14th June, 2023
With it’s release last year, The Bones That Grew From Pain is a worthy follow up to 2021’s Cast You Out. How has it been received?
The reception has been fantastic across the board, we’re really pleased with how everything rolled out. The 3 music videos we released for the singles, Shrine of Wire, Compound and Fracture, and Static Abyss, gained us a lot of traction and hype in the weeks preceding the release, which saw us receive high praise and recognition from a handful of big-name publications. We still meet people at shows who tell us how much they love the album which is incredibly gratifying to hear, especially given it’s been almost a year since it was released.
What are some of your favourite moments on The Bones That Grew From Pain?
There’s too many to choose from! We’ve all got a bad habit of being unable to pick a favourite song or riff, but if I had to choose I’d probably be torn between the title track, and Compound and Fracture. They’re sonically quite different from one another, but personally they’re my favourite tracks in terms of both songwriting and lyrical content. I suppose they’re the most personal and emotionally driven songs for me. They’re exceptionally cathartic to play live too, and I always adore the response they receive.
Where do you get your inspiration from for your lyrics? What is your writing process?
Honestly I’m pretty rubbish at just sitting down and committing to writing a full song or fleshing out an idea when I tell myself to do so, I tend to jot down one-liners or themes I want to explore as they pop into my head whenever they do and build upon them from there. I definitely prefer writing lyrics to a song rather than on their own as cadence and phrasing is as important to me as the lyrics themselves, but I’m making the effort nowadays to push more into writing for the sake of it and learning
to adapt said work in the future as I need to. Inspiration thankfully comes easily enough, I’ve always tried to focus my lyrics around topics and issues that I connect with and experience, it feels disingenuous if I branch out into something that isn’t “me.”
How would you personally describe Nicolas Cage Fighter’s sound?
Heavy. I think we settled on metallic hardcore a while back but every time we try to pigeonhole ourselves with a label it’s never really a perfect fit. We try to draw influence from as many different styles of music as possible so even metallic hardcore feels off at times, but I suppose that’s the closest we can get.
How did you get the gig with NCF?
Justin (the guitar player) reached out to me to perform a fill-in spot when one of the staple venues in Ballarat, Karova Lounge, closed its doors and held a “metal night” show to honour all of the local bands that had been around for quite some time. We clicked really well early on, sharing similar interests, and having experienced the calamity that the show at Karova offered us, it was unanimous that we had to keep the ball rolling from there.
Why heavy music? What is it about this style and sound that attracts you to it?
Heavy music has always been the only type of music to really make me want to move. I think it’s one of those things that you either get it or you don’t, and if you do get it, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Particularly live as well, the energy is incomparable. The grooves, the technicality, the passion and attitude and aggression, heavy music is so multi-faceted and diverse that there’s always something new and unique to be discovered that will resonate with you, hit you in the chest and smack you in the face. I throw the term cathartic around a lot but I think it’s the most applicable for a reason.
How did you first discover and get into metal?
One of my best mates in high school introduced me to Bring Me The Horizon in year 7 or 8 when he showed me the Count Your Blessings album. I’d always enjoyed punk and rock having grown up on the Tony Hawks Pro Skater and Midnight Club soundtracks, but hearing deathcore / metalcore for the first time not only confused the life out of me but also caught my interest really quickly. I think I discovered about 30 or 40 different bands that year, I was hooked overnight.
Who were/ are your music heroes? Who inspired you to want to be a metal vocalist?
Mike Hranica from The Devil Wears Prada stands out for sure. They were one of the first bands I ever saw live (the second gig I’d ever gone to), and I remember halfway through while watching him thinking “fuck yeah, this is exactly what I want to be doing as soon as I possibly can.” I could really tell how much he fed off of the music and gave his all in his performance, that stuck with me ever since. I’ve always admired Nate Johnson’s and Jonathan Huber’s techniques though and I firmly believe they’re two of the best metal vocalists on the planet. Watching footage of them performing really prompted me to up the ante with how frequently I practiced, focused on expanding my repertoire.
Do you play any instruments?
Not enough. I’ve tried learning guitar and would love to pick up drums but I barely can find time in the day sometimes to practice vocals. I’m pretty uncoordinated as well, so what I do recall from the little time invested was hard going. I’ve tried learning piano recently for something different. It’s been a very slow process but I’m determined, if nothing else.
