No Life, originally from New Zealand/Aotearoa, have spent the past few years cooking up their sonic approach, melding metalcore and nu-metal while also incorporating electronic elements and influences.
Formed in 2021, No Life now calls Australia home. The band has steadily built a following across New Zealand and Australia, sharing stages with acts such as Silent Planet, While She Sleeps, Alpha Wolf, Make Them Suffer, Ocean Grove, Graphic Nature, and No Face No Case.
"I think in either country we’ve had to carve out our own path and try to set ourselves apart in any way, shape, or form,” vocalist Connor Dickson tells No Echo. “It hasn’t been easy, but the reward of being able to play in both countries, with people filling the rooms and singing our songs back to us, is truly worth it.”
Dickson points to their team's support, especially Tim and Greeny from Obsolete Music, as a key factor in helping No Life move forward. Since settling in Australia, the band has formed close ties with local bands like Deficit, LIAR, and Darkmatter from Western Australia. “We’ve built a number of good relationships and good friends here in AUS,” Dickson says, singling out Deficit’s Mac for helping him get established after the move. No Life now also shares a member with LIAR.
Their latest single, “Foulmouth,” builds on previous releases like “One Hitter” (featuring Aaron Matts and Luka Rozaka of ten56.) and “Obnoxious” with Emmure’s Frankie Palmeri.
While the song's lyrics are direct, Dickson notes they were not written with anyone specific in mind. “Not really, no. I was recovering from major knee surgery and was just quite bitter and hated everyone and everything,” he explains. “Maybe I was listening to too much Limp Bizkit when DJ wrote the instrumentals, but the lyrics kinda just flowed. I feel like most people can relate to the lyrics and feeling hard done by, especially by friends and peers.”
The nod to Limp Bizkit is intentional. “Emmure and Sworn In are big ones too, along with Linkin Park and Slipknot,” Dickson says of their influences. “We’re just trying to capture that nostalgia in our own way.”
No Life’s influences reach beyond heavy music. Dickson, who describes himself as a drum-and-bass fan, points to artists like The Prodigy, Duskee, DLR, and Wingz, as well as hip-hop acts such as ScHoolboy Q, Skepta, A$AP Rocky, and Kendrick Lamar.
These influences are showing up more clearly in No Life’s recent work. “We’re legit just out here trying to make club bangerz and hood classics,” Dickson says.
In October, No Life will tour Australia’s East Coast, joined by New Zealand bands Plague of the Fallen and Deadskin.
Asked what’s coming next, Dickson’s response is straightforward: “Music, music, music,” along with playing as many shows as possible.
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