Heavy Hex are yet another newer name that have helped solidify a now very diverse Long Island hardcore music scene. Over the course of the last year they caught the attention of Bridge Nine Records and have their debut full length in “True To You” out now. We caught up with their singer Dave Gastiaburo in early June to get some more info. The rest of the band is rounded out by: Cody Hermann on bass/vocals, Daniel Lukach- guitar/vocals, Jeremy Gardiner- guitar and Michael DiLello- drums. This interview can also be found in print form in the latest issue of Outsider Magazine. Graphics by: Paul Turano. ALL live photos by: Steve Levy
IE: Hey Dave, what’s up? Can you tell us when Heavy Hex got together and catch us up with what the band has done to this point?
Dave: Heavy Hex started in 2020. Danny met Jeremy while searching for a buyer for his amp, but ended up making plans to start a project instead and slowly brought the rest of us into the band. Since we released “Stare” in 2022, we’ve been pretty fortunate when it comes to shows. We’ve kept pretty busy up until the beginning of this year. The band took a bit of a break from shows. Over Memorial Day weekend we played our two record release shows, one on Long Island and the other at the Bridge Nine Warehouse in MA. Before then we haven’t played since November, which was rough. Our main focus was to prepare for the release of “True To You”, our debut LP on Bridge Nine.
IE: I have to give you guys some credit with your new one “True To You”. Ten brand new songs came out just a little over a year after your debut came out. How hard have you all been going at it with rehearsals and writing in the last year to get that accomplished?
Dave: We’ve all been really consistent when it comes to Hex. We don’t miss practices and we all put in the work, in and out of the studio. It’s been a really healthy team. With everybody so motivated we had plenty of time to prepare before getting in the recording studio.
IE: Your top 3 favorite tracks off of your new album? And why?
Dave: I dig “Asymmetry”, “Falling” and “True To You” a lot. Hex having a song featuring Quinn Murphy of Love Letter/Verse is still registering in my head. Verse – “Aggression” was such a significant record for me. So hearing Quinn’s voice on our record hypes me up.
IE: Where did you record the new album? How long did it take to record from start to finish?
Dave: We spent 10 days at Jay Maas’s home studio. It was probably the best experience I’ve had recording in any project. It sounded great right from the start, which I expected nothing less from Jay with his solid portfolio. He definitely was the right man for the job.
IE: When I first started hearing Heavy Hex tracks I almost immediately thought… “this band sounds like a Bridge 9 band”… and not too long later you are on that very label. How did the band and B9 come together?
Dave: I was following B9 as they were building up the new record shop/warehouse. So when I was in Massachusetts with friends for AHC, I suggested that we should stop by. We’re all pretty big audiophiles and collect records so it was an easy “yes” from the group. I think we spent a little over an hour in the shop and half of it was spent talking to Chris Wrenn from B9. He spotted that we were from NY right away and gave us the history of the label. About how B9 got their early funding selling signs outside of Fenway Park that said “Yankees Suck”. We all laughed but when he mentioned that his most recent signings were bands from NY, I kinda saw it as an opportunity to put Hex out there. He told me to send him an email and I did. Wasn’t sure what to expect but man, I’m glad I sent that email.
IE: One of the new album’s strengths is its diversity with straight up hardcore bangers and others that are a bit more difficult to categorize. What are some bands that all the members of Heavy Hex can agree on as being influences?
Dave: To list a few: Have Heart, Verse, Defeater, Title Fight, OTMOP, Silent Majority, Capital, Polar Bear Club, Rival Schools, Hey Mercedes, Hope Con, Mindset.. It goes on…
IE: You made a video for the title track of the new album. Can you give us some info on its making?
Dave: We shot the video at our practice space, my apartment, and at my actual job. My buddy, Richie Duque, is a talented filmmaker and supporter of the band. So when he took an interest in doing some videos with us, we were more than down. The video follows me throughout a normal day. I get through work, I get home and take care of my dog, and later I head to practice with Hex. We wanted the video to show some humanity. That we go through the same routine of life as most people do. The video ends with us pretty stoked. That making music has been a rewarding feeling and that powering through the tough work day was all worth it when it allows us to reach for whatever passion or purpose we want in this life. I think Richie absolutely crushed it. Go follow @richieduque on IG. If you’re looking for a filmmaker, he’s your guy. (Editor’s note: don’t forget to check out the videos for “True To You” and “Worthwhile”).
IE: Can you tell us about the pilsner collaboration you currently have going on with 27A Brewing?
Dave: Ryan and Melissa who own the brewery are such great people and are very close friends of mine. They support LINY and stay involved in the hardcore community. They’ve brewed beers for our friends in Stand Still and Innerlove and now I’m stoked we have a dry hopped pilsner. I’ve been a huge fan of Ryan’s beer from the start and having this collab not only celebrates “True To You” but also serves as a celebration of our friendship. If you find yourself in Lindenhurst, NY make sure you hit 27A Brewing Co. and Ruby Soho’s.
IE: How did the name Heavy Hex come to be?
Dave: We were trying hard to come up with a name that would resonate with the themes of the band. I think Jeremy stumbled upon heavy hex bolts in an ad and suggested using it as our name not because of its industrial connotation, but to symbolize how this life can feel like we’ve been cursed, to constantly face difficult obstacles, and that nothing is allowed to go right. The curse of life is a heavy hex.
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