I talk often about how great the heavy music scene has become in the Greater Boston area, so naturally I’m stoked to bring THE FRĒQS to your attention today. The Salem-based (great town) blistering noise rock trio just dropped No God on the Gold Coast at the end of May, and it’s eight tracks covering… less than 26 minutes. Hell yeah. The energy and bite is incredible and based on Seth Crowell’s (guitar/vox/theremin/short-wave radio manipulation) responses to our questions I should probably get to one of those upcoming shows. You’ll understand what I mean shortly. Take the jump. Hit play. And let’s get rowdy.

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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?

My Dad played drums in a local band so we had a set downstairs. I was that kid in town who played drums and had a basement to practice in. So I basically fell into everything from folk to death metal bands by default. I later wound up picking up guitar out of boredom and it stuck, writing progressively heavier music over the years. My cousin Mike got me hooked on Motorhead, Black Sabbath and later Slayer and Mastodon. It definitely confused the rest of my family, who didn’t get the appeal of loud amps or heavy vocals.

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

I’d describe us as somewhere between Fugazi & The Melvins. Both bands have a lot of range in their sound and we like to try to embody that philosophy too.

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?

A few of the radio segments that appear on the record came from actual interference in the studio. I wired my bridge pickup wrong so it picked up all sorts of weird shit. Also it was pretty microphonic so we decided to record some of the vocals by yelling into it.

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

We often thrash onstage a lot and throw ourselves on the ground, smash our
instruments etc. Generally act like a bunch of idiots. During a great gig we had at the Middle East opening for Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, I threw myself to the ground on stage during a particularly chaotic moment and snapped both a tuning peg and a couple strings. The tuning peg went flying into the audience and I had to finish the song minus 2 strings. After the show some guy came over with the tuning peg (which was completely shattered) said it had hit him in the chest and proceeded to give me a hug.

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?

The best: There’s a lot of younger folks in our scene getting involved. New bands are
coming up with a ton of energy and they bring with them a whole host of people their age to shows. Pretty much the best thing you could ask for. The worst: venues getting shut down and replaced with luxury condos. Fuck that.

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?

It’s probably a cop out to say there’s too many to list. We’re generally inspired to write most of our songs about late stage capitalism, the worshipping of false idols and the overall fucked up state of the world we’re living in.

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

Hard to pull this shit off without a job. Most gigs pay out $35 and a beer! It helps to have work with stable hours so we can plan out gigs and tours.

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 know there’s a lot of bands all vying for your attention, but give small bands a listen. Dare yourself to get excited about a group even if no one knows who they are.

Any specific long term goal(s) in mind?

Live shows, far from the comforts of home. We definitely want to get on the road more.

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

Pigsx7’s record “Death Hilarious” has been on constant rotation lately. Also loving Die Spitz’ record “Something To Consume”. Been listening to a lot of Drive Like Jehu’s Yank Crime and Oh Sees’ Face Stabber lately too.

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

We’re releasing “No God on the Gold Coast” on May 29th so our summer is filling up with dates to support it.

Summarize your band in one word.

One word is tough haha maybe FREAKS? We try to live up to our name.

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Many thanks to Seth and THE FRĒQS for the time!

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No God on the Gold Coast is out now. To stay in touch with THE FRĒQS, head over to Instagram or Facebook.