I recently had some time to chat with Sydney’s newest metalcore band, Small Gods about their second single and video clip for Razor Grinder.
What exactly is a Razor Grinder? Can you tell us a little bit about the meaning behind the song?
Eric: Razor Grinder’s lyrics begin with the sudden end of a decade long relationship and the realisation it had been holding me back, causing me to resent the person I had become. It then tells the story of how it gave me the freedom to become a better version of myself. The core message is about finding opportunity in loss and salvation through growth. The song name comes from the Razor Grinder species of cicada. It felt like a perfect analogy as it spends years living under the dirt before it emerges, unfolds its wings and becomes its most perfect form.
What was it like recording the band’s first video clip?
Stevo: As someone who is very camera shy and had never recorded a video, I think that oddly enough the last minute change in venue due to the unexpected alarms in the original complex we booked, followed by the subsequent caffeine dosage to compensate for fatigue left me in a good place to record. The focus was mostly then on just ‘getting it done’ so I could drive home at a reasonable hour.
Scotty: I’ve been involved in quite a few music videos at this point and took the co-pilot’s seat with the director in getting everything to happen, which was a monumental task. Every video has obstacles that have to be overcome one way or another, and I went in bracing for what it might be – and as much as it swerved us at the time, everyone came together to find solutions and within an hour, we were in a better location with a lot more flexibility for what was required. That said, it was no-one else’s fault than my own that I felt woefully underprepared for the actual performance aspect when my time came – I’d spent all that time worrying about everyone else!
Quite a few of you are multi-instrumentalists and also in a few other bands – how did you guys meet and how did the band come together?
Eric: We’ve all been close friends for 10+ years with some of us having played in other bands together. Everything started back in 2020 when I was playing guitar and writing the bulk of the songs with help from Stevo on bass. Scotty had been doing ghost writing and producing bands around Sydney and offered his services after I showed him what we’d been working on. I had also taken up singing lessons for fun which eventually caused me to lose enthusiasm for guitar.
It ended up being a blessing as Stevo took the lead on songwriting and he was coming up with better ideas than anything I had written previously. I eventually took over vocals as my skills were beginning to develop and we had been unsuccessful in finding the right person for the role. We then reached out to Dan, who is by far one of the most competent guitarists we know, to join which allowed us to achieve our ambitions for the songs we’d been writing. By the time we recorded our first single the working relationship we had with Scotty had evolved to the point he was contributing as much as a full time member and he was enjoying it so much that he decided to join…also we may have peer pressured him a little into joining too.
For those who havent checked out small gods yet, what’s the bands vibe and why should they follow you?
Stevo: In terms of music, I’d say if you want to hear some metalcore written by people with a Mick Gordon obsession, zero maturity and a level of humour that can only be built on the foundations of millennial existential dread, we’re your guys.
Scotty: We’re all close friends outside of the band, and I feel that reflects in our creative chemistry, and absolute bonkers shitposts.
We very much take the approach to the creation of our music seriously – it’s an odd balance to try and describe out of context, but essentially it’s important to us that the process remains fun and upbeat, with the result being the only thing we all collectively take seriously. But there is a genuine, equal effort and intention from all four members and the people we choose to collaborate with, that our music and presentation is authentic, genuine, and the best version of itself possible.
Everything else outside of that, though, anything is free game. I think in response to how exhausting and all-consuming the songwriting / recording / mixing / mastering / video / release campaign can be, it’s important to blow off steam with some ridiculously stupid and funny social media stuff, that doesn’t come at the expense of the art.
The first two songs, Phobos & Razor Grinder have been killer, what can we expect next from the band?
Stevo: The next few tracks were demoed after I discovered metalcore that is not from 2009, so I am hoping something even better.
Scotty: I always have pushed for the mindset of being as open with our influences as possible – celebrating in them, not denying their existence. Having been around the block enough times at this stage, I know bands eventually settle into the groove of finding their unique voice and style, and we’re certainly working towards it.
Our combined love of Mick Gordon/the Doom soundtrack, combined with the modern metalcore influence of Architects, Spiritbox, The Devil Wears Prada etc is very much on display, and I love that, but I’m consciously always chasing that next level of songwriting that has that genuine emotional connection and impact. That (predominantly) comes with experience and confidence, and most importantly, genuinely having something to say and stories to tell.
You can listen to Razor Grinder and check out their video clip in the links below.
Video by @josephgmedia
Directed, produced and edited by Joseph Giuffrida
The Heavy Corner 