Sometimes the right idea just needs time. For Dying Mind, what began as a side project many years ago has finally evolved into a full-fledged band with a new direction, a new lineup, and a crushing debut EP.
Vocalist Justin Hamm tells No Echo that the quartet originally started as an offshoot of guitarist Ryan's longtime band Holy Filth. "Dying Mind formed a decade ago as a side project for Ryan's band Holy Filth, which the former drummer Ethan and I were in at the time," Justin says. "It's been dormant for quite a while now."
That changed recently when Ryan decided it was time to resurrect the project with a different musical vision. He recruited bassist Anthony, drummer Scott, and Justin, and everyone immediately bought into the idea. "Ryan got at Anthony, Scott, and me in the interest of bringing it back and moving in a more death metal-oriented direction," Justin explains. "We were all on board."
While the band's foundation is rooted in death metal, Dying Mind isn't afraid to inject plenty of hardcore influence into the mix. "Death metal with mosh parts," Justin says simply. Among the band's biggest influences are Fuming Mouth's debut album, Harm's Way, Fatal Realm, and Cross of Disbelief, resulting in a sound that's equal parts crushing riffs, metallic aggression, and breakdown-heavy hardcore.
That approach comes to life on the band's recently released debut EP, Digging for Cerebral Mulch. "The whole thing came together really quickly," Justin says of the record's tracking sessions. "Ryan, Anthony, and Scott have a great flow when it comes to writing, so the EP was done in a matter of weeks."
For Justin, the experience stood out as one of the smoothest creative processes he's ever had. "It's no exaggeration when I say this was probably the easiest and most fun writing process I've experienced with a band. Lyrically, I just stuck to what I knew—horror movies and video games."
With the EP now out in the world, Dying Mind has no plans to slow down. "We're definitely playing more shows in and out of Maine," Justin says. "We're already writing new music. The reception for the EP has been great, and we're all stoked on keeping this moving forward."
Justin also points listeners toward several bands helping keep Maine's heavy music scene thriving, including Infernal Diatribe, Holy Filth, Free to Think, Stab, and fellow SVU Records artists Satiate, Mortar, Guillotine, and Last Embrace.
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Dying Mind on social media: Instagram
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