Doomed Confessionary: Jared Hagan & Brandon Simon (Surus)
Surus is a doom/sludge/post-metal duo hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Formed in 2023, Surus is the brainchild of guitarist/vocalist Jared Hagan and drummer/vocalist Brandon Simon. The duo crafts a sound that is both expansive and suffocating, seamlessly weaving together blistering shrieked vocals, whispered falsettos, and devastating instrumentation. Their compositions are defined by oppressive, distorted guitars and unrelenting drumming, creating a relentless ebb and flow between eerie calm and overwhelming chaos.
Surus’ latest work is a split with Wretched Hallucination, released on June 11th, 2024. Songs like »Bewildering Form« stand as a testament to the band’s ability to evoke raw emotion and cerebral depth through sound, making them a must-listen for fans of Neurosis, Amenra, and Yob. With its pummeling rhythms and visceral atmosphere, the track invites listeners into a world of existential turmoil and cathartic release.
This time Doomed Nation presents the interview for the first time in video format as well!
Can you say a few words about your band?
Jared: We are a two piece band out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, playing a Bass VI and a drum set. We are loud as hell.
Brandon: We’ve been playing together 11 years I think.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Jared: So far the biggest challenge has always been keeping and getting members, thats how we’ve ended up as a two piece. Then being a two piece, how do we get it to sound as big as a two piece can possibly get live. I feel like we’ve pretty well accomplished that without samples.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Jared: I’m very proud of the split we released with Wretched Hallucination. I’m proud of both the songs we did for that split.
Brandon: Which they’re now called Glórach.
Jared: I’m proud of the songs we did there. I’m proud of the recording we did, I think the mixing and mastering, even though we did it our selves ended up sounding pretty good; pretty heavy. Yeah I’m proud of that.
What was your biggest regret?
Brandon: Wasting so much time looking for a third member. Messing with people that wasted our time usually.
Jared: Yeah spending so much time with the circle of musicians trying different people out and teaching them. Then having them leave, especially now that we are so happy with our sound as a two piece.
Brandon: It took awhile to get here.
Jared: Yeah it really did.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Jared: For me its got to be the Fauns show we did in OKC at the Sanctuary. It was a really good show and a really good turn out great band.
Brandon: Lots of good bands were there.
Jared: Lots of good local bands and the Fauns killed it.
Brandon: Yeah Fauns, you guys are awesome.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Brandon: I thought it was weird when people started knowing who Eyehategod was.
Jared: Yeah, maybe the rate at which stoner and doom metal has grown lately, yeah, its really blown up. Some of the bands that no one really cared for back then.
Brandon: Eyehategod used to get booed off stage.
Jared: Yeah they opened up for Pantera and got booed off strage, they weren’t even allowed to finish playing.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Jared: I’ve always got Yob, Amenra, lately alot of Kowloon Walled City since I got turned on to those guys. I went and saw them in Bentonville, Arkansas. They killed it, those guys were amazing.
Brandon: Yeah he just turned me onto those guys. I’m not that familiar with them yet, but they’re good. Of course, Yob, Amenra, Neurosis, I’ve been digging back into the Grunge a little bit. Stuff I used to listen to as a kid, a lot of Mudhoney lately.
Jared: I’ve been listening to alot of LLNN lately as well, a crazy metalcore heavy band. Theyre pretty interesting.
Brandon: Oh and of course Russian Circles. Those guys kill.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Jared: James Brown always said to play all instruments like they were drums.
Brandon: I can’t remeber who said it, but one time I read just play what comes natural, don’t try to be anything, whatever comes out, comes out. I think it was Chris Adler who said that.
Jared: I think that being sincere when writing stuff and not trying to force it, is probably the best advice you can get as far as writing music is concerned.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Brandon: Like musically? I do listen to sad boy rock, I love Counting Crows.
Jared: It’s probably like Japanese city pop for me. Like anime music.
Brandon: It says anything, so anything else would be chocolate, its why I’m fat.
Jared: It’s not chocolate that makes me fat, its too much soda.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Tulsa?
Jared: It seems like our scene in tulsa is growing. you are seeing alot more doomy and stonery bands. Its just that the population is so small compared to like Dallas or Seattle or some of the other Big cities. You don’t always get the best turn out for shows, even if you have decent followers. The shows got to be kind of destination, you gotta have a bigger named band coming through to get a big turn out.
Brandon: We definitely have the people that show up all the time.
Jared: Oh yeah, we definitely have your local crew that shows up to every show, but for the most part you have to have a bigger named band in Tulsa. It seems like OKC is a little more open. They seem to bring out a bigger crowd for smaller bands.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Jared: Well our next show is at the Whittier Bar. We are playing with Ghost Hollow and Glórach and then we have a couple more shows here in Tulsa. One at a place called Noisetown and another one at the Sound pony. After that we are looking to book some more shows around Texas, get more small tours going on. Try and grown some more.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Jared: Right now we are working on new music, trying to get something else out there. We haven’t put out any real new music in awhile. Thats our main goal, that and trying to get out and play some more small tours.
Brandon: Yeah definitely want to get out there and tour.
Jared: So if you are in another state hit us up we are looking for shows.
Brandon: Yeah we will come, I don’t give a fuck where its at I’ll drive up there.
How can people best support your band?
Jared: I think just like any other band. Likes on pages, Instagram, Facebook. That’s what they look at when they’re booking you. Thats how people know if people like you. Spotify I guess is very important nowdays. Like all that, buy our stuff off Bandcamp.
Brandon: Listen to our music.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Jared: Get out support your local musicians, the classic.
Brandon: Yeah, get out support local musicians. Buy T-shirts, because we are T-shirt salesmen.
Jared: Yeah, mobile T-shirt and sticker salesmen. Get out and support, not just us, support other local bands thats how they become not local bands.
Brandon: Yeah and check it out in Tulsa, theres alot of great bands in tulsa, there really are. Theres alot of stuff happening in Tulsa believe it or not. I know we are kind of a fly-over state.
Jared: Check out Glórach, check out Medicine Horse.
Brandon: Carcinogen Daily, theres alot of good bands here.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well