Salt Lake City has always occupied a unique place in hardcore lore—isolated, intense, and often mythologized. In the early 2000s, few bands represented that world with more conviction than Cherem, the vegan straight edge outfit whose heavy sound and message left a lasting mark.
Though they never formally announced a breakup, the band’s activity slowed dramatically after 2007, when vocalist Bill French moved to New York City. Now, nearly two decades later, Cherem have quietly regrouped and released their first new song in years, “Whose Side Are You On?,” signaling a surprisingly energized return.
Cherem originally formed in late 2000 when Bill started the band with a couple of friends. Realizing two guitars would give them the heavier sound they wanted, they called Trevor Hale, who joined that winter. Their first show followed in January 2001, and after lineup changes—most notably Austin Kent joining in 2004—the band spent the next several years playing consistently and touring whenever possible.
Their driving purpose was clear: push a focused message about veganism and earth liberation at a time when those ideas had faded from the hardcore landscape, and do it with as much weight and intensity as possible.
Last week, I chatted with Trevor for No Echo and he told Earth Crisis and Undying were Cherem’s core influences, both musically and philosophically, though plenty of other elements seeped into their sound as the band evolved. Influences ranged from the obvious to the abstract—sometimes directly audible, other times simply a vibe they tried to channel.
Coming up in the Salt Lake City hardcore scene meant living with a reputation that was often blown out of proportion. "It did have that reputation, and sometimes it was warranted," the guitarist told me. "The thing that got me personally, was the more our local news and law enforcement kept pressing that straight edge was a gang, the more I started to believe that."
Luckily, traveling and playing outside Utah changed helped give Trevor a new perspective.
“The hardcore scene in Salt Lake was pretty much exclusively straight edge,” he said. “So when we toured and learned that isn’t the case anywhere else, it was eye-opening.” Even funnier were the wild, telephone-game versions of SLC straight edge stories they heard in other cities. Many were wildly inaccurate but so entertaining that Cherem never bothered correcting them. As Trevor joked, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”
During their initial run, Cherem stayed active—local shows every six weeks, short tours a few times a year, and one five-week outing that paired them with Remembering Never, Ed Gein, and Winds of Plague. Their closest comrades included fellow SLC band Aftermath of a Trainwreck, along with Gather, This Time Tomorrow, and The Dead Unknown.
Trevor looks back fondly on those years, often noting that hanging out with friends in unfamiliar cities was just as meaningful as playing the shows themselves.
When it comes to their recorded output, Trevor laughed at the idea of picking a “best” release. Listening to their 2003 debut album, In the Land of the Dead, now brings back memories of inexperience and rushed studio sessions—moments where the band simply didn’t have the time or confidence to refine things.
By the time they recorded the follow-up album three years later, We Are the Revolution, they were more prepared, more seasoned, and happier with the final product. Fittingly, the record included Cherem's cover of The Smiths' "Meat Is Murder" in the tracklisting. Live, Trevor told me that two songs reliably brought the room alive: “In Silence” and “Retribution,” both guaranteeing sing-along moments in any set.
Cherem’s unexpected reactivation began last summer, when Bill called Trevor with a handful of new song ideas. The two began meeting in a conference room with guitars, quietly shaping early drafts. They were soon introduced to Micah—“vegan, straight edge, and a drummer, which is increasingly rare,” Trevor said—who joined immediately.
They brought in Austin and Judge (from xforever warx), and the new lineup locked into place. Over the next months, the group wrote seven new songs, eventually deciding to record and release one of them without announcing anything publicly. The surprise unveiling of “Whose Side Are You On?” let fans discover their return organically, exactly how the band wanted it.
Cherem now heads back into the studio in March to record the remaining tracks. While full touring isn’t realistic—everyone’s juggling jobs and families—they hope to play some shows in 2026. And if someone wants to fly them overseas, the band is more than willing to entertain offers.
Trevor also praised the newer generation of vegan straight edge bands, calling out Moral Law, World of Pleasure, and the UK’s xapothecaryx among his current favorites. He’s genuinely excited about the state of hardcore today, noting how many strong bands and shows the scene has to offer.
READ MORE: Mushmouth/Out to Win Singer Chris Henzel on Their Original Run Together & PAHC History
For Cherem, returning is about purpose and camaraderie, not nostalgia. “We didn’t want to trot out the same ‘legacy band’ setlist every few years,” Trevor said. “We’re hoping people dig the rest of the new stuff as much as they seem to like ‘Whose Side Are You On?’”
More than anything, it’s about reconnecting with old friends and creating something meaningful again. “Making music with your friends is really fun,” he added, “and when there’s a deeper meaning behind it all, it makes it that much more special.”
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Cherem on social media: Instagram
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