Just last week, so-called "Hardcore Twitter" was buzzing about the release of "Only the Dead," the debut offering from Holy Blade. It's rare that a new band can rack up close to 20K YouTube views on their first music video in just a few days, but with the discographies the musicians in the Los Angeles-based outfit boasts, it's not all that surprising.
Collectively, guitarist/vocalist Alec Faber, bassist Mike Cesario, drummer Mac Miller, and guitarist Colin Young have played in such bands as God's Hate, Forced Order, Twitching Tongues, Cosmic Joke, and True Love.
I connected with Alec to get the story behind Holy Blade, the deep connection between its members, and the musical influences he explored on their forthcoming debut EP.
Firstly, tell me about your relationship with Colin and Mike. How did you all first meet, and how close are you all outside of playing music together throughout the years?
I’ve known Mike the longest. Forced Order and Freedom toured to and around Rainfest and FYA and we’ve been best buds ever since. He married one of my oldest friends and eventually joined True Love where we got to write a full length together.
Colin and I became friendly a bit before I moved to California just from touring and being in bands, but our friendship really blossomed when I finally did move out here. Outside of music, I think I still talk to both of them everyday. I’ve spent so much time with each of them we’re all just closer to being brothers than friends or bandmates.
What is the origin story behind Holy Blade. From what I gleaned online, it was actually gestating for a while?
It has been gestating for a while in the sense that that time also includes the life of another band. The first year of the pandemic I did a little creative exercise where I would just try to write and demo a song every day in a different style. Just to try and keep my creative wheels greased. I’m talking VFW mosh, electronic pop rock, indie rock, etc.
One of those songs turned into the Faith Alone demo (which I’m actually still really proud of). That band played a couple of shows and sort of fizzled out in less than a year.
I had a handful of songs for it that I had intended to be an EP that were sort of leaning toward the melodic inclinations of the demo and thought of combining them with another song that leaned heavy into melodic punk. I spent the next few months demoing everything out and workshopping it with Colin, who really wanted to do a band with our friend Mac (who sings in Cosmic Joke).
Outside of that it was really just a waiting game. I knew once the record was done I wanted to come out swinging and that takes a lot of time and patience.
The influence that comes across when you listen to the EP is clearly AFI. Was that the focus when you guys started talking about starting Holy Blade, doing something in that vein?
It was definitely a launching point. I think if you look back on those first two LPs after Jade joins the band, there’s a musicality he brings to their brand of melodic hardcore punk that was missing before him. They were still fast and aggressive, but there was a real sense that AFI was writing songs for the first time (in my opinion). I wanted that in Holy Blade.
What are some of the other influences that went into the stew?
From Faith Alone, we brought a crust punk influence. Every fast part on the EP is a d-beat, and that was really important to me. I took a lot of influence from From Ashes Rise, Tragedy and Death Side. Those bands could be so fast and aggressive while being catchy at the same time.
I’m also super influenced by early 2000s emo. Like, 'The Moon is Down' by Further Seems Forever is as important to me as a 'Cause for Alarm' in informing how I play guitar, especially in Holy Blade. I think that shines through in a lot of parts.
How did the songwriting process break down? Did you each contribute to the music side, and then you handled the lyrics?
I brought 100% completed demos to the band which then got retooled in little ways with input from everyone else.
Did you have a specific mindset/spirit you wanted to hone in on for Holy Blade’s lyrics?
There is no specific theme of the record, but if there was a spirit it would certainly be in the title of our intro, “Écrasez l'infâme”. It’s a Voltaire quote that means literally to crush the monster.
In context, Voltaire was referring to religious structures that maintain power over people through fear. Most of the songs on the record have to do with combating structures of authority, whether that be god, fatherhood, anxiety, or versions of yourself.
I didn’t even know Mac played drums! How did he come into the picture? I saw that Taylor will be subbing in for Mac on the first shows since he can’t make the dates.
Yeah, I didn’t know that either until we were starting to figure out the lineup. It’s funny, there are three drummers in the band, and none of us are probably playing the thing we should be.
You recorded with Taylor at The Pit, which seems like it would have been a forgone conclusion, based on your musical and personal connections. What did he bring to the EP in terms of the producer side of the experience, and was everything recorded in one block of sessions, or in spurts?
With me personally, he just knows how to get a performance out of me. He understands what I’m trying to say and what I want even if I can’t properly articulate it. Especially when it comes to the Tragedy or Japanese stuff, he just gets it.
We’ve spent so much time together in the van dissecting albums that I think he just knows what I want and how to get it. There will never be a music-related anything that I do that won’t involve Taylor in some way.
Tracking-wise it was almost all done at once. I think we did drums, guitar, and bass over two days. And then vocals over a few more days in the following weeks. There’s a few spots with some synths that were actually programmed by my younger brother Ryan who does an industrial band called Strange Skin.
Was tracking your vocals a nerve-wracking process? I ask since you’re usually just handling either guitar or bass duties in the bands you’ve played in.
I was nervous in the sense that I just didn’t know how to sing melodically over certain parts. I didn’t write the music with melodies in mind so that was a real struggle at first. I also just wasn’t sure how I wanted to sound.
I think there’s a demo where I put a Kid Dynamite/ Shook Ones style voice over it and it just didn’t work. I think I ended up just sounding like a more aggressive version of how I sound on the Nudie Mag stuff. I think, just like anything else, it’ll be a process of finding my voice as we put out more material.
What is the plan for Holy Blade in terms of being active on the road? Will you cherrypick your spots, doing weekenders and fests, or do you have bigger plans (full tours, etc.)?
I think the general consensus with the other guys is that we’re willing to take this as far as it’s able to go. The record hasn’t come out yet and we’ve already confirmed a handful of shows and festivals. That’s really exciting.
I think if the right bigger or longer tour comes along, we’re 100% open to that possibility. Thankfully, we have families and friends who are so supportive that we can keep doing the things that make us happy and fullfilled.
Do you see yourself ever slowing down when it comes to playing in bands, recording, and playing shows?
On some level I will never stop. That creative exercise I talked about before really was just for me. If I had one song I really liked I might share the demo with a friend, but so often just the act of making something is its own reward.
I’m probably one of the few people who prefers the writing and recording process to actually playing live, but I feel so lucky I get to do it all. I will for as long as I can.
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The self-titled Holy Blade EP will be out August 13th via Closed Casket Activities.
The band's first show will be August 18th @ The Midnight Hour in San Fernando, California along with God's Hate, Big Boy, Missing Link, ACxDC, Greenwitch, Extinguish, Heriditary, Human Garbage, Firestarter, and Takedown. They will also appear at FYA Fest in January 2025.
Holy Blade on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Official website
Tagged: forced order, freedom, god's hate, holy blade, true love, twitching tongues
