We get a ton of emails here at In Effect from your standard hardcore and punk bands to alternative rock to death metal and many in between. We appreciate you all but it is a painful job to go through everything at times to determine what we want to cover and what we will politely dismiss. DoFlame from the Toronto area randomly came to us a few weeks back via a public relations company who represents the 21 year old who just released his second album back in October on Blue Grape Music who has put stuff out by Code Orange, Spiritual Cramp and Gel. My first takes were A: DoFlame was sort of like a mashup of instrument playing Beastie Boys versus current day Turnstile, B: Damn, they got a bunch of cool videos with a ton of energy, and C: If I interview this guy it is probably going to piss some traditionalist hardcore types right the fuck off. So fuck it, here ya go… DoFlame interviewed in late January, 2025. Lead graphics by: Paul Turano, live photo collage by Kyler Shultz.
IE: Please introduce yourself. How old are you, what is your given name?
DF: Hello, I’m 22, my name is Mateo Naranjo.
IE: Where are you right now and what would you usually be doing at this time of the day if you weren’t answering these questions?
DF: Right now I’m in my apartment drinking coffee. If I wasn’t answering these questions I’d be on my phone pacing around my apartment thinking/procrastinating about what’s next for DoFlame or OFFLEASH.
IE: Can you tell us about your new album “Bent” and the maturation from “DoStroy” which came out 2 years prior?
DF: “Bent” feels more like my first real album to me. “DoStroy” felt like a bit more of a mixtape and we took the production less seriously overall. I feel like I had more of a chance to showcase what I felt DoFlame is with this new album.
IE: The bio that I got with “Bent” said that this was a “painful” album for you to make. How so?
DF: It took a long time and it felt like there were a lot of ups and downs during that time… there were a lot of breaks and in-between time spent working, moving around, and some directional quarrels within DoFlame as well.
IE: Fav song on “Bent” and why?
DF: Probably “Fastlanes”. I wrote it when I was much younger and it feels good to get it out and off my chest in a sense.
IE: Towards the end of “Bent” there is the aforementioned “Fastlanes” and earlier on the album there is the interlude called “I Don’t Remember”. Both tracks steer away from what the majority of the album sounds like. Can you specifically talk about the influence behind “Fastlanes” and can you see yourself doing more material like this on upcoming recordings?
DF: Yeah for sure… I’ve never wanted to get pigeonholed into just doing one thing with this project, especially in the harder genres. I feel like I take a lot of inspiration and influence from dance and electronic music, and I’ve always wanted to express that, which is another reason “Fastlanes” is my favorite track. I’d like to keep expanding in this direction most definitely.
IE: You go by the name DoFlame but you don’t play all the instruments on your records. Who are the other members of this group and what instruments do they play?
DF: I play with a group of friends… my band… Robert Ortiz on bass, Jesse Turnbull on guitar, and Ashton Purvis on the kit. I like to record with them when possible, though everyone’s not always around. But Jesse has consistently been my producer and the live lineup hasn’t changed. I love my band. I couldn’t imagine a world playing shows or touring with any other line up… they truly are my closest and best friends, and I really value the time I get to spend with them.
CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE “CAN’T STAND NO ONE” MUSIC VIDEO
CLICK BELOW TO WATCH “THE ICK” MUSIC VIDEO
LIVE PHOTOS TAKEN @ ACE OF CUPS, COLUMBUS, OH ON JANUARY 12, 2025. ALL PHOTOS BY: KYLER SHULTZ
IE: Tell us a little about the evolution of this group. I read you guys were playing in community centers and libraries early on and then Covid hit.
DF: For sure, we still do when we can, and most times those shows are more lit than club shows or whatever. I love the DIY scene, always will. Lately we’ve had some opportunities presented and we try to do as much as we can with that, but we’re definitely rooted in the hardcore DIY scene and look forward to playing as many shows like that as we can as well!
IE: Where did the name DoFlame come from?
DF: Doodling in my head and thinking of names one day after school.
IE: How did you get introduced to hardcore and punk music. What were some of the first albums you got and what were some of the first shows you went to?
DF: Fugazi’s “13 Songs”, Exit Order’s self-titled, and the Friction demo. I saw this band S.H.I.T from Toronto for my first show, that was pretty epic. After that I didn’t see a need to hang in other spaces.
IE: Give us a top 5 of bands that you feel have the most direct influence on what DoFlame is from lyrics to the music you play?
DF: Trapped Under Ice, Onyx, The Prodigy, Suicidal Tendencies, Fugazi.
IE: Can you tell us about the OFFLEASH collective? I see the gear in your videos and in that bio I got it mentioned some cool things you got going in with it.
DF: It’s a group/collective I started with people I thought were involved with cool things in the scene. It started as a way to shine a light and express all the art and culture I enjoyed in my local world, and it’s grown into an overall collective that tries to have as much community involvement in as many aspects as possible… from shows, to tattoos, to skating, to graffiti, and more.
IE: When I first found out about you a few weeks back I immediately noticed you have more than a few music videos out there to promote your music. Are you doing these all by yourself or with friends and is making video content something that interests you aside from your music?
DF: All my videos are made in partnership with my friends in the OFFLEASH crew! Everything is made from home essentially.
IE: Fav video that you have made so far and what makes it your favorite?
DF: “Bat-House”… I think it just captures us the best visually and musically.
IE: I know this topic was touched on in your video for “All Out” but do your parents know about your music and what kind of reaction do they have to it?
DF: My parents are super supportive, not like in the videos, but definitely down to be in them haha. I don’t really think they listen to the music but they’ve got the cliff notes on what I’m doing and have expressed their encouragement and pride. They’re the best!
IE: If this interview somehow gets saved where you can read it 30 years from now where would you like to see yourself be as a person and musician hovering around the age of 50?
DF: In my mind success is just happiness, I don’t really worry about what’s going to happen with the project because for the past few years I’ve been having the time of my life pursuing it, and I don’t think I would change that out for any other path. If everything does fall down, it was all worth it and all fun. But long story short, I’d be honored to still be making and playing music at 50, as long as I’m not giving off Axl Rose… Oh and I would like a house one day though… God. Who knows though! Thank you guys for having me!
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