Interview with SEPTUM BONE
We had a conversation with Tim Coleman (Bass). Enjoy!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about SEPTUM BONE (Members, Starting Year etc).
Septum Bone was the brain child of myself (Tim Coleman - bass), Daniel Holland (guitar), and Cody Benge (Drums) after a couple of other projects fell apart. We started writing in 2021 and brought Andrew Dean on board as a vocalist in 2022 to complete the lineup.
You have recently released your demo ''Spring '24''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
They have all been very supportive of our music. Especially the East Tennessee and North Carolina hardcore scenes. We're extremely fortunate to have so many friends and other bands who care about our music.
Label or DIY and why?
So we're a DIY band that partnered with a couple of labels for this release. Digitally, we went the DIY route, for physical media we have Fragile Life Records handling our vinyl and Scruffy City Records handling our tape distribution. Our goal was to partner with DIY labels who share the same ethos. I believe that we have found a good medium between being a DIY band and a "signed" band.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Our first show was insane. We took a bunch of inflatable clubs for the crowd to mosh with and they really had a great time during our set. The video is up on youtube if anyone would like to check it out.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
Personally, I love collecting vinyl, but digital is just more convenient. I feel like vinyl fully captures the vibe of a record, but digital is much more convenient when traveling, etc.
Your music style is Death Metal with Hardcore elements. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
This is an interesting question because if you ask each member of the band, they will tell you something different. For myself, I'm heavily influenced by bands like Pantera and Hatebreed. If you ask Daniel, he may say Twitching Tongues or Gods Hate, Andrew would tell you something like marauder or entombed, Cody will take you down a rabbit hole of some of the most extreme death metal out today. We're a melting pot of the bands that we respect and listen to on the regular.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
Don't start a band unless you plan to make sacrifices. Time away from the family is a big one for me. There is a lot of time and effort that goes into being a band that performs regularly and releases music on a consistent basis. Not everyone thinks about the time spent writing, rehearsing, recording, promoting and everything that goes into the time spent on stage.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
The best phrase to describe an ideal performance is "out of control". We pride ourselves on our crowd interaction and making sure the energy in the room is as high as it possibly can be. We covet stage dives and circle pits, we want everyone to mosh and bang their heads during our sets and forget whatever bullshit is going on in their lives for the few minutes we get to share with them while on stage.
What attributes do you think that a new Death Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
It all starts with the music, especially the riffs for me. I don't know if there's a "formula" for new bands to be unique outside of their music. Sure, a band can have a gimmick, but it all boils down to the quality of the music and live performance.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Death Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
This is a tricky question for me. It makes life easier as far as getting distribution to the masses, but it's sort of an abyss of music as well. So many new songs/bands get uploaded to the digital platforms on a daily basis that it causes a lot of competition. I think the most ideal way for a young band to promote their work is to play shows. Shows are where you are able to showcase the band in a different light, you have that crowd interaction, you have the energy in the room, and you're able to create a feeling for the listener. It also opens up the opportunity to actually meet and talk to your fans to build a connection.
Do you see any differences between the US Metal Market & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
I'm speaking from a place of almost ignorance here, but it seems like the EU market is a little more open to heavier styles of music compared to the US market.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in North Carolina (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
I'm going to speak to North Carolina and Tennessee since we have members who live in both places. There are some really sick bands coming out of North Carolina right now. Shout out Chained, Fading Signal, A Knife in the Dark, Lucky Feeling, End of Your Rope, and Dull Mourning. East Tennessee has become a hotbed for hardcore and death metal. Shout out Every Promise Kept, Pressure Point, Godsize, Shitty Halfpipe, and DYI.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
I can't say that I do.
The last 4 years, worldwide in the world, we have faced many dark, strange & new situations in our everyday life (covid, lock-down etc.) Did all of this affect you positively or negatively?
A little of both, but mostly positively. Daniel and I were in another band that didn't survive Covid, Cody had another band as well that broke up shortly after Covid. All of this is positive because it led to the formation of Septum Bone.
What are your future plans?
Keep doing what we're doing. Writing sick riffs, playing shows, recording and releasing new music. We have the EP coming out on Vinyl and Cassette in the near future as well, so we'll be playing more shows to support those releases.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thanks so much for taking the time to check us out. Support independent music, start a new band, start a fanzine, do what it takes to get involved. The hardcore and metal scenes should be a place of comfort for those who love it. It will only grow if people continue to work hard and keep local music scenes alive.
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
SEPTUM BONE CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/septumbonenc
https://www.instagram.com/septumbone
https://septumbone.bandcamp.com/album/spring-24
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3FZKRLw7PI8Pk4oJgMZIsA