Knocked Loose, ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To’

TEXT ONLY VERSION

When Knocked Loose first burst onto the scene with fists of fire a decade ago, surely they would never have anticipated having as many eyes on them as they do now. Yet here we are, with TikTok virality, support slots for Slipknot and a world-clashing appearance at Coachella in 2023 firmly under their belt. It was never supposed to be like this. Still, the fact that a band built on pure, unfiltered aggression and malice is at the centre of the conversation, both within the hardcore and metal scenes as well as the wider musical universe, is something to be celebrated and nurtured.

For some, such critical acclaim would have them trying to pander to the masses and slot even more snugly into the current zeitgeist. Yet with one listen to ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To’, it’s clear that Knocked Loose have no intention of smoothing the edges. More than anything, they have sharpened them to a jagged point. Taking their skull-bludgeoning core sound built on brute force and battery as a starting point, they have now moulded it into as many different shapes as possible. One moment atmospherically gripping, the next enthrallingly mournful, it is a record that rips and tears at you as much as it lingers and dwells. It challenges any preconceived notions about the band in the most savage and sensational ways, pushing deeper into the darkness than ever before whilst still managing to be frighteningly fun. It is the best thing the band has ever produced, and it is an instant benchmark for all those trailing behind in the pack.

Though it may feel like creating such a monolith has come as second nature, that is far from the truth. There have been as many challenges, doubts and fears about their path as any other cycle. Plus, with more opinions than ever floating around, it’s a trickier path to tread than ever before. For vocalist Bryan Garris, though, Knocked Loose has always been about shattering perceptions and, more important than anything else, reminding people that it’s all about the music.

“I think that many people make up their minds about us before they meet us,” he laughs. “I think it makes many people approach us a little bit more guarded. We’re not playing some character or chasing some gimmick. We’re just normal dudes who play angry music. It’s not a case of us proving ourselves, but more people coming back to the idea of us because they had their preconceived notions of what we might be. Saying all that, the support we have received already from this album has been incredibly reassuring. It’s as rewarding as it is exciting.”

So, to find out what it has been like to craft such a colossal milestone, Rock Sound sat down with Bryan to examine the crevices of ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To.’

THE SOUND

Before they turned their attention to this record, 2021’s ‘A Tear In The Fabric Of Life’ had been the core focus for Knocked Loose. In many ways, that was a piece of work that went against their usual creative manifesto. A concept piece with particular and precise ebbs and flows throughout meant they were almost writing to a script. As attention turned to what would become ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To’, all bets were off. Plus, and very importantly, this was the first-time guitarist Nicko Caulderon was involved in a writing process after joining in 2021. So, across the board, this was a new creative slate, learning to work as one all over again.

“‘A Tear In The Fabric Of Life’ was the first time that we sat down and wrote with strict intention,” Bryan explains. “So coming back around, figuring out what we should be, and then applying that to a full album was very interesting. So, we had a checklist of things we wanted. We knew we wanted to have a bigger album in scale, and with that in mind, we could expect every single type of Knocked Loose song there is.”

Bryan also admits with a wry smile that to many people, the songs that make up the record’s half-hour runtime may still come off as “one-dimensional aggressive mosh music”. But listen closer, and you will find so much more than just spin kick catalysts. ‘The Calm That Keeps You Awake’ glistens with tribal percussion, building a claustrophobically dense atmosphere around the ear drum. The off-kilter one-two of ‘Moss Covers All’ and ‘Take Me Home’ reverberate with a skin-crawling rhythm. Monstrous closer ‘Sit & Mourn’ feels like the Earth consuming itself around you violently, trembling with despondent death metal beats. Different strokes of heaviness that showcase a depth not often found within hardcore represent a desire for something more for the band. 

Though on the other side of the coin, they also found themselves moving forward with more classic song structures. The likes of ‘Don’t Reach For Me’ and ‘Suffocate’ are rigid in their design, centred around the more Verse-Chorus-Verse model, something the band had never experimented with, without losing any shade of utter savagery in the process. 

