over a decade now (joining around 2012/2013). How has your personal relationship with the band’s mission evolved since those early days of “just being the new guitar player”?

Great question. Before my audition, I really wasn’t familiar with Disciple beyond hearing a couple songs. I had no idea that Kevin would be giving a full gospel presentation at every show, or that God had used so many Disciple songs to bring listeners out of addiction, suicidal thoughts, etc… I was just excited to be on a tour bus and play to bigger crowds! As my time in the band has grown I have come to treasure our ministry more and more. Especially once I started having kids (and leaving them for tour) I realized: oh yeah, this means a lot more to me than guitars and buses and stages – I’m part of something very important and I am not taking it for granted.

Studio and Lifestyle
Why Nashville? Like many producers, you eventually settled just north of Nashville. Was there a specific moment when you realized you wanted to transition from being primarily a “touring guitarist” to a “studio-based producer”?

Yep. It was this little thing called Covid-19. I had been offering production services on the side for a couple years prior, but wasn’t sure that would be a sustainable part of my career. When Covid hit and touring stopped, I decided that I would try to fill my schedule with as much studio work as possible. And somehow I was able to stay booked solid throughout the pandemic, to the point where getting back into touring presented quite an issue with scheduling and balancing my time. It’s still a struggle to balance it throughout each month, but I am still 100% in love with my touring job and don’t plan on putting that on the backburner any time soon.

You’ve cited Brian Wilson as your biggest classic inspiration and Jack Antonoff as a modern one. How do these pop-focused influences find their way into the heavy, aggressive tracks you produce for the Christian metal industry?

The secret that no one wants to admit (even to themselves) is this: everyone wants their songs to have pop elements. Pop is treated like a dirty word in heavy music communities. But when I’m in a room with a heavy artist and I propose a pre-chorus idea that is virtually a pop melody, everyone lights up and wants to chase that idea. Humans want to hear something catchy and memorable, it’s just science. So, I love taking melody/hook ideas from pop artists and implementing them in rock situations. Our song ‘Bad Words’ is ‘Good Vibrations’ from the Beach Boys. Three whole-step key modulations that come out of nowhere.

You’ve filled your studio with things that make you happy, like Spider-Man comics and Calvin & Hobbes. How does surrounding yourself with your personal hobbies and “positivity” affect the creative output when you’re working on intense, heavy records?

On any given day, I am constantly joking and keeping the spirit light. When we are writing lyrics I will offer up 60% serious ideas and 40% absurd ones. I don’t want us taking anything too seriously, and I want creating to be fun. When it’s time to get serious or have hard conversations, we can shift into that more easily if there’s a positive energy already established. Anyway, the comics etc. are just reminders that we’re in a big sandbox, just playing around with sounds and having fun. How lucky that we get to do this.

Faders & Faith: Part 1 — The Art of Christian Heavy Music Production

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