Severed Sun is a metal band from central Florida. They have two EPs out so far: Strength Judged By Power (2017) and Catacombs (2021). Their love of all things heavy bleeds into their music, and the passion they have for what they do is evident in both recordings and the moment the foursome steps foot on a stage.
I recently had the chance to speak with front man Rod Rawlins about the band’s history, influences, and plans for 2023.
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MM: First and foremost, what made you want to pursue a career in music?
RR: Well first, thank you for taking time to do the interview. For me personally, I grew up listening to rock music, being introduced by my father and uncle to bands like Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, etc. Later on in life, some friends of mine and myself were riding in a car and I was singing to, I believe, Metallica and they asked if I had ever thought about singing in a band. That lit a spark uner my ass to get into a band they were putting together.
MM: Your voice does stand out, and it certainly fits the style of music y’all do. Have you ever had any type of lessons? Or are you just one of those lucky people?
RR: Well, the answer to that is yes, but not until the last couple years did I get serious vocal lessons from Natalie Hagan. I wanted to expand my vocal range and get back some of my high end that I seemed to lose or just got lazy with. I did try lessons a long time ago but only had a few because of conflicts with my work schedule.
MM: Who are your major influences? (Both for you personally, and those of the entire band.)
RR: We have a lot of the same influences, such as Black Sabbath,Metallica,Pantera, Dream Theater, Testament, Death,Megadeth, Metal Church – the list goes on and on.
MM: Just for fun, is there any band/artist you listen to that you think would surprise people?
RR: Believe it or not, I don’t listen much anymore, but Little River Band. My dad loved them and when I hear it on a station, I have to jam it out.
MM: Who would you most like to collaborate with?
RR: Zakk Wylde, because he is a great human and awesome musician.
MM: How was Severed Sun formed, and where did the name come from?
RR: Originally there were different members in the band and they needed a singer and they met me and so I joined. But I believe it was the guitarist, Kevin, and thier drummer at the time that came up with the name. They were 4 friends from high school that put the band together initially.
MM: Y’all released Catacombs in 2021. Can you tell me a little about the writing and recording process for that EP? And where do you draw your inspiration for songs, generally speaking?
RR: Our inspiration comes from feeling when we are jamming at practice, usually during warm up. The guys will jam totally from the hip and if something feels right we grab it and write. Recording was a blast! We spent, I think, 2 or 3 weekends at the studio. Everything just fell into place and the Catacombs EP was born.
MM: What is your favorite song from the EP?
RR: I really like “Poverty” a lot. And “Fuktard,” because it’s a fun song to play.
MM: Speaking of playing, what can one expect from a Severed Sun live show? I imagine the fact that y’all enjoy jamming together translates to the stage.
RR: Severed Sun is 4 guys who love playing and it shows on the stage. We have no gimmicks or cliches, it’s just the music, the crowd, and the band. We try to give it all every show!!
MM: What’s next for the band?
RR: Another studio session is coming up in 2023, and we’re going to build another tour since our last one got cancelled due to Covid. We hope to meet a lot more new people and, hopefully, fans.
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It sounds like Severed Sun is ready to blaze a path of hard-hitting songs and shows this year! To ensure that you don’t miss out, and to get your hands on music from Severed Sun, follow them on their socials and visit severedsun.com, metalscraprecords.com, and totalmetalshop.com.
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