“It was about seeing if we even feel comfortable doing that and not feel like we are recycling a bunch of stuff. In order for us to try to get over that growing pain, we needed to juxtapose it with some of our craziest songs as well. So you have moments that are the most chaotic songs we have ever done to balance everything out.”

THE COLLABORATORS

Collaboration has always been a big part of the Knocked Loose mantra. Inviting the likes of Many Eyes’ Keith Buckley, Dying Wish’s Emma Boster and Counterparts’ Brendan Murphy onto tracks in the past, they have always shared their love and appreciation for the scene around them. However, with ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To’, they have embraced the scope they now have in the most innovative and intense way.

First up is ‘Suffocate,’ a song Bryan bluntly describes as being about someone, “stabbing you in the back.” It features Poppy and her incredible breadth of multi-dimensional talent. Though many may think that the band would be the ones to approach the post-everything mastermind to feature on the track, it was quite the opposite. As Poppy was the one who hit up the band with the desire to work with them, the result feels even more suited to both parties. Playing off both Bryan and Poppy’s strengths as vocalists, trading breathy and belligerent lines before shredding their throats together at its gripping conclusion, it’s the sort of beast that shows what happens when you are open to anything.

“It allowed us to expand the palette and do some weird, off-the-wall things that we can’t do in other songs. Because Poppy’s voice was involved, it allowed us to push the boundaries of what we thought was feasible.”

The same can be said for ‘Slaughterhouse 2’, a sequel to the Motionless In White song of the same name that Bryan appeared on from their 2022 album ‘Scoring The End Of The World’. A fine example of Knocked Loose embracing their broader appeal, which has included the two bands touring together recently, it’s a move that feels like a fork in the road for modern metal and hardcore, crossing streams in the most vital and vicious ways possible. Much of that broader landscaping comes from the involvement of producer Drew Fulk, who first joined forces with the band on their 2023 double single ‘Upon Loss’. Predominantly known for his work with scene royalty, such as Ice Nine Kills, We Came As Romans, and, of course, Motionless In White, he brought a broader lens of ambition to the table. Combining the old-school grit that Knocked Loose thrives within with a contemporary yet calloused relatability, it bridges the gap between worlds in a way few actually manage to.

“We’re all just hardcore kids and metal kids, so we wanted someone from that world who also had a background in other things. Someone that knew how to write a hook had some dabbled in more popular styles of music.”

THE LYRICS

In the past, after completing a Knocked Loose record, Bryan states that he would always be excited to dive back into it and see what he has conjured up within his lyrics. However, something differed with ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To’. He was ready to distance himself from it, leaving it to fester before peeling back the layers and dissecting what was revealed. It’s an understandable place to be when you consider just how deep into the abyss this record finds us at times. 

While struggling to determine what exactly he wanted to write about this time, Bryan dug deeper than he may have first intended. The result is songs that hit all the closer to home. Self-hatred, spirituality, oppression and blind optimism in the face of total devastation are just some of the topics that spilt out onto the page. ‘Blinding Faith’ tackles the hypocrisy of the mean-spirited hive-mind that sits at the centre of so many religious communities, ‘Don’t Reach For Me’ serves as a guttural takedown of someone who fucked around and found out and ‘Sit & Mourn’ looks at what it is to lose and not know what to believe about where that loss leaves you. It all sits heavy on Bryan’s chest, even more so when he realised he couldn’t just leave sleeping dogs to lie after putting them to bed. 

“The biggest challenge is that I only think about what I need to get off my chest when I write lyrics. The things that are going to be cathartic or therapeutic for me. I get so zoned in that when it’s done, I realise I have to talk about this stuff. I’m very particular about what I want to share in my personal life. You would think I would get used to it, but every time I talk about this, I forget I will have to discuss it in great detail.”

Much of this goes back to the fact that Knocked Loose was never destined to be in this position. With each record that has come and gone, things have become more personal. However, alongside that, more and more people have admitted to finding solace in Bryan’s words, sharing their own experiences with him and spreading the hurt and heartbreak even further. Keeping so much of what these songs represent to him away from the public eye is the only thing that Bryan can control as the band gets bigger and bigger. It is a small piece of ownership that nobody can take from him. At a time when the distance between public and private affairs feels more paper thin than ever, that is something to be commended. 

