F!TH is the latest hard rock 5-piece band to break into the Ottawa scene with their debut single “DEAD” and they are coming out swinging with no remorse.
The group was born out of a collaboration between Zane Bean and Vinny Belle. This led them to start a group of their own that encompassed the same type of energy as the track they worked on together, Cali Baby. They had the image in mind but knew they could not do it alone, so they looked to their friends to help complete the team.
“We actually met at the skatepark and then I started realizing that he could sing. He was actually on a Banezean track, Cali Baby, and then we kinda started this project together after that song and morphing that into a new project [F!th],” said Zane.
“We actually went to high school together,” Vinny added.
“And we didn’t talk to each other throughout that whole time,” Zane continued.
“Now we’re roommates and band mates,” laughed Vinny.
Knowing they would need two guitarists to achieve the sound they wanted, Zane asked Banezean Bassist Alex Gregory to hop on the project as well as long-time friend and coworker, Max Gibson, from The Riot Police.
Now they were faced with a common problem for new bands: finding a good bassist. Luckily, their friend, Devon James, was “in the right place at the right time” according to Vinny, and showed the group his “hidden talent” for bass.
At the start of 2022, these five guys started jamming and writing some songs that they figured would never see the light of day. Their early practices were done in the living rooms of their apartments and rarely included the full band.
The group was just starting to get to know each other musically and trying to figure out their sound. At first, it was similar to the more commercial, “radio-friendly”, styles of happy pop punk but slowly the harder punk rock influences crept in and F!TH found their new hard rock direction.
“It was a long process. We were just trying to figure out our sound and writing stuff that is not like anything on the EP,” Zane explained.
“I think we just got comfortable playing together and made our sound,” said Vinny.
Figuring out the sound of your band is very important, but having a great name to represent it is just as important. Having narrowed down their style, the band needed a catchy title too.
Nowadays, the two main ways to choose a band name appear to be stringing together a few words from a random name generator or using a cool acronym with a secret meaning known only by true fans. F!TH went with the latter route: the route of their punk rock predecessors.
“It’s pronounced fifth, like the number, but it means ‘fucked in the head’. Kinda like your hat (referring to my FIDLAR beanie). Kinda like FIDLAR,” said Zane. “Alex and I are FIDLAR fans so he came up with the idea of making it mean something…. Or if you want, ‘fun in the hood’. Don’t put that in.”
(Sorry, Zane.)
F!TH continued practicing and writing throughout the spring of 2022 but like most bands living in the downtown area, they struggled to find places to practice as a full band with live instruments (without annoying their neighbours and paying for time). The momentum they were building was being slowed down by this problem, so they searched far and wide to find a good space.
Eventually, a friend of the band saved the day and offered their basement as a jam room in July of 2022. This would become their home base for a while. Those who attended Banzean’s house show that summer featuring Neon Ghosthouse, Organ Eyes, Holly Acres, and Banezean himself, may be familiar with the space.
“It was tough because we didn’t really have a jam spot,” Vinny lamented. “For a while, it was just everybody coming to the apartment and like writing riffs and coming up with songs but never really getting to jam them.”
“February until July was just writing stuff on the computer DI (direct injections) and not actually playing in a room altogether,” detailed Zane.
“Really shitty demos,” said Vinny.
Little did they know those four concrete walls and carpeted floor would be the foundation they needed to get their momentum back and begin perfecting the songs they would select for their EP.
During one of their practices in the basement, the band was mindlessly jamming away when they stumbled upon a riff that instantly caught everyone’s attention. Vinny immediately was inspired and started writing lyrics in his notes while building the melody in his head. This song would become their debut single, DEAD.
“We had all the songs ready when we were recording but DEAD just had that ‘radio sound’ so it had to be the single. And honestly, it’s the only one with a guitar solo,” joked Zane.
Their EP was recorded, produced, and mixed by Dan Bell, who has produced for many bands from his house in Oshawa. He drove to Ottawa in the fall of 2022 to stay at Zane and Vinny’s apartment where they set up a DIY studio for tracking bass, guitar, and vocals over the next three days. Once that was done, the group moved their set-up and rented a room at Raven Street Studios to track all of the drums for their songs.
“[Dan] had a lot to add to what the recordings are now and then we had to try and remember to transfer what we recorded into our live show,” said Zane.
“It’s just the bells and whistles you gotta add,” Vinny explained. “DEAD started at such a different point than what it is now.”
With two hits on the kick and snare, the quick drum intro grabs the listener by the throat and throws them right into an instrumental chorus; familiarizing them with the melody right away. The overdriven guitars kick into a harmonizing octave riff. This, layered over top of the explosive drums and rumbling bass, gives flashbacks of the glory days of 2000’s hard-rock.
As the verse starts, the guitars and bass quiet to a pulsing chug; making way for the vocals, which introduce the title of the song in the first word. The lyrics address strong anger towards a faceless figure that is depicted through vague yet relatable lyrics. The listener gets to interpret and apply the lyrics to whatever situation they feel fit. Vinny’s energy and grit continues to build throughout the verse; eventually boiling over and leading into a high-powered chorus that will have crowds screaming along in no time.
“It’s not really about anything specific,” admitted Vinny. “I think like most people I was just fed up and angry about the past 3 years; covid, the lockdowns, and the truckers.”
“Yeah… We write ‘fuck you’ songs,” Zane laughed.
The chorus closes with a melodic group vocal that seamlessly leads into the next rage-fueled verse, just as provoking as the first. By the time the second chorus begins, the song’s emotion is undeniably contagious and this feeling is only amplified as THE aforementioned guitar solo kicks in.
Following this display of Max’s guitar chops, everything but the bass cuts out. Vinny recites the chorus in a sombre tone just before Zane launches into the final chorus; This booming drum fill will soon signal the start of some of the craziest mosh pits in local venues.
DEAD is a jaw-dropping debut song and a soon-to-be hard rock classic. The song will incite a healthy amount of irritation and outrage in listeners as they associate the potent lyrics with their personal lives, using the track as vengeful motivation.
Fans of F!TH can finally see them play live at their debut show on February, 17th at The 27 Club in Ottawa supporting Nothing Special with Guest Room Status. There has also been mention of more unannounced shows that are booked, so that will hopefully hold over their fans until the release of the upcoming EP this spring.