In Trenches

In Trenches burst onto the hardcore scene with a lot of hype. With a band that features prominent members of two of Australia's most successful hardcore/metal bands (I Killed The Prom Queen & Day Of Contempt ), it's not hard to see why.

We caught up with ex-IKTPQ guitarist Kevin Cameron to talk about the difference between In Trenches and his previous band and a whole lot more!

Could you please state your name and rank within In Trenches?

Kevin, guitar/songwriter

How did the band form and the name In Trenches come into existence?

The idea for the band started floating around about 2 years ago between myself, the vocalist Ben and our at the time drummer JJ while we were all touring together with our previous bands. With the intention of doing something fresh, matured and different for both ourselves and what bands are doing in this country, we started jamming every few weeks. Somehow we all lost focus after a few rehearsals though and the idea sat dormant for the next 6 months. Eventually Ben and I got tired of everyday life and decided to err, “pull our socks up” and put down a demo with The Abandonment drummer Joel, who then said he would like to stay on with us. Cut to about a year later and we have our mate Paul on bass and now Rob (also of The Abandonment) completing the lineup. As for the band name, there’s no story behind it at all, I’ve tried to think of some amazingly insightful metaphor or cryptic meaning to lie about when asked this but, nope. Nudda. Sorry!

While it is widely known that In Trenches features members of some of Australia’s most prominent hardcore and metal bands Relieve and Regret is not exactly comparable to any of these previous releases.  Was there a greater sense of freedom when writing now as opposed to before?

Definitely. When writing in my previous group, it was more democratic in that a lot of ideas were passed around between 3 of us when I hadn’t come up with the whole skeleton already.  The type of style was albeit accessable, not really my preference and uninfluenced. With this band, I had a pretty clear picture set out for what I wanted everything to be doing, the “mood” of the sound as well as trying to be as original as possible. Rather than emulating to please a fanbase the fresh start let me kind of just do my own thing and make a new blueprint rather than assembling from another. 

It seems to be the popular choice shop outside Australian shores when mixing and mastering but In Trenches chose to shop locally at Crystal Mastering.  What influenced this choice?

Its become pretty easy to gain that “larger than life” sound by going to an overseas team and spending a tonne of cash but this band is coming from a different tangent to the average run of the mills floating about. We wanted to just capture a raw, live feel with the CD and not rely on studio trickery and an over the top synthentic production, just keep it human. Ive lost a lot of interest in heavy music progressively because I see it becoming a stagnant, lifeless cashcow fuelled by internet hype and pretty merchandise with no heart behind it. Choosing to do the recording here and get that feel was my middle finger to all that really haha. Sounds so cheesy but hey, im not here to lie!

The debut album features some very unique artwork depicting several two headed animals.  Where did the inspiration for this design stem from?

The idea was totally from the artist, Sam Octigan (vocalist for Iron Mind). We were already a fan of his artwork but wanted something a bit more savage than his previous work. His explanation is that the 2 moons have morphed the featured animals into mutant versions of themselves, so where they essentially look the same in one way, theyre all visibly messed up and rabid in others. This is to coincide with how we wanted the albums mood to come across, while not being over the top and blatant in offensiveness, theres still that haunted, deranged, abrasive side of the human psyche really “put out there”.

What has the live response been like for Relive and Regret?

Its been positive, obviously we are new, we are frantic musically and not really the easiest band to digest on the first listen being that we don’t have 5 minutes of chug chugs and rock pace riffs so we never expect to have people flailing about, I mean some nights you have a real energetic crowd but generally we take the approach that we will put in as much as possible to get our “feel” across and make up for the rest of the room. Every band craps on about putting in 110% every night in interviews when (to me) its just a routined. Personally if I cant walk and im covered in gashes at the end of a tour I know ive really put in that extra.

We’re excited, its basically going to be 25 mates traveling the country doing their respective thing, and it’s a good mix bill something for everyone without it being some terrible screamo or deathcore thing. Hopefully it’ll give us the chance to play to a lot of new faces. As for the rest of the year, we have no plan, we’re staying humble and taking it as it comes, I just want to play as much as possible and then start writing the follow up.

Favourite Vegan meal on the road?

GREAT QUESTION. Every city has its own little goldmine of eat-in establishments, but in between cities and avoiding truck stop junk can be difficult. Generally stocking up at coles on marinated tofu and making sandwiches on the road is a win. Ps if your reading this go vegan 09

Easiest way to kill time between cities?

I just bought a footy for the next trip, so until that ends up on a roof, that!

This tour features a wide range of genres in the extreme music scene.  Do you prefer to be touring with bands that have are of a similar ilk, or those of a different nature to your own?

Both have their pro’s. On this one I suppose we could be seen as the heaviest but that’s not really a bad thing, maybe that might make us stand out as being that “weird band”. mixed bills are a lot more enjoyable to watch anyways, rather than 900 of the same thing over and over again.

In Trenches are have crash landed on an Island.  Who’s the first member to wig out and propose cannibalism?

Joel.

In touring terms, which is the hardest city to win over in Australia?

Well Melbourne and Sydney overage have been iffy, but in these early days everywhere is still in win-over mode for us!

Three Australian bands destroying at the moment?

Ire, Coerce, The Hollow

Thanks for your time!

In Trenches' debut album 'Relive & Regret' is out now via Stomp Records. To hear the band head to their Myspace page.