“You don’t know fucking anything about making a record,” spat veteran hardcore punk producer Brian McTernan at End It guitarist Raymond Lee. That remark, Lee and drummer Chris “Gonz” Gonzalez recall, became the push they needed to lock in on their debut LP, a fierce slab of antagonistic rage and sonic confrontation called The Other Side of Heaven, out now on Flatspot Records.
Despite that harshness, Lee and Gonz laud McTernan for his sage experience and tough love-style molding. “Brian has so many good ideas when it comes to guitars… and drums… and bass. And vocals obviously,” says Gonz. “He knocked it out of the park.” He acknowledges that McTernan’s terse words and attitude were demanded by the situation. “We needed that push. I think with demoing stuff, he was enabling us … Eventually, we just had to buckle down. There was a point in time when it took us three or four days to track the drums. I almost threw my snare drum out the window,” he laughs. “I was ready to lose it. I remember for one of the fills in ‘Life Sublime,’ he said, ‘I don’t think you can do it. We should probably do something else.’” That piercing comment was the required catalyst. “I did it right there. It helped. He knows how to press our buttons. And it worked. He’s a smart guy.”
“(McTernan) kicked our ass,” admits Lee. “He is the man, though. He taught us a lot of life lessons and a lot of music lessons. We went in rather unprepared. And I think he thought that we would have a whole album written,” speculates Lee. “We didn’t,” he notes with a laugh. “He wanted to do the album so badly. We were fortunate that he’s a fan of ours. So, he said that he was willing to work with us and get us to where we need to be. He has a lot of patience, that’s for sure. There was a time when I was fighting him a lot, especially on guitar leads and undertones that go through the whole album. I would tell him, ‘That’s not what we do.'” And with a formidable recording and producing legacy, McTernan stoically responded, “You need to stop trying to cover yourselves. Experiment more.”
End It knew they wanted to do more.
Hailing from the city that bleeds—Baltimore, MD—the band channels the city’s grit into a sound defined by bounce and brevity. Gonz and Lee are led by the sardonic and charismatic Akil Godsey, whose signature shout and rhythmic rides relay unique lyrics and vocal pattern. All of it is then rounded out by the forceful basslines of Pat Martin. The past work of End It speaks for itself. Captivating and instigating, the band has engaged hardcore fans globally with poignant, confrontational lyrics and a visceral explosion each time they walk on stage. Tracks on The Other Side of Heaven range from thirty seconds to two minutes—whatever it takes to convey the message—boasting fifteen tracks in under 23 minutes.
“We didn’t intend to have fifteen songs; it just came out that way,” confesses Lee. “We went into the studio with seven or eight songs. We were ill-prepared for a full-length. By the end, it just turned out to be fifteen. It worked out. I’m really happy with it. We just had ideas, riffs. Chris and I fleshed them out and added drums to them.” He continues, “We wanted to tread into new territory. We wanted to give them End It, of course, because that’s what the people want. But at the same time, we wanted to lay the groundwork for us to start experimenting more, especially for future releases … to show a bunch of different sides of ourselves.”
The Other Side of Heaven employs tough riffs, pounding fast parts, and dirgy breakdowns. “Cloutbusting” is a dope example, with bouncing NYHC adoration a la Madball, Maximum Penalty, and Leeway. This is also heard on “Life Sublime” with an irregular beat and a middle part that injects some noise rock elements. The title track is an instrumental opener introducing the listener to the imminent melee. This is followed by the intensely blinding banger, “Pale Horse.” Quite notable is the thrashy quick slap of “Anti-Colonial.” The album’s solos never stay too long, but instead serve to add texture. End It still disperse two-step marathons and mid-paced tracks for those who dance. “Used 2 Be,” “Future Without a Past,” and “Optical Delusions” each command attention as the aural onslaught perseveres throughout the record. There’s never a dull moment emitting from the speakers.
The true test of their experimentation in the studio will be seen when the band debuts their songs into their upcoming live set. Preparing at the time of this interview for their set at This Is Hardcore Fest, Gonz proudly notes, “Friday, we are debuting the new songs. It’s our first time playing them live. We’re stoked.” End It then returns to the road for a six-week run. Gonz maps it out: “We go out on our first full US tour in September, but we start the tour supporting Superheaven. This band Soul Blind is on there that we’re friends with. It will be fun to tour with them. Then, we go right into our own tour, which Soul Blind jumps on with us. Ends of Sanity jumps in. Then Bracewar jumps in. Then Raw Brigade.”
End It will then open for Blink-182 and The Alkaline Trio in STL and KCMO. “We haven’t been to those cities in a while,” Gonz states, skipping over the enormity of those opportunities and audiences. Then he fully acknowledges the potential for them as a band and as individuals to relish this gigantic platform. “It’s unreal that we are playing those shows. It is our first time we will play arenas. Travis (Barker) is the one who put us on. He has been really supportive of End It. We did one of his 5k races that he does. I like to think that was our tryout. Each member picks bands they want to open. He was really pulling for us.”
The Other Side of Heaven and the subsequent touring will enhance the life of End It as they perpetually remain learning—from the studio to the road. Gonz revels in the opportunity. “We always come back with stories and new relationships and experiences.”
The Other Side of Heaven is out now and you can order it from Flatspot Records. Follow End It on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for future updates.
Cover photo by Kenny Savercool, all other photos by Kyle Bergfors
