Citing such influences as Kiss It Goodbye, Acme, and Drowningman, Axis create a sound that often teeters on the edge of complete chaos. The metallic hardcore outfit's latest album, Shift, recently arrived in stores, and fellow music outlets like Punk News ("A face smasher..."), Cvlt Nation ("A heavy hit of raging hardcore..."), and Metal Sucks ("Their sound is white-hot fire...") to shower it with high praise.
In this piece, the four musicians of Axis each reveal one of their most unlikely musical influences. After listening to Shift, it's no surprise that these dudes have great taste.
Patrick Chumley (guitar): Venetian Snares
"This was one of the first electronic artists I was exposed to when I started to really get into music as a whole. His output is so prolific and varied that I feel like there's an album for whatever mood I'm in. I love Rossz Csillag Alatt Született with all my heart and it's a terrific example of musical composition leaning on contrast. It's controlled chaos."
Tommy Cantwell (drums): Land of Talk
"Everything about this band is incredible and the drumming on Cloak and Cipher, especially, has had a huge impact on my approach to writing drum parts."
Dylan Downey (guitar, vocals): Brian Reitzell
"I don’t really use scores or soundtracks for inspiration, but his work on Hannibal is incredible. Mostly for creativity in general, but specifically because of how good he is at placing horrifying brain melting sounds and beautiful sounds in the same context without sounding confused. Partially responsible for the ending of “Parasitic Eye.” Super-weird percussive choices too, which I love."
Tyler Forsythe (bass): The Strokes
"They’re one of the only bands who’s career I have followed since the release of their first record in 2001 [Is This It], right as I was really getting into music and becoming a musician. There aren’t many bands I’ve loved for 16+ years."
Tagged: axis hardcore band
