“Project: Chronicle is the overarching story. Broken; Narrative is the vessel for that.”
A quote that perfectly sums up just why the Sheffield based nu-metal band
Broken Narrative are starting to turn heads in the UK alternative scene. Whilst most bands build up their identity on a sound, this band has built theirs around a story.
"It started as Project: Chronicle because we knew we wanted to keep a record of things. We wanted it to be a story," The Narrator explains. "And that's why the overarching thing is Project: Chronicle. Broken; Narrative is the vessel for that."
The concept grew from a shared love of storytelling between vocalist The Narrator and founding member Adam. A fiction writer and a Dungeons & Dragons dungeon master respectively, the pair wanted to create something that combined their passions while inspiring others.
“We’ve always been storytellers,” explains The Narrator. “We wanted to think, how are we going to make a project that we can pull our passions into, that also inspires people?”
“Project: Chronicle isn't simply a concept. It's an evolving universe populated by dreamers, seekers and an unexplained phenomenon known only as The Change.”
Before becoming an official member of Broken; Narrative, guitarist Tom discovered the project through a callout on the band’s website. A self-confessed fan of fantasy and worldbuilding, he immediately connected with the vision.
“When The Narrator was telling me the whole story, the whole concept of it all, I was like, ‘I’m in. I’m sold,’” he recalls. “I love nerdy stuff as well: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, all that sort of thing. When I heard the concept, I thought ‘Yeah, this is for me.’”
Project: Chronicle is far more than just a detailed backstory for the band, it’s an investigation into a mysterious phenomenon only known as The Change.
The band’s debut EP, Thesis on Change, is the first chapter in their research, introducing their fans into the world of strange symbols, recurring dreams and unexplained events which are beginning to blur the lines between fiction and reality.
“Our first Thesis on Change is really an introduction to what we’ve been studying. The Change is a phenomenon that seems to be affecting our reality.” The Narrator tells me with passion before adding, “I get the feeling that it’s been impacting us a lot longer than we realize so there’s a lot more to look up.”
Their latest research centers around oneiromancy (the study of dreams and prophy) as the band attempts to uncover why Dreamers continue to encounter strange symbols connected to The Change.
As Broken; Narrative have expanded Project: Chronicle, so did the number of people joining the story. Through social media, their live presentations and the bands website, listeners have joined the research and taken on the role of Dreamers and Seekers.
"Dreamers are people who have seen these visions, who believe that there's a chance for change in the world," says The Narrator. "Through Broken; Narrative, we want to encourage people to turn their dreams into reality."
Hailing from Sheffield, a city known for powerful acts such as Def Leppard, Pulp, Bring Me The Horizon and While She Sleeps, I questioned whether they feel any sort of pressure from the legacy of the local music scene.
"I suppose, yeah," Tom admits. "There will always be that pressure because you've got the likes of Def Leppard, Bring Me The Horizon, While She Sleeps – all the big dogs. But personally, that's not what it's for. I love playing music. I just want to get the presentations out there and get the meaning of The Change out into the world."
For The Narrator, the band's success isn't measured in streams or sold out shows.
"The mission is to help people. It's to inspire people," he explains. "Even if it's just one person that interacts in a TikTok comment or comes up to us at a show and says, 'That was really fun, I really enjoyed that,' that's the focus."
It's a philosophy that mirrors the very foundation of Project: Chronicle. Beneath the symbols, mysteries and ongoing research lies a desire to bring people together through storytelling.
Throughout our conversation, references to fantasy novels, concept albums and worldbuilding narratives have come up again and again. "I think one of the biggest inspirations is Brandon Sanderson," The Narrator explains. "The way he's built this massive universe where everything connects is incredible. You can enjoy each story on its own, but when you start putting the pieces together, you realize there's something much bigger going on."
Broken; Narrative’s own approach mirrors this philosophy. Yes, some listeners can simply just enjoy the music from what it is, but others that are willing to deep dive will find hidden meaning in the band’s lyrics, videos and live presentations.
The band’s influences don’t just stop at fantasy novels. They mention bands such as 21 Pilots and Fall Out Boy - bands with albums that contain built worlds - as being huge inspirations to them.
"Those bands showed that music could be part of something bigger," says Tom. "You can tell a story across multiple songs, videos and albums. That's always been something we've found really interesting."
For Broken; Narrative, the goal has never been to create a mystery for mystery's sake. Every piece of Project: Chronicle exists to encourage participation, curiosity and conversation. Whether someone discovers the band through a breakdown-heavy track, a cryptic social media post or a late-night deep dive into the lore, they're being invited into the same story.
With their research into The Change continuing to evolve, it feels as though that story is only just beginning.
Follow Broken; Narrative on Instagram and TikTok and listen to their music on Spotify