Here at Music Scene Media, we’re big fans of the metalcore band If Not For Me. I discovered them last year when I was asked to interview them, and fell in love immediately. I’d be lying if I said they’re not one of my favorite bands in the scene today. I even had the pleasure of shooting one of their shows at a tiny record store, and hanging out with them prior, and now have so much more respect for those guys. You’ll never meet a kinder, more grateful, and more humble set of dudes.
Since these events, If Not For Me have toured with some heavyweights like Electric Callboy and Set It Off. If Not For Me have truly had a year and they have begun to finally get the recognition that they deserve. They recently put out one hell of a new track, “Say It To My Face” featuring Taylor Barber of Left to Suffer.
The track starts off quiet and slow with vocalist Patrick Glover singing over a subtle melody: “I heard you've been talking, But you try to hide, Cause you always change your tune, The second it all comes to light. You live in denial, When you call me a friend, Your words are razor thin, You thought I wasn't listening, Come on and say it to my face…” It's at this point that the track explodes.
Speaking on the track, Glover shares: “I wrote this song about all the people in my life over the years that love to talk about me behind closed doors but have nothing to say when they see me in person. I feel like it’s gotten increasingly more normalized and just easier to hide behind a screen instead facing somebody to talk out your problems, so I think it’s a wildly relatable situation to feel betrayed by people around you in that way. It’s so disheartening to find out people you call friends have a very different perception of you. 'Say It To My Face' goes out to your friends, your enemies, and especially all of the people that blur the lines between.”
The rhythm to the intro of the song reminds me faintly of “Thank God It’s Friday” by Ice Nine Kills. That’s not a negative in any way— INK are a truly talented band and their songs are catchy as hell.
"Say It To My Face" starts out strong, and only intensifies when Taylor Barber brings his part, halfway through the track: "You think I'm dumb but I can fake it, Intoxicated but I just can't take, What you're saying to me, Speaking out of place, I hope you bite your tongue, The blood will spill, When the facts meet the sun, Everyone's so weirdly complacent, and they won't say shit."
My favorite part is the outro with Glover's and Barber's vocals powerfully layered. "Say It To My Face" is such a strong track that I'd rate it up there with "Feel Me Now" and "Blameless". This is definitely a band to keep an eye on. I know that I, personally, am on the edge of my seat waiting to see what they do next!
Band Members:
Patrick Glover (vocals) - ifnotforpattycakes
Hayden Calhoun (guitar) - ifnotforhayden
Zac Allen (bass) - ifnotforzac
Cody Frain (drums) - ifnotforcody
