Hardcore Heroes: The Self Brutality Interview

By: Braidyn Foxx

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Self brutality is a local Phoenix Deathcore band with a ton of heart. This band is filled with some of the most down to earth dudes I ever met, packed to the brim with raw unfiltered talent. After trying to connect with them for about a month I tracked them down to a show at Ground Zero and had a last minute improv interview. Steven (Lead Singer) was eager to support Asphalt Mirage, and share his thoughts.

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My name is Steven and I am the Lead Vocalist of Self Brutality. I'm Case and I'm the backup drummer for Self Brutality, and a couple other bands right now. I'm Dominic, or Bubba. Everyone calls me Bubba or Dom, and I am the backup guitarist and Vocalist for Self Brutality.

Steven: We are a local death core/hardcore/death metal band from Phoenix Arizona.

How did you come up with the name Self Brutality?

Steven: Oh, me and my guitarist, we were really drunk one night, he played guitar, and I knew how to do vocals, so naturally we're like "Bro, let's make a slam song". So we made that song, and we thought it was the greatest thing ever. The next morning we went back and listened to the song sober, and that shit was just the worst thing we've ever heard. But by then it was already too late, and we had already made the band account. How we decided on a name was pretty random. We were just talking about how we both used to cut ourselves. 
So, I came up with the name Self Brutality and the rest is history.

What bands and artists inspire you guys?

Steven: Me personally, my friends band Punctured, are one of the biggest reasons that I do this.
 That's one of the local bands. And then probably, Reverent or some shit like that.

Case: I would say, the bands that got me into the scene are probably Spit, Brain Mush and Live Longer Burn Everything. Hernia, too, they were the first show I went to. I think those bands kind of shaped what the scene is now. They are why the community is so tight knit in the way it is. And in terms of how I play and write, I'm heavily inspired by Dead Water Drowning, Peeling Flesh, and old school Death Core bands.

Bubba: I'd say, two bands that inspired me the most would be Disfigured and Peeling Flesh.

Do you guys have any interesting band stories?

Steven: So, after our very first show we ever played, we went to the local Q.T. to grab a couple of drinks, and this random civilian came out of fucking nowhere, definitely drunk and he just started chasing us man. He was banging all on our window and screaming a ton of bullshit at us. This guy we were friends with at the time was pretty pissed, so he yelled back at the drunk dude and called him a fat retard. So the guy gets in his truck, and starts chasing us down the street. We were already speeding away, on a residential road mind you, and then he fucking shoots at us! We were losing our shit, everything about the situations was so screwed up and after talking to the cops, we realized it was only a paintball gun. This guy was like 60 by the way. 
What dude that old carries a paintball gun around with him?

How many shows have you guys done?

Steven: Well we were grinding hard. After our first 2 months as a band, we were averaging 4 shows a week.

Brayden: Damn dude, for a new band that's impressive as hell.

Steven: Yeah I can't even count how much we've played. This week we had like 5 shows lined up day after day after day. 
We've played a lot of shows at a lot of places man. We played Corona Ranch, Ground Zero Um, some backyards shows. I honestly can't put a number on it. And we've only been a band for 6 months.

What do you guys usually think about while writing?

Steven: Like totally fucking nothing. 
We just get really high and go with the flow.

What does Self Brutality want to achieve?

Steven: You know we wanna make it big, take it as far as we possibly can. 
Right now we're just a local band but we want to be playing big sold out shows someday day, like Peeling flesh and shit.

Brayden: Yeah, I would love if Arizona hardcore made it out of the desert.

Can I pull everyone back over here for the next question?

What is each member's favorite band/artist?

Bubba: All time? Fuck. 
Okay, my favorite lyricist of all time is Kurt Cobain

Brayden: I could not agree with you more.

Bubba: Thank you, I love Nirvana, love Kurt. 
I would say, the greatest Death Core vocalist of all time is Mitch Lucker and Deadwater Drowning is my favorite Death Core band. I'll end by saying Slam music made from 2015 to 1995, is the best era of Slam.

Steven: I do not have one. There's just too many, there's too many out there. 
I respect all of them. I'll say Case's favorite band, is definitely disfigured.

In the future, do you guys want to start changing things up, stay true to your roots? 


Steven: Well when we first started, we were just a slam band. Now we're death core/slash brutal death metal.

Braidyn: That's already crazy for a band that's only been together for 6 months. 


Steven: We just, we felt like, it was too simple, to stay to one thing, you know what I'm saying?

Braedon: I do get what you're saying, and I love that! That's my last question, thanks ya'll.

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Self Brutality is a CORE BAND in our scene right now, they have talent, they have love, they have energy, and everything else you could love about a local band. Show them some love, follow them on Instagram, and go to their next show and mosh till you bleed. Also, 20 minutes after doing this interview, Stevens ACL got torn, so wish him a quick recovery and send him some positive energy!

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Hardcore Heroes: The Self Brutality Interview

By: Braidyn Foxx of ASPHALT MIRAGE

Photos by: Rosenthrns

Self Brutality Instagram: @selfbrutalityofficial