Boston’s Fat Randy returns today, April 9, with “Dry Mouth,” a compact, three-minute gut-punch that stretches their post hardcore infused noise rock lineage even further toward the outer edges.
The track was recorded and mixed by David Minehan (The Replacements, The Neighborhoods) at Woolly Mammoth Sound in Waltham, MA, and serves as the band’s first release of 2025—marking the start of a string of singles that will lead up to a new EP later this year and a full-length in 2026.
Sonically, “Dry Mouth” finds the band weaving jagged Converge-style riffs with Korn-weighted grooves, only to erupt into a flash of Kerry King-level whammy bar drama. It’s brief but meticulous, locking in chaos with enough restraint to let the ugliness breathe.
Lyrically, frontman Stephen Friedland focuses on the role alcohol has played in shaping his experience of adulthood. “The older I get, the more socializing becomes a precious currency, and there was an extended period of time where I felt I could only trade in it appropriately if I was drinking and free to be less of myself,” he explains. “I imagined the logical endpoint of that theory being alcoholism, and I never really cared too much about or relied on alcohol to that point, so I was wowed and almost morbidly proud of my depressive creativity.”
This kind of emotional excavation is typical for Fat Randy, who—now entering their tenth year—have shifted musically and personally in ways that reflect a long, deliberate evolution. “We started this journey with avant-garde and jazz-punk leanings, having been influenced by the absurdity of Mr. Bungle as much as the technicality of math rock groups like Tera Melos and Hella,” they explain.
Over time, metal and hardcore influences have filtered deeper into their songwriting, pushing them into heavier, noisier territory. “You could trace a direct lineage from the music we write now back to bands like Converge, Botch, the Melvins, and Chat Pile.” But the evolution has extended beyond sound—“Even our personal lives, too, have changed dramatically as we’ve gotten married, bought houses, made brief international moves, and started having kids.”
View this post on Instagram
What hasn’t changed is their grounding in New England, both physically and artistically. “Since our inception 10 years ago, this has been our homebase, and it would be remiss of us not to recognize the regional music community as an endless source of inspiration.” They credit this scene with helping shape their perspective as they navigated personal transitions and musical shifts.
“We have met so many musicians in this scene that are taking truly unique approaches to the genres of hardcore and punk, while still expressing themselves in a wholly authentic way.” Despite their own stylistic detours, they’ve found alignment in the region’s shared ethos. “Our goal as songwriters has always been to write music that subverts traditional musical genres and it’s been a privilege to participate in a scene with so many that share a similar vision.”
View this post on Instagram
Fat Randy see this resistance to expectation as more than artistic—it’s cultural. “Perhaps this stubborn defiance against artistic expectations appeals to us as some kind of manifestation of our cold, New England standoff-ishness.” For them, it’s a source of pride. “We’re grateful for it and better off because of it.” As they put it, “we feel that we’re currently writing the best material that we’ve created as a band yet and the relationships that we’ve fostered in this scene have been an indispensable facet of our journey.”
The impact of that scene is both broad and specific. Bands like Doom Beach, Jiddo, Space Camp, Intercourse, and I Have No Mouth aren’t just musical reference points—they’re peers who embody the experimentation and sincerity that define the local ethos.
Venues, too, play a defining role. Moon Base One in Salem, founded by the DIY collective MOON, is praised for increasing accessibility to the underground. “Giving new musicians a space to develop the skills needed to navigate the local music scene will keep the scene thriving for years to come,” the band writes. And for sheer historical weight, it’s O’Brien’s Pub in Allston. “Ask any musician around here about where they can find a grindcore show on a Tuesday night and we’re certain the first words out of their mouth will be ‘O’Brien’s Pub.’” It’s the kind of place they’d defend with pitchforks if needed.
Upcoming shows:
04/09 – Deep Cuts – Medford, MA
06/19 – O’Brien’s Pub – Allston, MA
View this post on Instagram
Here’s a closer look at the bands and venues that, according to Fat Randy, have shaped their sound and ethos over the years—each one playing a distinct role in the ongoing story of the New England underground.
Doom Beach
We have been longtime fans of Doom Beach. With scathing riffs soaked in distortion, layered over unrelenting percussion, they create a crushing atmosphere of adrenaline-filled noise rock that keeps pulling us back in.
