Denver, Colorado has been doing well in the past couple of years, and with its current diverse lineup of crossover bands mixing up their metal, punk and hardcore influences, despite some commentaries that strict hardcore scene is practically nonexistent here, we rather get the image that it’s bursting with an array of independent talent and it has reached the vital point where different styles of the genre collide. There’s still a lot ahead of it, but it’s great to see more and more bands from the area, including our recent guests FATHERS, FAIM, and other local bands like BLOOD LOSS, MUSCLE BEACH, or RAW BREED.
We love to connect with artists from places far from other major cities and today we’re giving you one of the newest additions to the local landscape of Denver’s punk scene, sludgy hardcore band CHEW THRU! Check out our quick interview, learn more about their crew and find more local bands recommended by the band below!
Who are you guys? Are you all based in Denver? What other bands have you part of been before CHEW THRU?
We are Chew Thru. A brand new, Denver- based sludgy motivational hardcore band. I’m the singer/lyricist, Matt Lamoureaux (formerly The Lurchers, Hidden Powers). Me and the bass player, Matt Rinehart (formerly Assisted Suicide Assembly, Dead for Denver), are both Denver natives. I played in my first band, EOS, with him 20 years ago. We were destined do something again. Tom Di Cosola (formerly Noberlin, The Bogarts) is the guitar player/song writer. He’s from Chicago. On drums, we have the amazing Bill Jenkins from Miami (formerly Dissever, Apple Cocks).
Why CHEW THRU?
I came up with the name, Chew Thru, after my dog ate part of my shoe. I wrote “Chewed Thu” on the wall where it happened and thought it looked cool. I brought it up as a band name and everyone liked it, but we shortened it to CHEW THRU for more simplicity and uniformity. Now it means – get through barriers by any means.
Give us a quick rundown about each and every track from your debut EP. What inspires your lyrical content?
Shithole Country – Tom wanted to name the band “Shithole Countries,” but I thought it sounded like a better song title. He had this song idea with a hooky chorus that seemed perfect for it. I thought it’d be cool to make it about the US government, brainless and manipulated Americans, with a dose of Manifest Destiny to bring some history to what this flag really stands for to us. America, the murderers and takers. Owned by major corporations like Big Oil and Big Pharma. We were born in this beautiful place, but the government makes us look so ugly.
Find Your Line – Our first one-minute banger. Short, fast and to the point. Lyrically, this is an attempt to motivate myself (and hopefully others) to conquer new challenges and see my true path. It might be thru walls and over fences, but if you really want something, you have to fight all odds to further your true line thru time.
Heavy Hands – The title track. Another example of motivational hardcore, but with a slower and sludgier vibe. The definition of Chew Thru so far. Turn into a monster at night and smash barriers. Leave a legacy behind that’s so bright, others can see it like the sun.
Fake Smiles – The oddball of the EP, with a slower groove. I had just been laid off from my corporate design job at Kroger, but still had a few months before my last day. I wrote the words in my cubicle while on the clock. I felt so back-stabbed by the company I loved.
Drawbridge – Another short and sweet one. We never intended to put this on the EP because we had written it only a week prior to recording, but everyone thought it sounded too good. It has a thrash/punk crossover vibe that we hope to tap more into in the future. Tom wrote it on his acoustic guitar, and called it “Bridgemaster,” so in my attempt to keep the theme related, I wrote about a drawbridge. Basically meaning that I could be a bridge to let worthy people come thru, or I can be a wall to stop the toxic people from entering my life. But in the end, opening myself up the the whole universe and not just staying inside of myself all the time.
Will you be playing some gigs in the near future?
We just played our first gig a little over a week ago at Streets in Denver, and it went super good. We’re working on finalizing some more dates to hopefully fill up our 2020 calendar.
What other local bands would you recommend for our readers?
Some other local Denver bands I’d recommend are Muscle Beach, Clusterfux, Quits, The New Narrative, Lost Relics, Implied Risk, Hellgrammites and Fathers.
How was 2019 for you and your local scene and how do you imagine 2020?
For us, 2019 was great for birthing this beast we call CHEW THRU. The 4 of us together bring a force I haven’t seen before in past bands. It’s a machine, and things are happening fast. Hoping to make some waves here in Denver, but also touch the world with our sound. We recorded the EP in Bill’s basement ourselves in less than 2 hours, with every song live in one take. Things just seem to work out for us this way. Keeping every single thing DIY makes it so much more personal, too. Also, stoked to have the EP on Spotify, iTunes and about every other important platform. 2020 will bring lots of gigs and at least one more EP.
Your final words and message for the kids out there.
We’re very thankful to have this life to chew thru!
