Every Second Counts might be a new name, but its members have deep roots in Winnipeg hardcore. Vocalist Andrew Sookram and guitarist Dan Forte go back over 20 years, first playing together in Aim For My Head. Back then, they were sharing bills with Figure Four, Comeback Kid, and local staples like Hollow Ground and Withdrawal.
Aim For My Head eventually ran its course as members moved on and life took over, but Sookram never lost the drive to play music. “Hardcore never left us, though, and neither did the itch to create,” Sookram tells No Echo. “A couple of years ago we got lucky and reconnected with some great friends and old bandmates to start it back up and get us playing again. We finally solidified the lineup a few months ago, right before heading into the studio for the first time ever.”
With Every Second Counts, Sookram handles vocals, Forte plays guitar, and Kyle Monkman and Jordan Heavysege handle bass and drums. Sookram cites bands like Bane, Have Heart, Comeback Kid, Verse, and Defeater as touchstones, with the group shifting between melody and heavier territory.
“Our sound is a mixture of hardcore styles and not confined to a singular approach. Some songs are straightforward, some are heavy and pummeling, some push boundaries, and some are melodic,” he explains. “All of them, however, share a desire for big energy with lots of gang vocals and sing-alongs.”
For their forthcoming debut EP, When the Heart Rots, When Seconds Count booked time at Winnipeg's Private Ear Studios, a spot known for recording Propagandhi, Comeback Kid, and Cancer Bats. “For 25 years, we've always wanted to record in a proper studio, and after seeing so many of our favorite releases being recorded at Private Ear Studios, we booked a couple days and did a bunch of demoing leading up to ensure we were efficient with those two days,” Sookram says.
Every Second Counts plans to release songs from the EP over the next few months. Upcoming shows include SOS Fest with Moneen and a November date with Protest the Hero. The band already has enough new material in the works to start thinking past the EP. “We almost have a full-length's worth of material, so that is our next goal,” Sookram says.
Back home, Sookram points to Winnipeg's still-active scene, naming Withdrawal, Meantime, Negative Charge, Commitment, Jug, Clipwing, Screaming at Traffic, and Death Cassette as bands to check out. “And of course the almighty Propagandhi and CBK,” he adds, “but I don't need to tell anyone that.”
***
Every Second Counts on social media: Instagram
Tagged: every second counts
