In over five years of photographing concerts, I've seen hundreds of bands take the stage, but few have stopped me in my tracks quite like Oxymorrons did. Their live shows are as explosive and unpredictable as their music. Known for their blend of punk, hip-hop, alternative, and Caribbean influences, they have built a reputation for breaking outside of boxes, tearing down labels, and rewriting the rules of what rock can sound like. With their latest EP, Create. Destroy. Rebuild. Repeat., they push those limits even further. I recently sat down with Oxymorrons to talk about the risks behind the EP, the messages they’re amplifying in 2025, and why their very existence is an act of resistance.
Create. Destroy. Rebuild. Repeat. is such a powerful title. What does it mean to you personally, and how does it capture this chapter of your journey as a band?
CDRR is the cycle of evolution. Whether that be as an individual, as a collective, or as a society, it’s a simplified way of describing the process of life and how we all continue to rediscover ourselves. This “mantra” helps us encapsulate not only where we currently are, but also where we’ve been and where we are going.
This EP is described as building on your roots while pushing into the unexpected — what were some of the risks or experiments you tried this time around?
We drew from lots of new sonic landscapes and influences we grew up loving but had never fully injected into the OXYMORRONS sound. There are moments of The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, and even Moby! Some late 90s and early 2000s Drum N Bass and Jungle sounds — we just experimented with ways to make the rhythms of punk and metal move in a way we hadn’t explored before.
Do you have a favorite song on the EP that feels the most personal, or one that challenged you the most to create?
Our personal favorite tends to change depending on who you ask on what day of the week, but for the most part we all agree that “Blind” is one of our top tracks. We had so much fun making it — going from a deep house underground rave bridge into a metal breakdown was such a fun bridge to cross.
You’re often described as “the sonic embodiment of NYC.” How does the city still shape your sound today, and what do you feel sets the NYC energy apart from anywhere else?
We were recently talking about this as it pertains to how New York City is captured in visuals/photos — there’s an undeniable, unique “texture” to any photo or video captured in NYC. Beyond just the architecture or the signature hustle and bustle of the city, but an indescribable texture that you just feel. And that applies to its sonic landscape as well. It’s an undeniable energy embedded in our DNA that will always influence our sound whether we like it or not.
Your music blends punk, hip-hop, alternative, and Caribbean influences — was that mix intentional from the start, or did it evolve naturally as each of you brought your own background to the table?
The goal of OXYMORRONS since its inception was always to have no rules and push the limits of our creativity. The thing is — you can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’re from. We all have deep personal relationships to the sounds we were exposed to growing up as well as the sounds and history of our ancestors. So I'd say a mix of both — it was always an intention while it continues to evolve the more we learn about ourselves and how we got here.
You’ve always been outspoken about individuality and breaking down boxes — what societal or cultural messages are you most passionate about amplifying with this project?
We’ve always spoken on personal tribulations and the many forms of systemic oppression in our music, but this project focuses on the societal constructs that we collectively perpetuate. Take "BLK SHEEP" as an example — we’re more directly calling out our own hypocrisy and really holding a mirror to all of the US, the people.
Rebellion is a recurring theme in your work. What are you rebelling against most fiercely in 2025?
There are the obvious answers for this question [insert anything about our current administration], but we really believe that our existence is resistance — we say it often. Every day that we wake up and choose to be ourselves — people of color, children of migrants, artists, believers, punks, etc — is an act of rebellion. Choosing to be HAPPY is an act of rebellion in today’s world. And that belief is an integral part of this band's DNA.
You’re heading out with Sleep Theory this fall, and you’ve also been part of some huge festivals. What are you most excited to bring to these stages with the new material?
It’s always so much fun to get to see how audiences respond to new material live for the first time. From the moment we’re writing and recording new music, our minds naturally wander to how these songs will be received by crowds and how they will engage with them. Sometimes our premonitions are correct, and sometimes we’re completely surprised. Regardless of the outcome, that initial excitement is one of the best parts about taking new material out on the road for the first time.
What do you hope listeners walk away with after hearing this EP — both sonically and emotionally?
That nothing is forever! Every moment, good, bad, and all in between, does pass. They are a part of our individual and collective evolutions of life, and for us this EP captures and encapsulates a specific moment of that self-awareness. We look forward to where our journey takes us next and to where it takes our listeners as well.
Finally, for fans who might just be discovering you through this release, how would you sum up the Oxymorrons experience in one sentence?
The chaos you wish you could control with the love you didn’t know you needed.
Tour Dates:
Sep 19 - East Moline, IL - The Rust Belt*
Sep 22 – Springfield, MO – The Regency Live*
Sep 24 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s*
Sep 25 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theatre*
Sep 26 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom*
Sep 29 – Billings, MT – Pub Station*
Sep 30 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm*
Oct 2 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon*
Oct 3 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre*
Oct 6 – Los Angeles, CA – The Regent*
Oct 7 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues*
Oct 9 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel*
Oct 10 – Lubbock, TX – Jake’s Backroom*
Oct 11 – Tulsa, OK – The Vanguard*
Oct 12 – Little Rock, AR – The Hall*
Nov 15-16 – Orlando, FL – Warped Tour
*w/Sleep Theory
