Our latest Profile is further evidence that the heavy music scene in the Boston area just keeps getting stronger. Heavy groove/sludge metal group Karate Steve released Time Under Tension, their third album, back in October. This is one you’ll want to add to your list as you work back through 2025’s releases. Crushingly heavy and filled with one hammering riff after another, Time Under Tension marches along effortlessly. Take that jump to get a better sense of what I’m talking about and to learn a little more about what they’re up to. It’s a worthwhile ride, without a doubt.

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How and when did you first get into playing music, or metal more specifically, and how did your band get its start? Any pushback from family/those close to you?

We all began playing our respective instruments at a pretty early age. Like 5th grade or so. I think like most dudes our age, we started with all the 90’s stuff, and graduated to hardcore and metal as our skill sets allowed.

The band started when Ben put together a few demos and sent them to Earl in mid 2015. They had been in a death metal band called Splatter Effect previously, but hadn’t jammed together for a couple years. The first few “practices” we didn’t have a drummer and were rusty as fuck. We brought Robb in like a month or so in, because we wanted to have a second guitar player for guitar harmonies. Ben stumbled into the Waltham sports pub one night in 2015, and started talking shit to our original drummer Josh Hamwey about his Candiria shirt, and the rest is history.

How would you describe your band and what you play to someone who is completely in the dark?

Riff-intensive, non-formulaic heavy metal music.

Is there anything about your latest album or about your band that no one will find in any interview or review that you care to divulge?

I think it’s that we are all really close friends. We are in each other’s weddings, and have been there to field the occasional no questions asked 4 am phone call for one another. It’s as much a family as it is a band. That’s certainly not always the case, and we are grateful for our situation.

Any funny stories from playing shows / tours / festivals, etc?

When we played Austin a few years ago, Ben ate nothing but vegetables and beans for three straight days prior to our flight, specifically to blow up the air bnb with the most horrendous dump possible upon arrival. We had to leave for like four hours to let the place air out. Also, one time outside The Cantab in Cambridge, a lady traded Earl a crack rock for a cigarette.

What do you see as some of the great things happening in and around the metal scene (yours or just in general) and what are some of the worst things happening right now?

It’s great that the scene is more accepting of anyone and everyone now than it had been in the past. We are old enough to remember when hardcore kids didn’t go to metal shows and vice versa, that’s how closed off it was. As for negative stuff… not too much worth mentioning, certainly not in the context of how the rest of the world is doing right now. The only small issue that seems to be prevalent in all scenes is the gate keeping horseshit, but that’s always been the case to some extent.

Most folks have passions for a cause or causes that are close to them. What, if any, are some of the most important issues (social/political/humorous/etc.) for you / your band and how do you insert those issues into your music?

I think Karate Steve is actually more of a political band than we appear to be on the surface. We don’t give speeches on stage or any of that kind of shit, but lyrically we cover a lot of ground dealing with the things that anger all of us. Racism, bigotry, the state of the world as it is. It’s pretty fucking ugly out there, and I think we’ve all become so detached through screens and keyboards that we have no idea how to actually have a conversation about any of it anymore.

Do you have day jobs or hobbies you want to share?

Oh yeah we all have day jobs. Zach is an owner/operator at Taffeta Music Hall in Lowell, as well as an A/V Engineer. He’s also a pretty rabid outdoors dude. He makes bows and arrows from scratch and shit. Robb works in manufacturing and is also a Luthier. Him and Earl actually they both are. They worked for First Act Guitars when they were headquartered in Boston. Earl works in the liquor business and lifts weights like a goddamn wild buffalo. Ben is an A/V Field engineer. He’s also a pretty avid biker, and has spent a large majority of his life honing his beat making and hip-hop production skills.

What advice do you have for music critics and outlets out there? How can we all better serve the genre in the eyes of a hard-working musician?

Where it’s harder than ever to make any type of living doing this, I’d say focus more on community growth and artist spotlights than click bait tmz style stories. Offer resources for artists to speak to booking agents and labels. Help create lists of diy venues in every city so small touring bands can more easily reach them.

Any specific long term goal(s) in mind?

We are going to play the hell out of these new songs in front of as many people as we can over the next year, and then hopefully start writing another record.

When you’re not obsessing over your own material, what are some of your favorite albums to listen to currently?

We all listen to a pretty wide array of shit to be honest. Any and all things Kool Keith. Zach has been in to Ihsahn, The Armed, Fever Ray. Ben listens to 95% hip hop. Recents are the new Evidence, Your Old Droog, Mf Doom always. Robb has been jamming the 120 minutes Archive Playlist, which covers a lot of mutual ground for the band. Earl is a wildcard. Sometimes it’s 80’s glam Pantera, sometimes it’s Steve Reich. Shit it may even be the Conan soundtrack. We could go on and on.

What is the near future outlook for you or your band? Any specific events on the horizon that the masses should be aware of?

Keep grinding and playing shows. Maybe try to get a little better at social media, which is by far the worst part of being in a band. We will hopefully be playing some fly in Texas shows this winter, as well as some more regional weekenders to promote the new record. Definitely excited to write some more music sooner rather than later as well.

Summarize your band in one word.

Riffs.

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Many thanks to Karate Steve for the time!

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Time Under Tension is out now, and for more information on Karate Steve head over to Facebook or Instagram.