A blistering new rock single from Old Foes hits that classic metal sweet spot with crunching guitars that trudge and ever building percussion to go along with vocals that boast some serious swagger and energy.
"Appetite" packs a punch with killer guitar hooks, emotionally driven vocals and pulse pounding drumming that come together with a fiery bass to create that stuff hard rock dreams are made of.
The song comes from someplace real, and lyrics get detailed and personal as they grow into a rageful vengeance riddled build.
The track beckons rock from several decades and let it all flourish in this style that feels almost like watching them perform live in front of you.
The track is bountiful and furious with absolutely addictive lead guitar sections, and it all has this familiarity to it. Almost like you've heard this somewhere before.
Old Foes have put together quite a perfect formula to get your blood pumping with the way the song is arranged and how it builds in intensity bot musically and vocally.
It's like a cross of Megadeth and Suicidal Tendencies but with the likes of The Darkness or Maiden blended in there at times.
It's completely refreshing to hear this song and it's about damn time we have a track that reaches this level of fierceness.
With such a badass release, we wanted to touch base with the band to talk about where this came from and what may be next for them.
Here's what happened.
BuzzSlayers: Okay so let's start with "Appetite". This track has a killer hard rock feel and keeps to a great energy and edginess while staying melodic! Where did this track come from?
First of all, thank you!
Writing "Appetite" was a lot of fun, and the track came out very naturally. The lead guitar line that plays over the intro and after the first chorus was the first element written. It established a great dramatic statement for the tone of the song. The song is such a monster, it felt natural to write about something dreadful and inescapable.
BuzzSlayers: I'm hearing several styles on this release. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
As many would guess from the instrumentation, Metallica is a huge influence. Even lyrically, the grandiose, thematic style of the lyrics were motivated by old school metal tunes about existentially dreadful ideas written by bands like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. Vocally I knew I wanted to bring the larger-than-life tone into a confrontational and in-your-face statement similar to something you'd hear in a Slipknot or System of A Down song.
BuzzSlayers: So how did this all begin for you really? When did you fall in love with making music?
I wanted to make music from a very young age. Writing music was something I resisted for years, in order to make more sensible life decisions, like going to college, joining the Army Reserves to pay for college, getting a job with good benefits, yadda yadda yadda. But the ache to make a creative statement and get the music out would. not. die! I knew I could either grow old regretting never-trying, or I could stop making excuses and swing for the fences.
BuzzSlayers: What's next for you as a band?
Appetite is Track #1 of a 10 track, self-titled project. Next track 'Glass' releases on March 28th, and every track after continues releasing on a bi-weekly basis. The next album is already forming and right now Old Foes is building its online presence to get the word out.
BuzzSlayers: What inspires you to write a song?
Musically, I love songs that could speak for themselves without vocals. So, writing riffs, licks, melodies, etc. that catch the ear and transport the listener are the goal. Lyrically, I fixate on psychology. What makes people tick? Identifying a flaw or virtue, to me, is the easy part. The tricky part is writing lyrics that are both damning and relatable.
BuzzSlayers: What are you all doing when you're NOT working on music?
I work a 9 to 5 office job, rocking a desk in a cubicle farm. And it is the WORST! LOL. The problem is it pays really well. That's great for affording studio time and hiring graphic artists, but I am desperately hoping to use the job to escape the job.
BuzzSlayers: Who are you all listening to right now?
DeadMau5, Gojira, Radiohead, Adele, Young The Giant, Slayer, Wolfmother, Koenig and The Ghost Notes, and lots more. I try to diversify my listening to learn as much as I can. I believe most people's playlists are more diverse than simply All Hip-Hop or Nothing But Rock. My philosophy; if you write music, you can only gain from listening to music outside of your personally preferred genres.
BuzzSlayers: Do you guys play live at all?
Not currently. The "band" is currently just... me, Kyle. I was fortunate enough to find some incredible session musicians to fill in on drums and provide some soloing. Otherwise, I'm self-publishing and attempting to establish myself in front of the biggest audience any artist can face nowadays: the online audience. But live shows are absolutely the dream and I hope to start playing soon.
BuzzSlayers: This track seems like a big undertaking. What kind of advice might you have for other up and coming bands out there?
Go for it. Push yourself to maximize the talent you have. When you feel your talent isn't quite fulfilling a track or a project, reach out and network. Be humble and don't try to do EVERYTHING yourselves. I made a lot of (really good) excuses for years to not try or cut corners. Do yourselves a favor, make no excuses. Dare to blow some people away.
BuzzSlayers: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
I am so incredibly honored that I have any fans. And according to the updates I'm getting from the streaming services where 'Appetite' has published I already have a few! The modern music business is all about competing for attention, and if people think that I am worth their limited time and attention, then they're making my day, and my life.