ChitChat - With Bison
INTERVIEW BY: BEN LAMB
BEN:
Being in the industry for so many years, how have your writing styles changed?
BISON:
Bison have dived a bit deeper this time around, trading the hip-hop edge for more emotion, and exploring more adult issues, like loss, stress, pressure, being a bit lost and coming good. The riffs are heavier, the beats still pump, but overall the style is more melodic and is accessible enough.
BEN:
What's the writing process like? Does everyone bring something different to the table?
BISON:
We've all picked up some eclectic influences over the years, from your Dillinger Escape Plan, Helmet, FNM, Deftones through to less predictable influences like Fishbone and Fugazi, through to BMTH, Thornhill, Architects and Richie's into some mad heavy stuff. Because we didn't play together for 13 years, we've all pretty much been on our own trips, but we all love good, heavy music. We'll start with a couple of riffs getting the nod from all of us, Eddie will fit the right beats, then we'll refine the riffs. Richie will add some slinky guitars and Andy applies some of his special emotive melodies on top. Dean has started adding keys now, so that helps to bring it all to life. Brens adds the vocals throughout the process, but they can change and evolve along with the song. We've loved writing these songs together.
BEN:
Did the lockdowns of 2020 impact the EP, or an aspect of you reuniting?
BISON:
In a massive way. Huge obstacles, but the EP is probably better for it. We reunited in 2019 and wrote a bunch of songs and picked some to record. For previous records, we hired a studio for a week or two and smashed it out. This time, we recorded drums, guide guitars and some vocals with Sam Johnson at Holes & Corners studio, then the world went into shutdown. We all found some recording gear and learnt to use it, and started demoing and recording at home and sharing files together and ultimately with our producer Sam Bassal. We stayed constantly connected with each other, but weren't in a room together for about a year, from the day we started recording drums to the day we shot the Begin Again video. It gave us the opportunity to keep improving the songs until we thought they were shmick.
BEN:
In 'Begin Again,' you can definitely hear some old-school influences like Korn and Tool, but there is assuredly a modern flare, who are some of the more modern bands that you would say your music is influenced by?
BISON:
We're all loving some more modern bands like Architects, Ocean Grove, Of Mice & Men, Fever 333, Erra, Good Tiger, Crossfaith, Thornhill, Northlane, BMTH, SeeYouSpaceCowboy and Johnny Booth. We do still dig Korn and Tool and other classics, particularly Korn's more recent albums.
BEN:
Is this modern flare something we'll see across the EP?
BISON:
Yeah for sure. We're really into modern heavy music. A comment on a South American socials site described the new Bison as being not old school nu metal, but contemporary traditional nu metal. Sounds about right. Sam Bassal in production has shared with us his modern magic.
BEN:
What excites you about returning to the industry after some years out of the limelight?
BISON:
We're having a blast writing and recording together and cutting our songs loose to the world. We are less limited by the recording process than we used to be, back in '98-2004, where we'd write in a rehearsal room and record in the recording studio. Now we can write and collab together and record, and not have to smell each other so much haha. Also we're excited to be listening to and working with the young guns of today.
BEN:
What do you want listeners to get out of listening to the new EP?
BISON:
We're hoping that some people will connect with our music. We've all had a few dark spells over the years and plenty of life experiences to tap into and we've come good and are eager to make our contribution to the modern heavy music scene. We've loved making this bunch of songs and we do hope the scene dig it.
BEN:
What did Sam Bassal bring to the table, what was it like working with him at the producers' desk?
BISON:
We reached out to Sammy B because we really dig Ocean Grove, turned out he was into Bison as well and it felt like the perfect match for us. The dude knew exactly where we were coming from, where we wanted to go, and how to get us there. He has brilliant ideas and skills and we love working with him. We are going to keep working together.
BEN:
Any plans to head out on the road?
BISON:
We're excited to play, but 2020 slugged us pretty hard on that front. While we had time to make the record, rehearsal rooms were shut. You won't see a half-assed Bison show, which means we will be rehearsing pretty hard in the lead up.
BEN:
Is this the start of Bison's return into the music scene? Or will it only be the one EP?
BISON:
Why stop now? We're loving it. Plenty more to come from Bison.
Bison are back - their new EP Perfect Mistakes will be released into the world on Friday May 28th and can be pre-ordered/pre-saved at http://ffm.to/bison_perfectmistakes from this Friday. New Single 'Begin Again' will be released on all digital stores and streaming platforms on Friday April 9 and is available at http://ffm.to/bison_BA.
For more information, please go to Bison's FACEBOOK page.
