Interview Cober Mouth

UK metal act Cober Mouth is making waves with their crushing sound and intense live performances. We discuss their journey, influences, and new single 'STERIDE'—a rage-fueled anthem of frustration.

1. Cober Mouth has been making waves in the UK metal scene. Can you tell us how the band first came together and what inspired you to create this project?

Cober Mouth was unveiled after about 5 years of work, developing the remnants of the band from our teenage years, Black Leaves of Envy, into a true representation of our style. We had always loved playing music together as we went through school, and there was really no question of whether it would continue or not. The band as it emerged in 2023 was the result of us doing a lot of thought and retrospective self analysis, asking ourselves, what music do we really want to hear?

2. Your new single, STERIDE, has been described as a “rage-fuelled” track born out of frustration. Can you dive deeper into the meaning behind the song and what emotions went into writing it?

I wrote STERIDE after spending months trying to convince people not to throw away some of their most unique potential in life. I cared deeply about the lives of these people, yet ultimately failed to convince them to stay true to their stated goals, even through adversity. It’s initially hard to see what are unsolvable issues and what are excuses, but the line became so clear to me during that period  I couldn’t help but put pen to paper. The lyrics and the meaning of the song are all tied into our artwork – destiny is meaningless without will to change.

3. Your last release, Untethered, received strong praise from BBC Radio One, Metal Hammer, and Kerrang! How does it feel to get that level of recognition so early in your career?

Hugely gratifying, we’ve looked to all 3 of those media outlets for taste making since we were kids, to have them share our music is unreal. And yet, it sets the standard for ourselves in a way we didn’t anticipate. It’s amazing to have the recognition, however we actively try to avoid letting it influence creative decisions. We have to remind ourselves that the recognition came from simply writing music we loved to play – and that’s the only true validation we can count on.

4. You blend elements of nu-metal and metalcore into a sound that’s both crushing and groove-driven. Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how do they shape your songwriting?

Knocked Loose, specifically the album Laugh Tracks was a true moment of realisation for me – the weight that is given to hardcore over metalcore whilst retaining modern feel was unparalleled. Something I share with their guitarist and songwriter Isaac came from watching Paleface Swiss live; if you laugh because something is so heavy – pursue it. If I chuckle while I’m writing, I’m onto something. Thrown were also a huge game changer – the combination of Buster Odeholme’s signature thall style with grooves that harkened back to 90’s and 2000’s nu metal gave me renewed confidence in simple riffs.

5. You’ve built a reputation for intense live performances and have shared the stage with bands like Heart of a Coward and Osiah. What do you want people to experience when they see Cober Mouth live?

Our aim for Cober Mouth’s live shows is for you to feel how truly aggressive and ethereal our music is. If we’ve done our job correctly, you’ll see how feral the anger in these songs make me. You’ll see me collapse drenched in my own sweat after venting a year's worth of problems in 5 seconds or less, before our drummer Dylan destroys the room by playing ambient sections and breakdowns. Everything we do is about keeping energy.

6. The UK has a strong metal scene with many emerging bands. What do you think sets Cober Mouth apart, and what message do you want to send with your music?

I firmly believe by paying attention to our own ever growing influences, and following music we love, we’ll continue to stand apart from many others.

Paired with genuine desire to create and improve concepts for every release, we strive to offer something new for fans to dive into before the last offering wears thin. The message in our music varies, but the persistent one is this – be honest about yourself, to yourself.

7. Your music features a mix of heavy grooves, synths, and samples. How do you approach incorporating these different elements into your songwriting?

I think we’ve been listening to genres that combine these elements for so long that the ideas just come to us – we hear them mentally, then write them down.

After the initial ideas are down we’ll just vibe off what the parts are giving us, and develop as we see fit by experimentation.

There is no theory to what we do other than drafting ideas on a PC (we’re what’s known as a laptop band because we don’t jam ideas to start songs).

8. You have a packed tour schedule coming up. Which show or festival are you most looking forward to, and what can fans expect from your performances?

We don’t want to choose favourites – but there’s nothing like going back to our home town of Helston in Cornwall.

The South West in general is fantastic to play so I’m looking forward to Exeter, Plymouth and Saltash also.

We were so surprised to have a full venue the first time we came back, and can’t wait to go again.

Our first London appearance is hugely exciting, as well as a return to Thekla in our home away from homes, Bristol.

9. With STERIDE marking the start of a new chapter for Cober Mouth, what’s next? Can we expect an EP, album, or more surprises in 2024?

We’re always writing, so the releases aren’t going to stop any time soon. That said, I’m not going to reveal any secrets and spoil surprises, so will decline to answer further on this one...

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