Bible Belt are a new hardcore band out of Charlotte, North Carolina, but its members have been active in the city's DIY scene for more than a decade. Featuring members of Pretty Baby, Late Bloomer, and Mindvac, the four-piece consists of Mike Rice on vocals, Rusty Colton on guitar, Josh Robbins on bass, and Garrett Herzfeld on drums.
Rice first floated the idea to Colton and Herzfeld, with Robbins joining later to complete the group. Even with years spent in the same circles, Bible Belt is the first time most of these musicians have shared a band.
As heard on their newly released demo, Bible Belt’s sound leans into the abrasive, angular corners of hardcore, metalcore, punk, and noise rock, with a clear nod to the metallic hardcore that defined the ’90s and early 2000s. “I think most of us have a shared history and love for metalcore of the ’90s and early ’00s,” Robbins tells No Echo. “The angular riffs of bands like Deadguy and Botch are definitely a persistent influence.”
Coming up in North Carolina, Bible Belt’s members absorbed the legacy of bands like Prayer for Cleansing and Undying. Labels like Level Plane and Youth Attack also shaped their approach. “Lots of elements of hardcore, metalcore, skramz, punk, and noise rock are somewhere in there sonically,” Robbins adds.
In terms of lyrics, Rice draws from personal experience and the realities that shape the band’s surroundings. “The songs touch on subjects ranging from recent personal loss to the eternal drag of the cruel capitalist/Christian nationalist hellspace that we’re all unfortunately forced to exist in,” he says.
Charlotte itself is central to Bible Belt’s identity. The city isn’t tied to a single style of punk or hardcore, which Rice sees as a strength. “There’s a justifiably mocked local tagline here that goes, ‘Charlotte’s got a lot,’” he says. “Despite how cheesy that is, I do think it’s kinda true if you know where to look and you don’t limit yourself to just punk or hardcore.”
Rice notes a new wave of younger organizers putting on all-ages shows in unconventional spaces, especially as Charlotte’s dedicated venues have disappeared. He recommends checking out local acts like Patois Counselors, Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon, Coughing Dove, Jesus Is the Path to Heaven, Na$a.mp4, and Divine Right.
Right now, Bible Belt are focused on writing new material instead of filling up their calendar with shows. “We've been relatively sparse with shows as we write more songs,” Herzfeld says. “Eventually the plan would be to record another EP and play out a little more often in Charlotte and regionally.”
He also leaves No Echo readers with a request:
“Anyone know a cool second guitarist?”
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The Bible Belt demo is available on cassette via Self Aware Records.
Bible Belt on social media: Instagram
