EMQ’s With Heirloom
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Metalcore band, Heirloom. Huge thanks to their Guitarist, Kevin DeJong, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Kevin DeJong, I am the guitarist for Heirloom!
Heirloom started with Nikki our drummer, Austin our bass player, and myself a long while back in, I wanna say, 2017. We had a few songs written but were struggling to find a vocalist up until about the middle of 2018 I wanna say, when we brought Nolan on board. We put out a handful of singles and when we were ready to record an EP we got connected with Chris Davis (The Ghost Inside, Texas In July) and put out our first EP “The Furthest Corners” in 2021. Not too long after we began writing for our debut full-length record “ROMANTICIZE” and flew out to LA to record with Howard Benson, Neil Sanderson, and Mike Plotnikoff.
How did you come up with your band name?
At the time a lot of our songs were about family history and traumas and the idea of a “Family Heirloom” came up here and there so we chose that as our name.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
Southeast United States! Located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The scene here in Raleigh has an incredible hardcore scene and those bands do super well in Raleigh whereas bands like us thrive in Charlotte, just 3 hours from here. Both the triad and triangle have such diverse and budding scenes and seeing both grow from the deathblow that COVID was is quite the relief. Definitely shout out to Fading Signal, Super Reg, and Soul To Keep for the Raleigh Hardcore scene and then give our friends in Wiltwither, Den Of Wolves, and Laniidae some love for the CLT scene.
What is your latest release?
Our newest release is our debut full-length album “Romanticize”. We recently dropped a music video for ‘[HYPER]VIGILANT’ off the new album.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Everyone in the band has their own influences, mine (Kevin) personally being Like Moths To Flames, Bleed From Within, and The Ghost Inside. For the band as a whole, Like Moths To Flames, The Color Morale, Issues, and Chevelle are what inspires the core sound.
What first got you into music?
My parents both listened to a lot of rock and metal when I was growing up, I’d hear bands like Def Leppard and Boston almost every day. I listened to classic rock and stuff all the time up until my older sister showed me Linkin Park and Disturbed when I was still in middle school. I was listening to Hybrid Theory and Meteora almost every day and just fell in love with that kind of music. I didn’t discover heavier types of music until my sophomore year of High School when a friend of mine showed me Bring Me The Horizon and Pierce the Veil. I kept discovering more and more bands until music and the culture surrounding it became a large part of who I am.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
We all as a band have dreamed of doing something with bands like Deftones or Architects or something. All of those bands are integral to our sound and are bands we love to this day, but choosing just one is such a hard question hahaha. We love doing cool stuff with other cool artists and hope we get to do more soon.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Download fest or UNFD gathering would be absolutely insane!!! So many of our favorite bands and the people that go to those fests go harder than anywhere else.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
We got rolling papers from the singer of Cane Hill once, that was pretty wild (thanks Elijah).
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
That even though the world is often cruel and unforgiving, there is still so much to love and that having good friends by your side is infinitely valuable. You are all loved and have value.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Chester Bennington without a question.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Playing shows and watching the room explode is a feeling like no other. Writing songs with my friends and seeing them go from an idea on the phone to a full fledged banger is hype as hell. I don’t love the business side of things sometimes and I also don’t love being so poor hahaha, but it’s all worth it in the end when you get on stage and play a killer show.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
The numbers game, if you know you know.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“Hybrid Theory” by Linkin Park. Easy.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Vinyl all day. There’s nothing like sitting down, putting a record on, and listening to a full album and reading the lyrics, the credits, and seeing all the thank yous. I love having the artwork in my hands and really taking it all in, it feels like the best way to really take in the music and the art.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
As of right now, probably Blue Ridge Rock Fest in 2021. Even though it was a logistical nightmare and some things weren’t the greatest, that was easily the largest crowd we’ve ever played to and we still, to this day, get messages about people seeing us there and wanting more.
What’s next for the band?
Touring and playing as many shows as possible to put this album in the hands and ears of as many people we can.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Our instagram and Facebook are both the most active and up to date places to find us! You can find us in both places by searching “@whoisheirloom”
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?
From what I’ve heard, it’s a Roll! But I haven’t been there to know! Someone should put us on tour there so we can find out! *wink wink*
Thank you for your time.
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