My friends, we have reached the end. Here is the final artist Profile of 2025. What does that mean exactly? Honestly, not much. I’m certain we’ll keep the party rolling into the new year. For now, however, let’s focus all of our attention on Tacoma, Washington-based thrash/crossover outfit Denial of Life. Their new EP, Witness The Power, dropped back in November through Creator-Destructor Records. This thing is ferocious – that perfect intersection of speed and weight – and when you consider their recent tours both in Europe and the U.S. it’s clear that momentum is high and there is a lot of good on the horizon for Denial of Life. Logan Miller (guitars) stepped in to answer our questions and introduce this project a little further. Give it a read and listen right after the jump!
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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?
I started playing in bands when I was about 16. Where I grew up there wasn’t a whole lot of musical culture so it took a while to crack into some musically creative circles. I started playing in punk / metal bands around 18 when I moved to Tacoma Washington. Denial of Life started around 2019-2020 when I approached Brenna about forming a band. I sent her “Behind the Realms of Madness” by Sacrilege and told her I wanted to do something that sounded like this. I wouldn’t say there was pushback from friends or family, but it definitely took gaining some success as a band before any of them took it seriously.
How would you describe your band and what you play to someone who is completely in the dark
I would describe Denial of Life as an aggressive heavy metal band following in the path laid out by the greats like Slayer and Sepultura. 80’s styled unrelenting riffing madness.
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?
We don’t really have any secrets, but we did do a lot of the writing for this record in the studio. Nicky had a lot of riffs that he had been sending back and forth to us, but for the most part, all the arranging and song structures happened in the studio. We didn’t play any of these songs live in our practice space unit after the record was done.
Any funny stories from playing shows / tours / festivals, etc?
We’ve definitely had some pretty crazy things happen to us while on tour. The most recent situation happened when we were on our most recent European tour — we were driving our van through Austria on our way to Nuremberg when we got pulled over around 9 AM. The cop said I was high and wouldn’t take no for answer, even though I was sober and passed all my roadside sobriety tests. They took my passport and told me I had to pay a 2,000 Euro fine, which I refused. They detained me and took me to the police station where they drew my blood and tried to force me to pay the 2k. I managed to leave the police station with my passport, only to get pulled over a few miles down the road by a lot more cops and border patrol agents. It got pretty dicey for a second, but we got out of there in time for our show in Nuremberg that night.
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?
I think a lot of bands that have come from DIY backgrounds that are getting a lot of mainstream and monetary success is fucking dope. Bands that have been grinding for years that are now selling out big venues and are selling crazy merch numbers. That to me is so sick. And people that are hating on bands like that are corny. You don’t have to like a band’s music, but respecting and celebrating their success is really important. In that same breath I feel like people and bands that are hating on other bands’ successes are not sick, and do nothing to help our scene.
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?
We all come from working class backgrounds, so issues that relate to working class people, all things antiracist and antifascist, are things that are important to us. It naturally flows into our music because that is just who we are.
Do you have day jobs or hobbies you want to share?
A lot of us work in the trades, but Brenna has a really sick job as a high school music teacher. She works at a public arts high school called Tacoma School of the Arts and teaches a creative writing class as well as a music class that focuses on teaching the kids what being in a band entails. For example, one of the assignments was for the kids to plan a fake tour for their bands. Brenna also plans and books end of the year showcases where the high school bands perform at real venues around Tacoma. Outside of that, a lot of us come from skateboard and graffiti backgrounds, so that is always a part of our lives.
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?
I think always starting with the perspective that 99% of artists are genuinely putting themselves and their heart into their work and music. Not liking something stylistically and not seeing the good or the worth in a piece of art are two totally different things. Not liking something doesn’t mean you can’t respect or appreciate something.
Any specific long term goal(s) in mind?
We definitely want to have Denial of Life be our livelihood — our full-time jobs. We’d love to be able to support ourselves with this band alone. We’d also love to tour with some of our musical heroes, which doesn’t feel too far off.
What is the near future outlook for you or your band? Any specific events on the horizon that the masses should be aware of?
Touring and writing! We’ve got a cool release show in the works too.
Summarize your band in one word.
Unrelenting.
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Many thanks to Logan and Denial of Life for the time!
Witness The Power is out through Creator-Destructor Records. For more information on Denial of Life, head over to Instagram.