A Q&A with The Noble Front

Raw, hard-hitting, heavy – from Ireland’s west coast…

What’s the title of your latest release, and what does it mean to you?
Our debut release [titled The Noble Front] is a 9-track, self-titled record that took a few years to complete, between writing, recording and actually getting it out into the world. It means a lot of things. Mostly, the feeling is relief, to be honest! It’s not easy getting past that final 5% of the process. But now, with a record behind us, we can build from this and promote and grow the band. The music encapsulates everything we are as a band; predominantly raw, hard-hitting, heavy music but with dynamics and progressions thrown in as well. We are all the products of our environments!

What was the hardest part about putting this release together, and why?
The hardest part was the final mix stage. I was a part of mixing the record, and every revision presented me with further changes and revisions! I got great advice at this point in the process from my engineer, Sean Montgomery, who told me “You will never be able to listen to this music the way that someone else will be able to”. Sometimes it might be better to outsource the work.

Who produced the release – what did they bring to it?
Between Sean and myself, we both put our heads together and produced it. My favourite part of the production process was seeing the picture build as we added the pieces together in the beginning. It’s incredibly stimulating and motivating, especially when it’s your own creation. I loved that part.

What do you want the listener to take away from listening to your music?
Ideally, I want the listener to enjoy the feeling they get when they are listening to the music. Nothing else matters much after that.

How does a track normally come together? Can you tell us something about the process?
I write when I’m inspired. I find listening to new music inspires me, among other things. It can be any genre, actually, so long as it motivates me to create. Then, once I’m in that “zone”, I tend to begin by messing around loosely with riffs on the guitar. When I happen upon something that may have potential, I build around it as best I can (verse, bridge, chorus, drums, vox etc.). The hardest point is at the end of this process, when there’s the bones of a song that simply will not make the cut and has to get the chop. I find it difficult to cut songs and tend to get sentimental quickly!

What band/artists have influenced you the most since you started this project, and why?
Idles, Fonatines DC, The Murder Capital, Amyl and the Sniffers, Radiohead, Crass, to name a few, are all bands that I have spent a lot of time listening to in recent years. They are all very different, and my music is different again, but the one trait they all share in abundance is that they sound so genuine, so real and honest. I’d love for any listener to think that about my music.

What countries would you like to tour? Are there any standout venues you’d like to play in?
I’ve never played in front of a huge crowd but the smaller, more intimate gigs are nearly always special.

If you could pick one track for our readers to listen to in order to get a taste of your music, what would you pick, and why?
Maybe the first track ‘Not For Me’. I feel that it represents the band and record well. I don’t know though, it’s a hard one. I’ve been getting really great feedback on ‘Tired & Down’ and ‘The Sea’ also.

What ambitions do you have for the band/your career?
Keep writing and play shows. Record more and more. Enjoy the process and the journey.

Finally, as you leave the stage, what are your parting words?
If you get a minute, check out a couple of tracks on all streaming platforms.

Follow The Noble Front on Instagram