How did you learn to growl/ scream/ yell?
Experimentation. I was actually doing it improperly for about a year or so before I learned the fundamental of how I make “that” noise, and I did so by accident, ironically enough. The way I describe it is like a frustrated groan or sigh because that’s exactly how I learned it. I grew up with a penchant for doing covers and when I couldn’t imitate this one vocalist in particular, I recall just groaning and throwing my voice out as loud as I could and it just kind of clicked, almost like clearing your throat but without pushing or forcing. It’s hard to put it into words but that’s how I worked it out, and from there the focus has always been on refinement, getting consistency in the tone, and exploring new ways to project and manipulate it.
photo : @borden_photo
Were your parents supportive of your choice to be in a band?
100%. Mum came to that first show at Karova and afterwards she said something along the lines of “I couldn’t understand a bloody word you said, but I had an amazing time.” It’s definitely not the sort of thing that my parents really appreciate to the same level I do but I think they just appreciate seeing me put my passion into something that’s given back as much as it has.
How often do you get to practice with NCF?
We try to practise weekly, though we all work on different schedules and also practice on our own time so we’re not falling apart if a week or two slips here and there. We haven’t practiced as much recently thanks to the tour which kept us occupied for the last month and we’re in the process of writing now, so we’re directing our energy back into the creative process rather than keeping tabs on being 100% with our soon-to-be older material.
How are NCF songs conceived?
Guitar and drums pretty much always come first. Justin (guitar) and Matt (drums) have been playing and writing music together since they were young and they have this innate capacity to work together and flesh an idea out with ease. I’ll usually bring vocals into the fold once the foundation of a song is set out as I find it easier to write lyrics to a song. I find things flow better that way. Now that we have our new bass player Connor as well we’re starting to see how we all gel together from a writing point of view and so far things are going great, I think Connor is similar to me in a sense that he’s getting a feel for the direction of the songs that Justin and Matt put together and he’s adding his own flavour from there.
What artists, old or new, are you listening to currently?
Desolated has been my flavour of the month by a long margin. Guilt Trip too, I think that the UK hardcore scene is bringing some incredibly skilled bands into the limelight as of late, and I’m engrossed in it. I’ve been on a bit of an electronic music binge lately though, having run through a large portion of Deadmau5’s early albums as well as those from Pendulum and Rufus Du Sol. Variety is the spice of life after all.
What have been some of your most memorable shows with NCF?
We’ve played a couple of festivals in Adelaide that have been incredible, Froth and Fury for one was amazing. We played to well over 1000 people and it was an incredible experience. The first show we played in Ballarat 3 years after the Karova lounge show was pure insanity too, there was blood and chipped teeth throughout the whole venue, and there wasn’t a single person standing still. I think we’ll always cherish that gig.
Best and worst touring experiences?
Best – meeting someone for the first time and having them tell us that they really connect with our music. That will NEVER get old.
Worst – 1 star backpacker hostels. That got old in an instant, and will never be done again.
Who is your bucket list artist to tour with?
I’d love to tour or even just play a show with Nails. If you nitpick it, we’re probably not really the “correct” match for that branch of hardcore, but I’d be giddy like a kid in a candy store if I found out that was going to happen. Kublai Khan are definitely up there on the list as well, but I could probably pick 1000 bands to choose for this answer so I’ll leave it at those two for my personal favourites.
How do you warm up your voice before performing?
Lately I’ve picked up mongolian throat singing as a warmup, I find there’s a lot of crossover between how my vocal techniques work and how throat singing does and it seems to work well for me. I try to drink plenty of water throughout the day and talk as much as possible as well, singing along to songs in the car works a treat too.
Who do you reckon are some of the best vocalists in Australian metal scene, and the international metal scene?
In Australia you’ve got Dane Evans, Zac Bergholtz, Tom Drizners, Ethan Robinson and Jordan Dunbar that all come to mind instantly. All of those guys have some seriously powerful voices and deserve every bit of recognition. Bobak Rafiee is insane too, his voice is really abrasive. Internationally I think Dickie Allen, Marcus Jasak, Don Campan and Jonathan Huber have some of the biggest voices in the game. Phil Bozeman is an absolute machine as well.
