FLAGSTAFF – By: Noelle Wells – Every once in a while, a band takes two genres no one thought would ever go together and effectively marry them. The band? As God’s Fall. The genres? Swing and metal.
(Left to Right) Kathryn McLean, Jake van Zoete, and Matt Smith playing at the Drunken Lass Irish Pub in Prescott.
Singer, guitarist, and writer Matt Smith, as well as two of his other band members, Jake van Zoete on guitar and vocals, and Kathryn McLean as the bass player and self proclaimed mediator for the band, are all students at NAU. Other members include CJ Flynn, from Flagstaff, on drums, and Chris Bennet, from Phoenix, on lead vocals.
Nothing about getting this band together has been easy. “Jake and I had a couple classes together and we started talking – when we actually went to class. From there we started talking, jamming, and writing music together.” After that, it was just a matter of filling in the rest of the places in the band. They got their drummer from Craigslist after they put up an advertisement once they realized they were going to need a drummer for Battle of the Bands. Bennet had previously been in a band with Flynn.
The band has faced difficulties bringing everyone together in more ways than one. Although they practice about four to five times a week as a group, their lead vocalist is in Phoenix. They had to approach it by recording their music and sending it to him, and occasionally getting everyone together to practice in a studio.
They also had to find a way to combine their own style with Bennet’s – who approaches metal in a more traditional fashion. What they came out with was melodic death core – which Zoete explained as establishing a strong melody that is supported by an interesting backing track. Polyrhythms, jazz inspired melodies, and atmospheric soundtrack influences can be heard in their music. As God’s Fall also plays swing metal, two genres which most people would never think to combine. But Smith and a friend have been working this blend for the last year.
“I love swing. I love metal. Why not combine the two?” Smith said, explaining what it was that made him want to create something new.
Meeting up with them, one may be surprised they go up on stage on weekends to play music heavy with growls, screams, and bold electric guitars and drumming. While traveling to a concert at The Drunken Lass Irish Pub in Prescott, Smith, wearing a bright red fedora, and McLean, in a corset and long black skirt, were getting pumped up by listening to Frank Sinatra and other big band music.
“We’re all a bit weird in every way.” Smith said. “That’s for damn sure. Most of us don’t even fit the whole metal stereotype. Chris is the only one with long hair and chains.”
Whatever it is they’re doing, whether it’s the considerable amount of practice or the evenings spent bonding over Nerf Gun fights, they say it’s working for them. Their audiences, as well as other bands, seem to be receiving them with open arms.
“I’ve heard other bands try this,” said Marc Fealk, an NAU student and member of the audience at The Drunken Lass, “But what they’ve done? It actually works. I could never have imagined someone putting together swing and metal, but I can’t wait to see more of it.”
It’s good news for Fealk – as well as everyone else waiting to hear As God’s Fall.
“We’re taking this all the way.” Smith promised. “Music is the only future any of us want. It’s definitely going to take us somewhere great.”
If you’re going out hoping to hear some swing metal, chances are your only chance of finding it is going to be in mid-April at Joe’s Grotto, or in May at the Orpheum.
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