The piercing textures that emerge from their competing layers of feedback and noise are utilized masterfully to evoke a visceral sense of foreboding without a single note needing to be played. Listening to Doom Beach is an act of catharsis and we recommend you do it at the loudest volume possible.
Jiddo
It is undeniable that Jiddo brings a serious energy to the hardcore scene of New England. The dynamism and power that they channel make an immediate impression, letting everyone know that they are a force to be reckoned with. Even after multiple listens, hearing the first bars of their track “PTSD” never fails to reawaken a feeling of youthful restfulness, the kind where you want to quit your job, break some shit, and try to convince all your friends to start a commune in the mountains of Vermont.
And despite their high intensity operation, they still have the capacity to return that energy to the local scene. With their consistent and genuine enthusiasm for the others in the community, no other band exemplifies DIY ethics like Jiddo.
Space Camp
Comparing Space Camp to anyone else to provide you with a point of reference would not only be near impossible, but it would cheapen the genuinely unique style they’ve developed. The band that Space Camp is most like is Space Camp. The combination of hardcore, punk, electronic music, noise, and orchestra played by a duo that has not one guitar player is a breath of fresh air. Rather than mitigate the chaos that is bound to occur with the melding of all these elements, Space Camp lets it roam free, handling it with precise intentionality.
Intercourse
Something that we frequently quote at each other are the first few lines from Intercourse’s album Everything is Pornography When You’ve Got An Imagination: “When I was 14 years old I was sitting in front of the mall eating one of those hot dogs wrapped in a pretzel, some older kids came by and laughed at me. So now I don’t eat hot dogs in public anymore.” It’s such a perfect expression of the absurdity of having to carry deep-seated insecurities into adulthood as a result of being bullied for doing something as innocuous as eating a pretzel-wrapped hotdog.
Throughout their discography, Intercourse confronts meatier topics, like drug abuse, sex, and political violence with the same chaotic, deranged delivery that really resonates with us. We naturally gravitate towards humor as a mechanism to cope with the general turmoil in life ourselves. So, when Intercourse punctuates a song about fascism or suicide with a dick joke, we get it. The reality of the situation might be too much to bear without it.
I Have No Mouth
Among the bands fueling resurgence of 90’s screamo/emotional hardcore, I Have No Mouth is, without a doubt, front and center. Making an explosive entrance onto the scene, they went from playing their first show to opening up for legendary bands Orchid and Thou within their first year. It’s no surprise to us that they’ve had such quick success, though.
Each one of their live performances is played with a raw, uncompromising passion that can captivate an entire crowd. And they truly do deserve your entire attention – not only are they wonderfully talented musicians, but they clearly put everything they have into their performances.
We have performed at and patronized more local dive bars and beer-stained venues than we’re ready to acknowledge at the moment, but there are two that stand out as cornerstones of our scene:
O’Brien’s Pub
Based in Allston, MA, O’Brien’s Pub is a household name in the greater Boston area. Ask any musician around here about where they can find a grindcore show on a Tuesday night and we’re certain the first words out of their mouth will be “O’Brien’s Pub”.
Promoting shows seven days a week and hosting everything from shoegaze to country rock to powerviolence, O’Brien’s Pub is an indispensable asset to the music community. I truly believe that if anyone tried to bring any amount of harm to O’Brien’s Pub, mobs would tirelessly hunt them down through the streets of Allston and I would be there, pitchfork in hand.
Moon Base One
Although relatively new to the scene, Moon Base One is the culmination of years of hard work by members of MOON (Music Organizers of North Shore), who have all booked countless shows and festivals in the Greater Salem area.
Moon Base One is an all ages, non-profit venue based in Salem, MA that operates on DIY principles, with the goal of increasing accessibility to the underground music scene. There are, unfortunately, few venues that make a sincere effort to improve the accessibility of their space, so the work that MOON is doing is absolutely essential.
Giving new musicians a space to develop the skills needed to navigate the local music scene will keep the scene thriving for years to come. We have had the pleasure of working with MOON on a number of occasions and their dedication to the community shines through in everything they do.