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Make as much noise as possible, pace back and forth trying keeping my breathing slow and controlled, but most importantly, I stretch a lot more than I used to. That one always comes in handy the next day.
What’s the last show you saw that you weren’t playing at?
I went and watched Thy Art Is Murder alongside Whitechapel, Chelsea Grin, and Spite, for the “Decade Of Hate” tour when it came into Melbourne earlier in the year, and it was absolutely phenomenal. Seeing bands of that caliber perform back to back was mind-blowing and really reinforced the notion that practice makes perfect.
photo : Bryner
What do you do for work when you aren’t playing with NCF?
I’m a coordinator at a major retail electronics store; I basically teach people how to sell phone plans. There’s some days I love it and other days it does my head in, but I suppose any customer-service based role can do that to you.
Is it hard juggling being in NCF and having a day job?
Yes and no, committing to writing or being creative can be a slug if I’m particularly exhausted after a rough day, but I don’t think that jamming, recording or playing gigs will ever become an obstacle. It’s weird going on tour and coming back to normality though, it’s hard to stay motivated and focused at work when that polar opposite lifestyle is just around the corner.
What is your favourite subject matter to write about?
Internal struggles are always something I really take pride in writing lyrics about as I’ve always appreciated music on a deeper level if I can connect with something that a vocalist has written, and I love being able to do the same for others. It helps the music stay genuine, and I can channel that further into our live performance, which I like to think adds a certain charm to our shows.
Which NCF song are you most proud of?
It would have to be The Bones That Grew From Pain. It’s an absolute slog to perform live as I didn’t really leave myself much in the way of room to breath when writing it, but I think the chaotic and incessant delivery fits with the lyrical content quite well.
Which NCF song is your fave to play live?
Definitely The Bones That Grew From Pain again for sure. Even though it’s one of the most demanding songs in our setlist and catalogue of music, the satisfaction of getting through it is indescribable. I do love the crowd response we get in Dead Ends though, it’s tradition for us to call for mayhem prior to the breakdown at the very end of the song and watching the mosh pit go from 0 to 100 is a real treat.
What do you do in your free time?
Music, video games, more music, and lately a lot more doom-scrolling through social media than I’d like to admit. I’m exceptionally well versed in the art of procrastination so it’s not uncommon for me to completely waste my evenings away flooding my dopamine receptors with utter trite, but a break from my own personal endeavours outside of work never goes astray, or at least that’s what I tell myself so I don’t feel so guilty for falling behind on the deadlines I set myself when it comes to music.
What new bands should people check out that deserve some recognition?
Bifurcation from Adelaide has me hooked lately, their live performance is insane and their music is super heavy. Alchemy from Sydney fit that bill too. Shokan and Vilify are some killer up and coming hardcore outfits we’ve been lucky enough to play a bunch of gigs with and both bands are full of wonderful human beings. All of us love and support the boys in Relapse from Adelaide too, but I’d also love to shout out Slowburn from Melbourne, if you haven’t already.
Thoughts on U18 venues/gigs?
I wish there was more around. It sucks that there are so many additional overheads and expenses to consider when it comes to hosting shows that are either U18 or AA. I understand why they’re harder to coordinate and more expensive to run, but I would have missed out on a solid 3 or 4 years worth of festivals and gigs without those kinds of shows and I lament the idea that there are kids out there who do. They’re an essential part of keeping the scene and community accessible to the younger crowd. I hope that it becomes easier and / or less of a substantial outlay to run underage and AA shows so that they can become more commonplace.
Cats – lovable family members or Satan’s spawn?
Yes. Both. My cat is an idiot and does my head in on a daily basis, and I love her to bits. It’d be nice if she’d stop destroying the couch though.
What does 2023 have in store for NCF, and Nicholas Moriarty?
Heaps of fresh riffs and huge breakdowns, more gigs and tours, new mates and unique experiences. NCF is stronger than ever, and I’m confident that this next album is going to catapult us towards some huge opportunities and bucket list milestones.
There’s no brakes on this train…
photo : Samuel Phillips Photography
Nick Moriarty : @thenicotineman
Nicolas Cage Fighter : @nicolascagefighter