“It’s a double-edged sword because I never want to take this position for granted or seem ungrateful. But at the same time, giving that much of myself to strangers and being asked to answer for it is hard. I wouldn’t consider myself that much of a motivational person, and now, having people coming up to me and saying that something I wrote has helped them so much means the world to me. It’s something I will never forget, but also something I never expected to happen. I never thought of somebody else feeling that way. I’m glad people can relate to and gain something from it. After doing this for so long, the music just keeps getting more and more personal, and it’s always going a constant battle in that regard.“

THE ARTWORK AND TITLE

Though Bryan feels a certain way about what he has said in ‘You Won’t Go Until You’re Supposed To’, it’s within the conceptualising of these songs that he has made everything make sense without completely shedding his skin in the public eye.

The artwork for the record was initially inspired by a different but very similarly structured photo by its creator, Briscoe Park. Specialising in imagery of desolate spaces and derelict buildings, the neon cross lighting up the forest is something that struck a deep chord with Bryan. This beacon of light, a powerful sense of something bigger watching over us, is something that everybody can associate with in some sense. Propelling it through the lens of Christianity, specifically the crucifix, is something many connect to in this life. However, when used alongside the record’s contents, it will make many wonder if what Knocked Loose has produced is an anti-religious sentiment. But it’s much more poignant than that.

 “Using religion feels fitting because religion is just so overpowering,” Bryan explains. “It is everywhere you look. I didn’t want this to be an anti-religion album, but it is imagery everyone can associate with. It is massively intertwined with everyday life. It’s a symbol of something following or towering over you. Of something that you’re dealing with. An overwhelming presence. The image has an isolating, lonely, desolate feel to it. But at the same time, the warm greens and the setting around it reminded me of home. It looks like it could be in my mom’s backyard. It’s a very familiar setting for me and the band, and it has a very overwhelming feeling because of that.”

That overwhelming presence can also be felt within the ambiguity of the title. Taken from an interaction that Bryan had with a woman on a flight, he said that as a means of calming his fear of flying, it’s a sentence that can represent something different to everyone who hears it. It has flickers of fate attached to it, of everything happening for a reason. It also goes back to that religious angle, connecting to the idea of an all-seeing and all-knowing being dictating how chess pieces move within the world. Though more than anything, it is a reminder that there are some things that we can’t control. That we are here, we are still breathing, and that’s all that matters. 

THE FUTURE

With the meteoric rise of Knocked Loose not looking like it is slowing down anytime soon, ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To’ is only set to jump it up another notch. Even though they have found the spotlight shining on them more than they ever expected, they still keep the spirit of why they even started the band at the centre of everything they do. Hardcore will always be hardcore, no matter how big a band within it gets. Marching to the same beat as they did at their inception, uniting against injustice and keeping the community at the forefront will never change. However, with the opportunities presented to them, they have the chance to showcase this scene on the world stage. So, it would be amiss for them not to grasp it with both hands.

“I think that now what Knocked Loose means is in a different place because the conversations we are having are about growing the band and taking it to the next place,” Bryan concludes. “What does that mean? If we tour these massive rooms, we can’t just focus on how hard people will pit. It’s about creating an experience, an atmosphere, and a vibe. That’s been a lot of fun because it has meant we could tap into a whole other creative side of things. It’s about creating a bigger thing for all of us.”

And that sums it up best. Continuing to push against any narrative that may be placed upon them. Not standing still and letting anyone take over what they stand for. Finding fresh ways to captivate and inspire the masses. These are the reasons that Knocked Loose are the flagbearers right now, and long may that continue. However, no matter where they end up or what this album does for them, one thing will remain. The absolute love of making heavy music with your friends. Because when everything is said and done, that adoration is all we truly have.

“There have been so many times when we have met people, and they’ve said, ‘We didn’t expect you to be like this’. We’ve never given the impression that we are mean or playing some evil character. We’re just normal, down-to-earth people who love making angry music. That’s something that has always existed. It’s made us even more reject the idea of being cooler than anybody. We never want to give off that vibe. We just want to play and make friends. That’s all we’ve ever wanted.”