Broadening Your Horizons: On Gannon's New Single "Iceberg" and Their Upcoming Ep 'Cerulean'
Sometimes it takes doing something on your own to realize there is a bigger vision at play. That magic always starts somewhere unlikely when it comes to the most talented of bands, and Gannon is one of them. Having started from the simple task of bringing others in to finish creating a professional portfolio, the New England Metalcore/Djent band manifested into something else entirely.
While this idea fully grounded the vision of what Gannon would become, this would also breathe life into another concept that often gets lost in the making of a single or a record: going with the flow. While many acts focus on centering themselves with creating an individual sound, Gannon doesn't concern themselves with these finite details. With "Iceberg," Gannon has created a multi-instrumental gateway into the genre. "Iceberg" is something that attempts to open doors instrumentally while lyrically opening windows to the soul at the same time all in one sitting. Using a myriad of styles and lyrical fortitude to talk about depression and the journey through such obstacles, Gannon is only just beginning to show the footprint they will leave in the current scene.
Though Gannon is as new as they come when it comes to bands in the metalcore genre, their approach to the medium shows leagues of experience that go beyond the scope of a typical starting band. Gannon shows new bands often need that second glance, from bringing in multiple instrumental paths and audiences with their sound to their self-aware and keen sense of lyrical depth, this is only the beginning of an exciting new story for this band. Gannon talks with Scene Daddy about the new single, their upcoming EP Cerulean, and their journey that would ultimately lead to the impressive sound you hear today.
How did Gannon get started? What was going on with you guys in the scene at the time that made you want to start this band?
Dave Gannon: “Around 2017-2018, I was trying to build my recording/producing portfolio and thought it would be a good idea to start a new band where I was writing instrumentals and having whoever I could get in the New England metal scene to hop on a track and do vocals.
We still have tons and tons of new songs coming out with features, but we’ve just recently started to try and feature the band members you’d see live at the show into the mix which has helped the group feel more like a family”
What are your music influences? How did they make their way into your newest single " Iceberg?"
Dan Carroll: “As I was learning guitar in high school I listened to a lot of skate punk and post hardcore. Some of that has always stuck in my songwriting. I wrote the original instrumental for “Iceberg” back in 2012, so it kind of sounds like the playlists I’d listen to filled with Parkway Drive, August Burns Red, The Ghost Inside, etc.”
Let’s talk about "Iceberg." It seems like there is quite a bit of a backstory there. What was going on at the time when you were writing this single? I know it's pretty vast instrumentally, but underneath it's lyrically melancholic given the subject matter.
Dan C: “Lyrically I tend to write pretty melancholic stuff. I think in this case I was just looking back at how tumultuous my 20’s felt and was reflecting on some low points and what it took to come out of them.”
What was the recording process like for "Iceberg?" How do you feel it differs from the others you have released before this?
Dave G: “ It’s normally been just me writing instrumentals. After being in a band with Dan C. for a short time, it became very clear he’s a superior guitarist and a great song writer. This is the first Gannon song where Dan took the reins on writing riffs/lyrics while I helped with producing and song structure. I think our minds combined help to make these newer songs that much better than the older ones”
Dan C: “Yeah I think Dave and I have that writing “mojo” when we work together. Even when we’re working on something and he feels like its more of a “me” song, his input is crucial in shaping how it comes out. Sometimes I just need him to write a Slipknot inspired drum part for me to say “no” to.”
I know like many other bands at the moment, you guys are new to the scene, but do you feel you are bringing to the table that makes you stand out in the current scene?
Dave G: “I think a lot of bands try to create an identity and take that to a point where they pigeonhole themselves into a specific sound. For ‘Iceberg’ we made this song into a multi-passage journey through a lot of our influences. It’s cool because we’re getting love from newer audiences that wouldn’t normally give us a shot.
On the other hand, we see listeners that appeal to one aspect of part of ‘Iceberg’ while rejecting others. We try to laugh that stuff off because at the end of the day we’re all entitled to our own opinions and Gannon is just writing the songs we wanna write.”
In a sea of bands with passion just like yours trying to reach the same goals, does that amount of talent feel at times daunting, or does that warrant a different kind of energy when you're sitting down to write and record?
Dave G: “Not really. We’re just doing our own thing and not thinking too hard about the outside world. In 2020 Dan and I were in a position where we could create mountains of content. Now we have it stockpiled and in queue for whenever it makes sense to release a single or EP. Even now, when it doesn’t even make sense for us to worry about writing more songs, we’re still writing in the background of all of our other active projects”
Dan C: “I would say the sheer QUALITY of some talent out there can make reaching goals feel daunting. That always pushes me more as we’re writing our next demo. I can honestly say I feel really good about the releases we have scheduled out for this year.”
What do you want people to take from this release that wasn't available in your previous releases? What has this also meant to you?
Dan C: “Just awareness to how messed up depression can be. It’s a journey and people are just trying to get through it. To those who are going through it, you’re not alone. It’s gonna be ok in the long run, just don’t give up. There’s no shame in taking care of yourself”
What is next for you guys this year?
Dave G: “We’ve got two EP’s in the queue for release this year. We’re going to be dropping singles from these EP’s throughout the year. ‘Iceberg’ is part of our Cerulean EP; the full EP will be out soon. We’re just dropping a song at a time right now, analyzing the results, and changing up our approach for the following single (and so on) as we go. The Cerulean EP is a collection of the more upbeat metalcore songs we wrote in 2020. The following EP will contrast that, and will hopefully appeal to the fans that are into the heavier metal sub-genres”
Listen to their new single "Iceberg" down below!