Inside Orthodox’s Sonic Descent: A Conversation with Bassist Austin Evans

 With their latest record A Door Left Open, Orthodox plunges listeners into a world of dread, chaos, and emotional dissonance. The Nashville-based band has always defied genre labels, but on this release, the fusion of nu-metal aggression and hardcore vulnerability feels particularly sharp and deliberate. We caught up with bassist Austin Evans to unpack the emotional weight behind the record, the calculated madness of their sound, and what happens when the band finally nails the energy of their live show—on record.

 

                                                            Photo credit @sarahholickphoto

“A Door Left Open” dives deep into dread and powerlessness. How did those emotional undercurrents shape the songwriting?

Austin Evans:
I can’t really speak for the lyrics because I just write the instruments, but the instrumentation was very intentional. It’s powerful and forward—designed to shock the listener. That sense of I don’t know what the fuck is going on reflects the helplessness in the lyrics. When you’re helpless, that’s exactly how it feels.

 

There’s a strong sense of violation and dread throughout the album. How did you capture that sonically, especially in the rhythm section?

It was all about tone—creating the right atmosphere when everything comes together. A lot of parts are bass-driven, and the low end carries a lot of weight. We wanted it to sound like the world was ending.

 

The album shifts between calculated chaos and eerie calm. Was that contrast intentional in your bass parts?

Absolutely. Everything we did on this record was intentional. It was designed to be what it is, and there’s nothing I’d change about it.

 

Orthodox is often described as genre-defying but rooted in nu-metal and hardcore. How do you balance those influences in your playing?

A lot of it comes down to groove. We all grew up on nu-metal and hardcore. Those styles don’t always mesh naturally, but we’ve found a way to blend them that sounds different. It’s not what people expect—and that’s what we love about it.

 

You’ve mentioned that this record finally captures the force of your live show. What changed in the recording process?

We played a lot of shows during our last record cycle, and we really learned what worked and what didn’t. It became a trial-and-error process. We took that knowledge into the studio and wrote with our live performance in mind—it made all the difference.

 

You’ve toured with bands across the heavy music spectrum. How has that shaped your musical approach?

It gives you perspective on what different audiences want. We land somewhere between all those bands in terms of fanbase, and that’s helped us figure out how to write songs that resonate with people across the scene.

 

Randy LeBoeuf produced this album. What did he bring to the process?

Randy worked on our last record, so he already understood the vibe we were going for. This time, it was seamless. He’s a genius—he just gets it. We were all aligned on the vision, and he helped us bring it to life

 

The album features guest spots from Andrew Neufeld, Matt McDougall, and Brann Dailor. How did those collaborations come together?

Matt’s a longtime friend—he was on my first tour—and he’s straight edge, like the song he appears on. It wouldn’t have felt right to have anyone else on that track.

Andrew’s another good friend. We’ve toured with him a few times, and his band is a favorite among us. Having him on a track felt like a milestone.

Brann from Mastodon—he’s a huge influence on a few of us. For him to add clean vocals to an otherwise heavy record was huge. It added dynamics and something new to what we were doing.

 

With Austin Evans’ experimental guitar work and Adam’s direct vocals, how do you see your role evolving?

I just have to keep pushing the needle. There’s no telling what our next material will sound like, but I know I don’t want it to sound like anything anyone’s heard before. That’s the goal.

 

You’ve got one night off on tour—what’s your go-to? Record shop, BBQ, or Mario Kart?

That’s a split decision in our band. Shiloh, Mike, and Adam would hit a record store. I’d probably be the one playing video games. But most of the time, we’re just looking for a good coffee shop to sit at and think—or we hit the gym. We live in the gym.

If “Dread Weight” were a horror movie monster, what would it look like? And what bass tone would it growl in?

That’s a great question. Probably Michael Myers. And the bass tone? Something dirty and fucked up.

 

 Orthodox's latest record, A Door Left Open, is available now—a punishing blend of genre-defiance and emotional weight that pushes the boundaries of heavy music.

 Catch Orthodox on tour and buy and stream Spectral wherever you get your music.