Mutiny brings together a lineup with deep roots in punk and hardcore, including Efrem Schulz (Death by Stereo, Manic Hispanic, ex-Voodoo Glow Skulls), alongside Chris Campbell (Dissidente), Eric Fazzini (ex-Voodoo Glow Skulls), and Mike Cambra (Adolescents). Jeesh!
The project goes well beyond the usual band setup. Mutiny is part of a larger transmedia concept that also includes an original manga and a planned animated series, with the music and story developing alongside one another.
Mutiny's latest record, Shot to Hell, arrives October 16 through Say-10 Records, which is also backing the band’s full catalog. Attention vinyl heads: the first pressing will be a double LP, featuring English vocals on the first record and Japanese vocals on the second. Future pressings will revert to a single LP.
Ahead of the release, I spoke with Schulz and Campbell about how Mutiny came together, the influence of manga and anime, and how the project’s storyline shapes the music itself. Oh, I also got an early jump on a track from the new album called "Pecking Order" for readers to check out.
How far back do you go, and how did you first meet?
Efrem Schulz: I first met Eric at Resurrection Fest in Viveiro, Spain. We hit it off instantly—both Death by Stereo and Voodoo Glow Skulls were playing the same stage. Fast-forward a few years, and we both ended up in VGS together. It all just kind of fell into place.
Eric brought me out to Pittsburgh to sing on part of the first recordings, and I ended up doing way more than I thought I would. It just kept flowing from there.
Chris Campbell: I first met our saxophonist Eric when he hit me up to play on my band Dissidente's LP. The rest of that band wasn't too sure how a sax would work in a political hardcore band, but we vibed so well that we made plans to start something fresh.
When touring screeched to a halt during the pandemic, we had the time to pursue what would become Mutiny.
For someone who doesn't know much about manga, how would you describe it, and what influences did you bring into Mutiny?
Efrem: I'm new to the manga world myself. Chris and Eric have opened my eyes to this amazing, exciting, and creative universe.
The collision of music and manga is so interesting to me. I feel like it amplifies our creativity and lets us express ourselves through a character's eyes. The more we explore these characters, the more we're able to get into their “headspace” and truly express what they're trying to say. It gives us a great way to tell this story.
Chris: At this point, I think most people are familiar with anime. Manga are the Japanese comic books, usually printed in black and white, that those anime are adapted from.
All of Mutiny's songs and albums tie into an original manga that we're producing. I grew up watching anime like Mobile Suit Gundam, so our manga is a mecha story like that, but with a punk rock twist. Giant robots, cannibals, and grindcore.
Did you talk through the musical direction up front, or did the story guide what you were writing?
Efrem: The story's definitely guiding my vocals. Telling it this way, I've found that my frenetic, frantic vocal style really gets put to use.
There's such a wide spectrum of emotions and situations that using character voices while singing is key. It allows me be all over the place stylistically, which is where I'm most comfortable. I feel like I can really spread my wings and dive into more melodic vocal styles, too. I'm really proud of what we laid down, and I love that I can finally show different sides of my voice.
Chris: Because the story has certain plot points we need to hit for it to make sense, we get a lot of chances to play different styles of music to match those key moments.
On the upcoming album, we've got blast beats and funeral-dirge parts for the cannibal characters, and a full Western song for the characters beginning their quest. It makes for a really cinematic-sounding album that hangs together, but still lets us experiment with other genres.
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Shot to Hell will be out October 16 via Say-10 Records (preorder). The next single, "Semester Abroad," hits streaming outlets on September 25.
Mutiny on social media: Instagram
Tagged: adolescents, death by stereo, manic hispanic, mutiny, voodoo glow skulls
