Good things are happening for Chicago-based electro rock/synth pop band Chasing Mars. Their sound is reaching a whole new audience with the release of their self-produced album, available for download on their website and Bandcamp page. 

The group - comprised of Neven Armic, Sam Brown and Sean Goes - has been likened to Radiohead and Coldplay. Their vibe is deeply rooted in rock, but they mix it up by sprinkling in tips of the hat to electronica and pop. Some of the tracks, like "Cryptoamnesia," are fun, trippy and - at times- almost anthemic, reminiscent of recent Coldplay releases.

The boys are hitting the road on their first big Midwestern tour, and they’re making a stop in Milwaukee this weekend at Stonefly Brewing Co. on Sunday with Alchemy and Eagle Trace. The show starts at 9 p.m. and the cover charge is $7.

OnMilwaukee.com caught up with Nevin Armic via email this week to talk about the band’s exciting future, as well as the challenges of producing his own album.

OnMilwaukee.com: Tell me a little about the background of your band. How long has Chasing Mars been together?

Nevin Armic:We've been together for a few years. It started as just a fun project with Sean and I. We started working together on songs and then as we were recording our first album we added our drummer Sam to the mix. We're now a four-piece with our friend Westy playing bass.

OMC: What’s it like to produce your own album?

NA:It's fun and frustrating at the same time. It's great having all the creative freedom to try anything you want and record any song you want but the major downside is that you can't afford to do things the major artists have. And by that I mean a recording room with awesome sound absorption and great outboard gear is still really expensive. Now computers are leveling the playing field for the most part and the digital effects are getting pretty close to the original units, but they even charge an arm and a leg for the software. Overall, it's nice not to have to answer to anyone but yourself - then again, I think we're probably our own harshest critics.

OMC: What’s the Midwestern tour going to be like?

NA: To be honest this is our first time out on the road so we're really not sure. We hope it'll be a lot of fun, but I guess we'll find out pretty soon!

OMC: How would you describe the experience of seeing a live performance by Chasing Mars?

NA: Our newer music is starkly different from our released material. From our first record you might think we're kind of a soft-rock band, but if you come out and see us you'll probably be a little shocked. We like to have fun and have a lot of energy on stage, we try to create a fun experience for our audience and bring them into our little world for the duration of our set.

OMC: What's next for you guys?

NA: We're in the middle of recording our new record, we're actually mixing the new single today (we're very excited). So hopefully releasing the new record, playing a lot more shows, and touring like crazy.