Savage Hands has never stayed with only one lane. Their sound has always had a strong fusion of post-hardcore, hard rock, and metal layered with emotional intensity and alt-rock hooks. With the band's latest release, "POWER," they expand upon that even further, adding in rap influences. If this is what the new era of Savage Hands sounds like, consider me a superfan.
Upon speaking with Mike, he stated that the bands that have influenced them most over time are Saosin, The Used, Underoath, Bring Me The Horizon, Highly Suspect, and Life On Repeat.
Expanding upon that, he also shared:
We feel as if all of these artists have been able to capture the essence of timeless records, and that’s something we strive to do. We want music to be able to exist in any era and be utilized however it needs to be. Whether it’s relatable, inspiring, or a part of grieving … we just don’t want time to be a door that potentially closes. Some artists we listen to on repeat on the road would be Turnover, Silversun Pickups, Bring Me The Horizon, The Used, Highly Suspect, and Royal Blood. We also try to listen to whoever we're touring with as well.
This is the soundtrack of Savage Hands.
Maybe Memories - The Used
We love the constant flip between melodic/scream vocals on this track. There is also a very sick live version of it available, and we listen to that one too. It’s just got a great balance of heavy and light, and that’s something we try to replicate often.
Writing On The Walls - Underoath
This one is a huge staple. It’s really shown us that every song needs to have some sort of defining moment to hit, and this song is a perfect example of having "moments." That small drum fill Gillespie rolls and then comes in with "YOU'RE ALMOST GONE AND I'M OKAY"; it’s just an incredible moment between him and Spencer. I can feel all the emotions.
Chicago - Highly Suspect
I love listening to this song because it takes me to a different place in my head, away from all the noise. It’s just piano and vocals on this one. It’s just a reminder that hard rock bands don’t always need to be this high-energy crazy rock and roll vibe; it can get turned down a notch but still take you to all the places you need to go.
3AM - Matchbox 20
Everyone is gonna laugh at this, but we swear up and down this is one of the best songs ever. The inspiration this song has for us is just to write a banger. Write a banger like 3AM.
You’re Not Alone - Saosin
This song means so much to so many people in the world, including all of us. While it may be interpreted different by everyone, we all collectively agree it helps in special ways. We’ve wanted to create songs that can help people in this aspect. Whether it be pain, grieving, or depression. Our music is always up for listener interpretation, and we try not to advertise or close the box on a song being about one specific thing, but we’re always trying to get a few in that focus more on mental health.
