The Explosive Metalcore Reveries of If Not For Me

The Explosive Metalcore Reveries of If Not For Me

Based out of the burgeoning state of Pennsylvania’s music scene, If Not For Me is an explosive metalcore collective ready to take on the nation.  Their debut Capture The Current EP was recently issued via Standby Records, jammed packed with hard hitting songs destined to leave an indelible impression.  Highwire Daze Online recently caught up with vocalist Patrick Glover to find out a whole lot more about this intensive band on the rise.  Read on and discover If Not For Me…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in If Not For Me, and how long the band has been together.
I’m Patrick Glover and I sing for If Not For Me. The band actually formed back in 2012. They went through several eras of different sounds and influences, as well as quite a few lineup changes. But our guitar player, Hayden, is the driving force behind the band and the one that shaped INFM into what it has become. I joined the band back in January, but the four of us have all known each other for several years. I actually went to college with Hayden, and we’ve all played in bands around the central PA scene, crossing paths with each other along the way. But it’s crazy to see how much INFM has grown over the years. I never expected to be a part of this band, but I think we have an incredibly solid lineup behind us and we’ve never been better.

Where is the band based out of and what is your local music scene like? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
We’re based out of a little town right outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania called Lemoyne. It’s actually a really poppin’ spot for live music. I pretty much consider all of central PA to be one huge music scene, because we have so many surrounding areas that kinda mesh together and are absolutely stacked with bands. We’re within an hour of Lancaster, home of some of the biggest metalcore acts in the game and just an overall incredibly live music friendly city. But we also have a ton of great bands from Hershey, Enola, Williamsport, Carlisle, etc. Central PA is just a massive hub for bands of all genres, and we’re even in reasonable driving distance from Pittsburgh and Philly, but still far enough away from those markets that we get a lot of traffic from national touring acts. Some of my favorite locals that are killing the game right now are The Art of Deception (metalcore), Moral Code (pop punk/emo), and if you wanna get real heavy, Promise Breaker and Flesh of the Lotus.

How did you wind up signing with Standby Records?
It’s kinda funny because when the guys had wrapped up “Capture the Current,” they pretty much immediately decided that with the potential this record has, it’d definitely be a good idea to get it out there on a label. They had no idea who, of course. But after sitting on the album for a bit and not being able to find the right fit for their vision, the guys decided to start taking steps to release the album independently. That’s when Standby swooped in. The timing was really crazy, actually. They were that perfect fit the band had been looking for, and we really couldn’t be more excited with where we’re at right now.

Is there any overall story or concept behind the EP title Capture The Current?
The title is actually a bit of a subtle double entendre, it has two meanings. The first is kind of just an ocean themed metaphor for the problems we have to overcome in life. “We fought tooth in nail on a ship without a sail…” and various others throughout the EP, the second meaning is saying to capture the present, we feel as though too many people are caught up in worrying about the future and worrying about what other people have than appreciating their “Current.”

Select two songs from Capture The Current and what inspired the lyrics.
My personal favorites are “Diminnocence” and “First One’s Free” they are both about pretty sensitive subjects. Diminnocence is about domestic violence, abusive relationships and sexual assault. We as a band are very much against that. We’ve been hearing many stories about these unfortunate events and wrote a song to touch on speak out on them. First One’s Free is about the unfortunate epidemic that is addiction. It’s just something that all of us can relate to and everyone else listening can too.

What could one expect from a live If Not For Me Show?
High energy and a wild light show! I try not to talk it up too much, but I’m super proud of our live show as a whole. We’ve put a lot into it production wise and we’ve never been tighter.

If you could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
This one might be a stretch, but I’d be absolutely honored to open for Killswitch Engage or Underoath some day. Those bands shaped me into who I am today. I grew up on 90s country music because that’s all my parents listened to. When I first heard Killswitch, I had no idea what I was listening to. All I knew was that it was the coolest thing I had ever heard. They’re the reason I do what I do (I still bump a whole lot of 90s country though).

What are you looking forward to the most about your upcoming EP release tour?
I’m just stoked to be on the road with some of my best friends. I love these dudes to death and I’ve never had so much fun playing with a group of guys before. I’m super new to touring though, so there’s naturally a little bit of anxiousness that comes with it. I’ll miss my bed, my shower, and my super supportive girlfriend, of course. But I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing. It’s 100% my dream job (I have no idea what I’m gonna do without my dog and cats though).

What was the experience like opening for August Burns Red and did you get to hang out with them at all?
August Burns Red is a huge name in metal core. The show was huge. Lancaster is their hometown, they play a Christmas show every year at the Chameleon Club and everyone comes out to support the hometown heroes. We’ve all gotten a chance to talk with them, very down to earth and talented guys. If you haven’t listened to them you’re doing something wrong.

What are your impressions now that the Vans Warped Tour is coming to an end and has your band ever played it? If so, what was the experience like?
I got into music way too late in my life, so unfortunately I didn’t get to experience my first Warped Tour until just a couple years ago. But I’ve been to two of them so far and it’s just such an exhilarating experience. When I found out that this year is the final cross country run, I bought my early bird tickets the second they went on sale. I didn’t care about the lineup. I just knew I couldn’t miss it (and then Simple Plan got announced and that alone already made the tickets worth it). It’s been a dream of mine for quite some time, but I never got to play Warped Tour. I still have a glimmer of hope though. I firmly believe that the tour isn’t dead, but only changing. I’m still really hopeful they’ll bring the cross country tour back some day. It’s left such a huge impact on our community.

What’s up next for If Not For Me after the EP release tour?
We get a break for a couple weeks, but then it’s right back out on the road for another twoish weeks. We’ll be hitting quite a few markets we haven’t played yet so I’m pretty excited about that! After that, we’re channeling as much as we can into writing our next album. We have a few demos laid out, and I’m really stoked on the direction they’re going.

Any final words of wisdom?
I’d just say don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. I had taken some time off from music when the guys asked me to join If Not For Me, and this was right around the time they were finalizing the deal with Standby. At first I told them I wasn’t the guy for them. I had a great job, great place, and a stable, boring life. I told them I would happily fill in for them for a while, but I was their first choice for a new full-time vocalist, and they were persistent. The more I dwelled on it, the more I realized that this was exactly what I had been working so hard towards for so many years. Opportunities like this don’t just present themselves for no reason, and I was about to just let it slide by because I was too comfortable. I played one show with them, and immediately after I told them I’d join on one condition: we’d re-record “Capture the Current” with me on vocals before releasing it. And that’s exactly what we did. I’m really proud to be a part of this band, but I wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t take a leap of faith. Trust your gut always, and don’t live with regrets.

If Not For Me is:
Patrick Glover- Vocals
Hayden Calhoun- Guitar/Vocals
Zac Allen- Bass
Sterling Hershey- Drums

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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