Gold Coast hard rock outfit Hammers have always been a band who put themselves and their music first, even to the point of possible self harm. They have steadfastly refused to follow convention or fall into the mass-produced assembly line of artists currently making up the fringes of major record labels, instead lurking further back in the shadows and biding their time.
The release of their debut EP Homeblokes in 2018, and a sophomore 2020 EP Kicking Goals, saw Hammers entrench themselves in the ears and minds of a faithful following, but despite a chorus of concerns about capitalizing on their growing momentum Hammers continued to let their back catalogue of music and their volatile live performances steer their path. In a world where content was rapidly becoming King, Hammers again resisted the temptation to rush out a new release, toiling away in the background and nurturing the seeds that were to become their first full collection of songs to catapult Hammers into the next phase of their career.
Not that rising through the proverbial ranks was, is, or ever will be top of Hammers agenda. It was more about taking the time to get things right for themselves. Give them something to set loose of the world free of burdens and expectations, or simply put, something that was good enough for them. And if its good enough for them then…
HEAVY spent some time with Lucas Stone (vocals + guitar) and Ryan 'Ruckus' Lucas (drums) to dive deeper into the creation of their album Death Wobbles, which will be out on January 23. We start by asking if they still felt nervous going into the release of their debut full-length Death Wobbles, despite the fact Hammers have already built themselves a solid name and fanbase.
"I think I'm always, no matter what I do, an equal parts nervous and don't give a fuck what people think kind of person," Stone laughed. "As a writer I've been doing this a long time and Hammers haven't released a full-length album yet, but we did that strategically so we could grow as a band and become what we are. I think I'm excitingly nervous, bro. Essentially, as a band, the way it should be is you do it for yourselves. As much as you pass it on to the fans and whoever comes into your camp, over time you are essentially doing a selfish thing. So we're excited about what we've done, and we can't wait to get it out, but it's like just handing your kids over to a babysitter you don't know (laughs)."
In the full interview, Stone and Ruckus highlighted Death Wobbles as a reflection of Hammers growth from their touring experiences and previous EPs. The discussion emphasized their commitment to authenticity and a desire to create unique music that challenges listeners. We spoke about not playing by the rules and the risks of alienation, as well as the burdens of expectation and commitment.
The boys talked about their sound and finding the sonic balance to it, the opening track Apeshit and how it represents the full album, upcoming tours and more.
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