Florida hardcore outfit Zero Chill last appeared on No Echo a while back, and plenty has happened since then. There's been a lineup change, more shows and touring, and, judging by their new material, an increased desire to play fast as fuck.
Tomorrow, the band returns with We Can't Be Beaten, a new EP from High & Tight Records, an Orlando-based label responsible for recent releases by Curveball, Guess What, and Covenant.
Guitarist Mike Buege and vocalist Guy Gaffney caught me up on what's been happening with Zero Chill, the influences behind their increasingly "rippy" sound, the current state of Florida hardcore, and where they're headed next.
It's been a little while since we last featured you on No Echo. Catch me up on what's been happening with the band since then. Any lineup changes or other developments worth mentioning?
Guy Gaffney, vocals: Since we were last featured, our guitar player, Evan, relocated to Connecticut but still contributes to the band. Mike joined after Evan moved, and our friend Colby has pretty much become the seventh man, filling in on any instrument at any time.
Looking back at your earlier material and where the band is now, it's clear to me that you've gone in a "rippier" direction. Talk to me about that. Were there any particular influences or ideas that shaped these new songs?
Guy: I always wanted the band to be faster than what the demo originally was, and once Mike joined, we were able to spearhead that pretty quickly.
Bands like Scholastic Deth, Extortion, Coke Bust, Strike Distance, early Trash Talk, Sabertooth Zombie, Internal Affairs, and Know the Score pretty much make up what's always on Mike's and my minds when it comes to sound and influence.
As much as everyone loves to knock Florida, it's an undeniable hot spot for hardcore across many styles. What's your take on that, especially as someone who moved there from Los Angeles?
Mike Buege: Florida is sick. Most of the haters have never been here, and I'm OK with that because I don't want everyone coming here either. It's definitely a hot spot for hardcore across the board. The scene seems healthier here than it's been in years, and I can say that for the entire state.
We love playing Orlando and Tampa, of course, because that's where we're from. We love playing South Florida too, though, because those kids always show up and show out. Jacksonville is super strong right now, and our boy Rob Goodspeed reopened a great venue called The Handlebar in Pensacola.
Have there been any recent shows, tours, or other experiences with the band that really stand out to you? Anything especially memorable, strange, or funny is fair game.
Guy: Things that really stand out were playing Swampfest, Beach Stomp Fest, and our most recent Southeast run.
Swampfest is just insanity in the best way possible. Real-life Jackass-style stuff is just happening nonstop around you.
Beach Stomp Fest is an Oi!/punk/hardcore-adjacent fest put on by our buddy Skip. Playing that with Dark Thoughts, Bullshit Detector, No Time, Piston, False Front, and others was great.
This last weekender took us through Birmingham, Nashville, and Atlanta. A lot of us have good history in all of those cities, so it was great to go back as Zero Chill now.
What newer bands have been getting you excited lately, either in your local scene or elsewhere? Feel free to shout out anything you think No Echo readers should know about.
Guy & Mike: Remote Control, Obscured, No Friend of Mine, False Alarm, Guess What, Zero Mob, Soul on Fire, Barricade, Path of Destruction, Retaliation, Fragmentation, Twin Stacks, Greater Chance, Heartattack, Afterthought, Step 2 This, Strikeforce, Piston, Gavl, Repeat Offender, Get Wise, Wrecking Unit, Manifest X, Bad World, Bloodshed, Grief 22, Covenant, and we're sure there's more, but that's a damn good start.
What's next for the band? Is High & Tight going to be releasing more music from you? How about touring plans?
High & Tight Records will be forever. They're releasing our new EP, We Can't Be Beaten, on tape and CD.
In regard to touring, we recently did the Southeast run I mentioned previously. We'll also be going out to California in October to play LA and Berkeley with Bloodshed, Death Before Dishonor, and 100 Demons. Then we're working on planning a Northeast run after the start of the new year.
Anything else you want to add is fair game. Scene observations, stories, personal thoughts, shout-outs, or anything else that helps give readers a sense of where the band is right now.
"Shoutout Deez." —Jaydee
Florida is growing, and people are realizing again that it shouldn't be slept on (but we're full).
Shoutout High & Tight Records, Armageddon Records, The Coop Booking, Broken Lens Productions, Iconoclast Zine, Equinox Booking, Ethan Murphy & Back Forty Recordings, Chophouse Booking, SPoT, any hole in the wall that lets us have shows, Montgomery Drive, every band listed before, Florida Mind, Hertz Van Rentals, Foundation College Park, Daydream Records, and Nate & Conrad + SOS Booking.
Hardcore rules, O'Doyle rules, watch Eastbound & Down on repeat.
Zero Chill is here to stay for a while.
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We Can't Be Beaten is available on cassette and CD via High & Tight Records.
Zero Chill on social media: Instagram
Tagged: zero chill
