The genesis story behind Convent, a new band from Lansdale, Pennsylvania. "Late last year, I went to a local show that our vocalist Chris happened to be filling in on guitar for," begins guitarist Adam. "We’ve been friends since we were teenagers and have played shows together in our respective bands, but never had done a band together.
"After catching up, he suggested that we get together in his rehearsal space and see how things go. I would've started a hardcore band with him like 5 years ago had I known his screams were this sick!"
So, what stylistic direction did Adam and Chris take? The guitarist breaks it down: "At a very basic level, we describe ourselves as a hardcore band, although I suppose that’s more so the ethos rather than being a traditional-sounding one. Style-wise, I love bands who have cathartic and heavy performances not only sonically but emotionally, especially when that carries over into the artwork and merch.
"Sound-wise, I try to take bits and pieces from my favorite heavy music and meld them into one: industrial metal, nu metal, late 2000s/early 2010s metallic hardcore and metalcore, Swedish death ’n’ roll, etc."
Earlier this month, Convent released "Dirt Doesn't Need Luck," their debut single:
"It’s hard for me to quickly summarize the lyrics and meaning behind 'Dirt,'" Chris tells No Echo. "The song went through multiple revisions both musically and lyrically, so the initial inspiration behind it is still there, but it may have picked up a few things along the way. Overall, I tend to go over the top and get a little dramatic with some of the themes.
"I guess some of the inspiration came from a deep dive into the history of self-immolation and the protests they aligned with. It seemed more relevant than ever. I don’t think the lyrics reflect or are inspired by any particular event. I tend to make my own story, and in this case it is about oppression and the reaction of an individual hitting their breaking point."
Convent is currently working on new music and booking local shows, which brings us to the question of the health of their regional music scene. "There’s luckily always cool bands popping up in PA," Adam proudly states.
"My favorite Lansdale band right now is Westmain, but as far as heavier stuff goes lately I’ve been digging Beef and the new 156/Silence record. I can't mention Lansdale hardcore without CDC. And they haven’t been a band for a long time, but shoutout Agitator. They will always be my favorite Philly hardcore band."
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Convent on social media: Instagram
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