Doomed Confessionary: Brian, Dave & Matt (Grid)

Photos by Michael Corwin

Grid is an American post-metal band, formed in the summer of 2014 by Brian Harrigan (Inherus, ex-Swallow The Ocean) on guitars, and Matt Habina on drums. While writing songs for what would be their debut EP, Dave Cohn joined the band on bass. The trio wrote and recorded 4 songs, and released them on an EP entitled »The Shadow Moment« in June of 2015. In the December of 2015, Andrew Binder joined the band on keys and cello solidifying the lineup and saw »The Shadow Moment« re-released with the addition of newly written keys sections in early 2016.

The following album »Overlook« landed in May 2018, and in July of 2023, Grid entered Barking Dog Studios in Brewster, NY, to record with Richie Kennon with the album being mixed and mastered once again by Mike Usifer now out of Aural Assault Studios. New album »The World Before Us« will be released on July 27th, 2024.

Grid are Matt Habina (drums), Dave Cohn (bass, synths) and Brian Harrigan (guitars, vocals, synths).

Can you say a few words about your band?
Brian: Well, we started making music 10 years ago as an instrumental trio. In the time we have released 2 EPs, 1 full-length and a single. We decided to stop being strictly instrumental a couple years ago and we’re about to release our first full-length album to feature vocals »The World Before Us« on July 27th. If you like sludgy riffs, spacey synths and aliens…check it out!

What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Dave: For me the biggest challenge is that I moved to another state, which has had us learn to write things by process instead of coming up with things in practice. They both have their advantages and drawbacks, but I am really proud of how we have all come together on this upcoming album.

Brian: I’d say the biggest challenge is getting out there and being heard. There’s so much good music out there, it’s hard to get people to give a new band a fair shake. We are trying to go about it the right way this time, so hopefully the music stands up.

Matt: Probably just finding the patience and flexibility to keep things going as everyone’s lives change and free time becomes harder to come by. This last album start to finish took us a lot longer than others but we managed to stick with it and be patient which ultimately really paid off.

What can you be most proud of so far?
Dave: We’ve adapted to a lot of changes over the past few years. Switching up our approach to writing and what it means to be a band has opened new possibilities for us.

Brian: I’m most proud of the fact that we have been a band for 10 years now and the three of us are still writing music that we enjoy, and are still surprising ourselves with every new song.

Matt: I’d say pushing ourselves to keep growing and changing as a band. All of my favorite bands do that and have real noticeable growth from album to album and I really enjoy that. It’s definitely easier to keep doing the same thing but I don’t see much point in that.

What was your biggest regret?
Brian: Nothing at the moment…

Matt: Musically at least I’d say waiting until recently to really get serious about learning guitar. As a drummer I just never took it all that seriously and I put it together but by bit at such a slow pace. The last year or two I’ve really been drilling down on it and it’s made music make sense on a level it didn’t before, and even helped my drumming quite a bit.

What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Dave: I think I’ll always remember this place we played once in New Paltz. It was barely bigger than a bedroom, and yet somehow we stuffed 20-something people and a full rig of equipment in there. It was summer so it got hot real fast, but man did we have a blast!

Brian: We played a show, actually more than one, at Gold Sounds in Brooklyn. We crushed it that night, and played to a solid crowd as well. It was a lot of fun.

Matt: I have to second that New Paltz show that Dave mentioned. I just love a hot, crowded show in a nontraditional space. Brings me back to some of my favorite shows I’ve seen and just really gives me the feeling of community that is so key to a music scene.

What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Brian: I’d say the amount of gatekeeping that goes on. People just can’t let other people enjoy some music.

Matt: Probably the variance in turnout and enthusiasm from scene to scene, venue to venue and show to show. So many times I’ve expected no turnout in a kind of remote area and you end up getting a good crowd and then next time you’re somewhere you expect great turnout and it’s pretty sparse.

What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Dave: Alphawhores debut album. Still jamming on some Sun Voyager… and just classic stuff like Kyuss, Truckfighters, etc.

Brian: Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of DVNE, Bossk, and ATER. All three bands just released new albums within the last month or so and they all crush.

Matt: Hot Mulligan’s latest »Why Would I Watch« has been getting a lot of play from me. Also heavily into Origami Angel right now. The kind of always in rotation stuff is going strong as well, like Weatherbox, The Velvet Teen, Glassjaw etc.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Dave: Never feel like you’re comfortable, you need to keep pushing yourself to grow. I think thats pretty good advice in general.

Brian: Never give up.

Matt: Don’t forget it’s supposed to be fun. If you’re not having fun, consider why you’re doing this.

What are your guilty pleasures?
Dave: Banana flavored candy. Can’t get enough of them.

Brian: Vanilla frosted doughnuts with rainbow sprinkles.

Matt: Coffee Icecream, history podcasts, and a few stupid mobile games

Can you say something more about the music scene in your area?
Dave: Boston has a pretty eclectic scene and I am enjoying getting to see it. Between Berkeley and all the other colleges here, there’s a lot of young energy and that keeps the scene fresh.

Matt: New York State has such a varied and cool scene. The city is the city, you can see almost anyone there with a little patience. But upstate there’s also a lot of cool stuff going on. A lot of smaller more intimate venues where you can explore a town you haven’t seen before, catch a show and see someone great. There’s just everything available to you if you’re willing and able to travel a little bit.

Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Dave: I don’t think we have plans to play live coming up, but we will certainly keep you posted if that changes!

Brian: Yeah, unfortunately that just isn’t doable right now.

What are your plans for the future as a band?
Dave: Keep on writing long songs with heavy riffs and then putting them out for people to enjoy.

Brian: We’re definitely going to keep writing music, and if it works out, play live again. But for now I’m already working on tunes for the next one.

Matt: Just keep having fun writing music with these guys and putting it out there. I’d love to be able to play live more, life works in mysterious ways so I’m sure we’ll have a chance to get back at that at some point.

How can people best support your band?
Brian: Check out our music, including our newest single from our upcoming album on gridband.bandcamp.com. Give us a follow on Instagram.

Matt: listen to the music and tell your friends if you think they’d dig it!

Do you have any message for your listeners?
Dave: Thank you for all the support, we love the music and are so happy you do too!

Brian: To anyone who’s been listening, we appreciate you so much! Thank you for sticking around. We’ll have some really great new tunes coming your way soon.

Matt: Thanks for everything and buckle up for what’s coming.

Links:
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Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well