A ‘metalcore’ band from Rockingham that got together in 2009 is rising to the top of their genre quicker than they expected.
The band, The First To Fall, came together after the band members saw each other playing in different bands. When those bands didn’t work out, the common artists in The First To Fall said they could do it better together.
“Our first song was called ‘Fuzzy Little Man Peach,’” said lead vocalist Jason Johnson, 17.
“We went through a stage where we went through joke piles to get funny names so people would remember us,” said Johnathan ‘Waffles’ Morgan, 20-year-old lead guitarist. He said they are getting more serious now.
Word of mouth and good advertising is what Johnson said allowed them to gain more than 13,000 Twitter followers, and soon the band plans to try to get a record deal. They are on Facebook and Instagram as well.
The band has managed to grab the fever of the younger generation through shows which members of the band said can get a little crazy.
“There is a lot of crowd activity,” said Morgan. “People like to mosh, jump around and go crazy.”
“People come up to us after the show with broken noses but everyone seems to like us and have a good time,” said Johnson.
The band members said their song writing sessions are usually serious, but sometimes they just joke around.
“Sometimes we get in the groove and have songs coming out just like that,” said Morgan.
The members of band said they don’t have any one particular theme in their songs, they mostly create songs they think sound good and enjoy playing. You’ll like their music if you like any of the bands that inspire them, like Chelsea Grin, The Crimson Armada, Suicide Silence, Bring Me The Horizon, Belie My Burial, Oceano, Emmure, and As Blood Runs Black.
The First To Fall will play a show at Leather Pockets, 115 Turner St. in Southern Pines on Saturday, beginning at 7 p.m. along with bands Hydrenaline, Embracing Tomorrow and musicians Bryan Barber and Ren Newton. Entry fee is $5.
Colby Hildreth, 20, of Rockingham, is the drummer for The First To Fall and Hydrenaline. He said The First To Fall will play on stage before Hydrenaline, giving him a short break between two long sets. So how did he get into this?
“My dad always listened to old school rock and my brother, who’s two years older than me, liked metal,” said Hildreth. “I pretty much grew past them both and went for the heavier music. I write my own beats and record my own songs.”
Hildreth has been playing the drums for seven years. He decided to play for The First To Fall because their guitar riffs were quicker, and because his beats were slow he felt the combination would be unique.
“Their style was different,” said Hildreth. “They were looking for something different, so it fit.”
Hildreth said that having a few younger band members still in high school creates a crowd draw like no other. He said he is looking forward to the show this weekend because “it’s going to be intense.”
— Staff Writer Dawn M. Kurry can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 15, or by email at dkurry@civitasmedia.com.
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