Band: Bite the Hand
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Their formation story:
(DJ Rancourt, guitar): "I moved to Phoenix in 2012 from Maine because I couldn’t keep my band at the time, Adversaries, moving forward. I was still meeting people here in AZ and going to shows and I met Echo, our vocalist, in 2015. We both come from a heavy music background playing in hardcore and metal bands but had a passion for the grunge era of the '90s and we started a former project to scratch that itch.
"We had a revolving door of musicians come and go but never really had the exact fit we were looking for and couldn’t find our sound or identity with constant flaky members. A couple years into that project and Echo said at one practice that she wanted to write a pissed off, minute-long hardcore punk song about abortion rights and it just came so together so naturally for us leaning into our hardcore roots but tying in some of what makes grunge special to us as well. I have hardcore riffs for days so we knew we had to find the right people to fill out the lineup.
"From that moment forward, we found our sonic identity that’s makes us, well us. This inspired us to change our name to Bite the Hand and enlist some members that would be able to capture that vision with us but also be willing to draw outside of the lines a little bit. We added Forest Walldorf on drums who has a heavy midwestern emo influence, Conner William who brings his love of modulated guitar leads and post punk guitar influences as lead guitarist, and Justynn Willingham who spent his time formerly in numerous punk and pop-punk bands in Detroit on bass."
Their sound in their own words:
"Like I said, we like to draw outside of the lines a little bit, but at our core we are a hardcore punk band. We pull in elements of post-punk, grunge, and emo from all of our diverse tastes and it all comes together as something that we love and get stoked about.
"Our main goal for this project was to turn up the energy while paying homage to everyone’s influences in this band. If you are into GEL, Drug Church, and Fleshwater, then we have something you can vibe with."
Latest release info:
"We just released an EP through Wiretap Records called Conned Out of Life that came out in August. It’s six songs that will show you exactly what we are all about. We’re a little sad, a little pissed off, but also on a mission to inspire change and unity to overcome the things that hold us back. That all comes through on this release where we touch on subjects like feeling alienated in a small town as someone with alternative views, not being forced into societal norms to stay your true self, and staying pissed off enough to put in the work to make positive changes a reality.
"The title, Conned Out of Life, serves as a reminder to us that we’ve all been force fed someone else’s bullshit at one time or another and you don’t have to accept the con that holds you back."
Future plans:
"We have done a few regional tours this year and one more weekender coming up towards the end of September. We are playing the Within These Walls festival pre-show in Mesa Az on 9/20 at the Nile Theatre with Beyond All Doubt, Beg For Life, Magnum Force, Pointbreak, Two Guns, and Overstand. 9/21 we’re at The Midnight Hour in San Fernando California with Sissyfit, False Witness, Last Man Standing, and our label mates, Shiiva. Then finishing the weekend on 9/22 at the Che Cafe in San Diego with Pacemaker, Out of Chaos, and Violuminescence.
"We have a couple more local shows to bring us through the end of the year but we’re planning a tour on the East Coast next May with our friends in Halo Bite. A lot more time in the van to come next year!"
What other bands from their region should we check our?
"The AZ scene is full of so many amazing bands right now. Check out Price of Life, Fortuna Malvada, Final Stance, Maldita Gente, Live Longer Burn Everything, Groin, and Skinticket just to name a few."
Bite the Hand on social media: Twitter | Instagram
Tagged: bite the hand
