Progressive metalcore band from Arlington, Texas, Mouth of the South is a simple style of gospel of grace if you will, that believes in passion and truth. The band took sometime to discuss their latest "Of Dust" EP as well as what they're band is about and what they can bring to the music scene.
1. Where did the band's name Mouth of the South come from?
I wish I could say the name of our band had some profound meaning behind it but it doesn't. When the band was being formed back in 2007, one of our former members saw "Mouth of the South" on the back of an energy drink and thought it would be a cool name for the band. The name stuck around through the years because we figured whether people loved it or hated it they were more than likely going to remember it.
2. What type of band are you?
We are a Ministry focused progressive metal-core band. But if there were only one way to define this band, I would hope it would be passion filled. We try to let passion take its rightful place in our music, live performance, our desire to live this life style, and most importantly, in our pursuit for Christ.
3. Tell us the brief history of your band.
Mouth of the South originated in 2008 with a completely different lineup than what we have today. We've been through quite a number of different band members and style choices. Originally, the band was meant to be a "southern metal" band but as we matured we decided to make music that we were more passionate about. We've been through a lot of ups and downs as a band but we know that its all led us to where we are today and we couldn't be happier.
4. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
If our songs all had a theme it would be honesty of heart. We try to be as real as we can be in our lyrics, and we strive for a certain level of rawness in our message. There is too much superficiality in this world and its grown old. We are a Christian band so we believe this goal to be all that much more important. Modern Christianity is tainted by far too many people who worry about how they will be perceived. We are trying our best to pursue truth and to reflect that in our lives, and that can only happen if we are completely and totally honest about who we are and where we stand.5. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)
We do write our own songs. We don't necessarily have a formulaic way of going about it. We mostly write parts on our own and then bring them to the table and just jam them out. We try to steer clear of trying to sound like some other band or to sound any certain way. We just play what we think sounds good, and in the process we hope that our music will be a true reflection our creative drives.
6. Who are your musical influences?
As cities burn is a pretty huge influence as far a lyrics go. Other bands that influence us include: A Plea for Purging, Impending Doom, Legend, Gideon, Born of Osiris, Comeback Kid, Emmure, Underoath, among countless other bands.
7. Where did album title come from and is it a concept release?
The title "Of Dust" is a reference to Genesis 2:7 "Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground..." This is significant to the theme of the album because it paints a picture of us coming to life out of nothing. We would be nothing without God. And for this reason, pride is a meaningless thing to feed. For us to fully understand who we are in this world we need to be striving for humility on a daily basis. This is a really beautiful thing because the God who created us, cherishes us. You are a masterpiece in his eyes. And the more we understand that, the less we concern ourselves with the world's skewed standards of lovely. You will hear this concept repeat itself throughout the EP.
8. How would you describe the overall sound of this EP?
Aggressive and raw. I could try to be more descriptive, but you're better off just listening to it on your own.
9. Does this release differ from your previous releases?
The more music we write the more diverse it becomes and the better it flows. Although I still love the "Manifestations" EP (our previous release) I'd say "Of Dust" has a more mature sound
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10. Can you go into one or two tracks on the EP? If so, can you give us the track title and brief description of how the track sounds and how it came about?
Like Father, Like Daughter is probably our favorite track of the EP. It was written about some struggles that Josiah (our vocalist) went through. About two years ago his parents went through a really rough divorce and his mother left town. The song embraces the pain that came with the situation, but also really stresses the huge step of forgiveness and desire for reconconciliation. It's an extremely personal song and I believe its message is a powerful one.
11. What are your expectations for this CD?
The EP has been out for a little over a year now. We toured with those songs for a solid portion of last year. More than anything I hope that the EP speaks to people. I would hope that people hear the heart of the songs louder than any other aspect.
12. What are your upcoming tour plans and plans for this year?
We recently finished recording a full length album titled "Transparency". It's easily the best material we've ever written as a band, and we plan to do as much with this album as we possibly can. We plan to hit the road in March and we're booked to play a lot of really sweet festivals. I can't get too much into the specifics, but you can expect some really cool stuff for 2013.13. Any last words?
Keep an eye out for our upcoming release, "Transparency", as well upcoming tours. You can keep up with us through pretty much any social networking website. And if we end up in your town we're looking forward to hanging out!
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