Bound For Severance

Appleton band ready to ‘rock and conquer’
By Jennifer Droese

They’re “bound to rock” because they’re Bound for Severance. The four-man band from Appleton has been shot out of the corners of Northeast Wisconsin to give new metal music a run for its money. Having taken inspiration from other punk-metal bands, Bound For Severance brings forth a refreshingly modest but edgy attitude.

At the same time, they have quite the agenda – to create an identity that is their own. The band consists of Jimmy Mauthe, 21, Derek Holley, 23, Tristan Eastman, 22, and Kipp Nordall, 24. Getting their start by playing in their free time, the band has endured many challenges that set them apart. From finding a member on Craigslist, to being replaced at a venue by a mariachi band, Bound For Severance proves that success and skill are far from being taken over by blunders.

Their first album, A Perfect View, will debut this summer. The album features 11 original tracks, as well as bonus material. Stay tuned, they’re “bound” to win you over.

JD: The secret behind making good music is learning to develop your own style. Learning that, what genre of music do you consider your work to be?

DEREK: We've been called metalcore more often than anything else, so I'd go with that. I don’t like comparing myself to other bands, but if I had to, I’d say we're a mix of Killswitch Engage, Threat Signal and Metallica.

JD: Who are your major influences?

DEREK: My number one influence? Metallica. They were the band that REALLY got me into listening to heavy metal. First time I heard “Master of Puppets,” I was in middle school. Heard it sitting in my friend Bobby's room and he was playing his guitar along with it note for note. I was like, "I should learn how to do that."

TRISTAN: Our overall style has been influenced by the metal attitude, but also by something no one else did.

JIMMY: I’d have to say Pantera.

KIPP: Chimaira, Morgan Rose, Sevendust, Thomas Noonan, 36 Crazy Fists.

JD: Great influences! How did you meet?

JIMMY: We met Tristan on Craigslist! Derek and I put out an ad, and we got Tristan. He is really talented.

DEREK: I met Jimmy working at a McDonalds when I was 16.

KIPP: I’ve known Tristan for a few years and have played with him in a band previously.

JD: What inspired you all to make music together?

DEREK: I'd say we would like to be as good as our influences, to achieve a level of success that they have, or at least acquire a small taste of it.

JD: What is the origin of the name, Bound for Severance?

DEREK: I came up with it, and to be honest, I don't quite remember how it came to me. However, I always thought it meant that we are destined to be removed from everything that holds us down; that we are in control of our lives and no matter what anyone says or does, we will always have that privilege.

JD: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?

TRISTAN: We have better written songs, definitely heavier. The songs display each member’s abilities more.

JD: What do you want people to know about your music?

KIPP: We try not to take ourselves too seriously. We earn our fans...they’re not given to us.

DEREK: We know we are awesome, we don’t come out and say it, we want people to come find out for themselves.

JD: Any embarrassing or unique band stories?

TRISTAN: We had gotten to the venue ready to set up, and were told we were taken off the slot by the manager and that it was rebooked. We heard loud Mexican music playing, and in comes an 8-9 person marching band, yep, we got replaced by a mariachi band!

JD: How do you feel about working with each other?

KIPP: I feel really privileged to play with the caliber of musicians in my band. Derek’s songwriting and vocals skills are amazing, not to mention his guitar playing ability. Tristan's ability to take serious metal riffs and make them groove is probably his biggest talent, not to mention his chops and his sense of song structure, one of the best self-taught players I’ve had the chance to play with. And then there is Jimmy...I don’t know where his head goes when he writes his bass lines, but he flies into space. His playing flows through our music like a river, adding the much needed depth and low end that comes with metal. He is a purely talented bass player with chops to boot.

DEREK: Jimmy, the person I always thought to be the glue that held us together. I couldn't imagine a life where I did not play music with him. We've stuck together for over seven years now, going through multiple lineup changes, and I (finally) think we've found the right people to play with. Tristan, I guess his secondary role in the band would be the networker, as he's the first person to go make friends with other bands at our shows. He also does most of the business on our Myspace as far as setting up gigs goes. I'd say he's my right hand man when it comes to getting ideas for songs and guitar work. And Kipp? I would call him my evil twin. We make each other laugh so frequently it's like an unstoppable cancer. He's one of the most talented drummers I’ve ever worked with. He brought a breath of fresh air to the band when he joined up.

JD: What goals do you have for your band/career?

JIMMY: I’d like to not need a second job, so have something involved with music, make money.

DEREK: I want to write music, maybe own a studio – I honestly don’t need a whole lot of success. Just enough to show friends and family, and to prove to people I am successful. I’d want to play a show and see someone sing along to something I helped create.

TRISTAN: I want to go out on tour, come home, and break even. The minute I do, I will be happy.

JD: Your first CD is debuting this summer, tell me about that.

DEREK: We are working with Derek Rice of Proud-A-You studios on our album.

JIMMY: The CD features 11 original songs, with the potential for an acoustic version or bonus tracks. The title is A Perfect View.

JD: Do you have any upcoming shows in the Area?

JIMMY: March 6 at the Eagles Club in Neenah and March 13 at The Beachhouse in Pelican Lake

- The Scene