On their debut full-length, the lengthy titled ‘The Last Living Man Alive Ever In The History Of The World’, Head North show ambition through a complex but harmonious set of songs. Over the course of 16 songs, the quartet experiment taking in elements of indie and grunge rock. Songs such as ‘Stranger Sounds’ and ‘Hibernation Hymn’ are carried with heavenly charm, while ‘Pulse’ is a pinned down before crescendoing into a frenzied guitar solo. At its core, is the concept of a dystopian world where both God and love are forbidden.
It’s safe to say, Head North have evolved from the emo/pop-punk style of their earlier work. Nevertheless, they’ve not forgotten their roots. Hailing from Buffalo, New York, “The Queen City” is called home to many familiar names; Every Time I Die, Snapcase, Lemuria, Cannibal Corpse, and Pentimento. You may also know Buffalo for its spicy wings.
To tell us more about New York state’s second most populated city, we spoke to Head North bassist Alex Matos. He told us about its music scene, its influence and more.
The City:
We’re from Buffalo, New York, the people here are insanely resilient, it’s truly something else coming from that kind of environment.
Its People and Culture:
We’re known for our terrible weather and sports teams honestly. Most people from Buffalo are always willing to tell it like it is and get our point across, but we’re all super caring and willing to help each other out at the end of the day.
The Music It Inspires:
A lot of music coming out of Buffalo has a very positive outlook, despite having a harsh sound or even depressing overtones. We really have a “Never Say Die” attitude towards things at the root of it all.
The Local Music Scene:
Buffalo’s always had a great hardcore scene, and heavy music in general is just something that’s always been around and never lets up. There are a lot of incredible bands more in the indie/rock space too though. We’re an extremely diverse place in terms of both music and people; we have something for everyone if you know where to look.
Its Most Famous Musical Sons and Daughters:
The Goo Goo Dolls and Every Time I Die are the best bands on the planet, and they’re both from Buffalo. I don’t think anyone can really disagree with that.
Its Unsung Heroes:
There are so many people who work somewhat behind the scenes that are truly keeping things alive here. Producers like Jay Zubricky make every band that works with him sound the best they possibly can, as well as everyone that even
just comes out to shows to support the bands and venues.
The Bands To Watch Out For:
Listen to Post Prom, Previous Love, Bungler, and Burn Book, right now.
The Venues We Visited:
I used to LIVE at Town Ballroom, Xtreme-Wheels, and Mohawk Place in High School. every single weekend there was something going on at one of those venues. Each had an entirely different vibe and sound, a full sound 1,200 cap ballroom, a huge indoor skate park, and that shot little bar you’d never go into on your own, all vital in understanding the infrastructure that makes up the perfect show environment.
The Venues We Played:
We’ve played at The Waiting Room more times than I can count. We really learned how to be a band there, thanks to Dennis Ferry at After Dark, and the staff/security there.
The Influence Home Has on Our Songs:
Most of our music is about where we come from, and our experience in growing to who we are here. This city really shaped us.
‘The Last Living Man Alive Ever In The History Of The World’ by Head North is out now.
