Stereo Six: Kiwi Metalcore Group Severed Beliefs Dish on Their Most Impactful Albums

Formed in New Zealand in 2018, Severed Beliefs are a scintillating metalcore quartet who take influence from the ‘90s metal and hardcore movements that sprung up across the globe. With an EP and new single, “Eternal Grey,” to their name, the group is starting to make waves both at home and abroad. The single dropped January 8th via Elimination Records and is featured on the label’s Endangered Species compilation alongside critically acclaimed UK band Watch Me Die.

As the band begins to truly take off, it seems a perfect opportunity for a little retrospective. Enter V13 with a Stereo Six feature to allow Severed Beliefs to explore the six albums (including one curveball entry) that helped inform the group as they are today. Explore your inner metal-core-head and join Fergus, Jas, Josh and Ian on their journey through the annals of metalcore, punk, hardcore, and even some classic hip-hop.

Enjoy all the shades of “Eternal Grey” with Severed Beliefs.

01. Too Late – Self Titled EP  (2013, Self-Released – Bandcamp)
– “It’s like a quintessential Hardcore record for me, I find very little faults with it. I guess it holds a special place for me as it’s one of the first New Zealand releases I ever listened to when I was really young and was first going to shows. It’s crushing and thoroughly enjoyable, everything you want in a release. It is a record which is always on rotation in my regular list of shit I like to listen to. REST IN POWER Too Late.” (Fergus)

02. Caged Existence – The Body Prison (2018, Life.lair.regret Records – Bandcamp)
– “Upon initial formation of the band, I wasn’t aware of any current bands playing music in a similar strain of the bands we were drawing from. This wasn’t until I caught Caged Existence open for Harms Way and I was instantly hooked. There’s something so charming to me about the minimalistic riffs and tight song structures that changed the way I wrote metalcore from that point on. This is always a band I’ll cherish when it comes to effective and punchy songs with a really cool energy.” (Ian)

Caged Existence try to breakout of “Body Prison.” 

03. Renounced – Theories of Despair (2016, Carry the Weight Records – Bandcamp)
– “Theories of Despair influenced me most in the songwriting and the balance it struck between heavy and melodic aspects. The riffs crush, but still manage to mellow out and transition effortlessly. How heavily it draws from that early Misery Signals and the old school metalcore sound was awesome to hear at that point in time. Their arrangements and sense of dissonance definitely seeped into my contribution to Severed Beliefs.” (Jas)

04. Converge – You Fail Me (2004, Epitaph – Bandcamp)
– “You Fail Me was my first introduction to Converge. Hearing the experimentation, and the blending of a range of different influences to produce an album with cohesion and flow was super inspirational. Mainly though, I chose this album because of Nate Newton’s approach to his basslines and his nasty, overdriven bass tone. Definitely influential as I become more involved in writing with Severed.” (Josh)

“Eagles Become Vultures”; when raptors become scavengers.  

05. 7 Angels 7 Plagues – Jhazmyne’s Lullaby (2001, Uprising Records – Amazon)
– “Jhazmyne’s Lullaby is just an experience; there is no other way to describe it. The album showcases some of the tightest and most coordinated hardcore of its time and it’s the main inspiration on the formation of this band as a hole. The performances on this album remain virtuosic and incredibly tight while holding onto the sheer rawness and anger that the genre possesses. The melancholic sections on this album are purely euphoric and juxtapose the dissonance on the album perfectly. This album is collectively a huge influence on our songwriting and always will be.” (Entire band)

06. (curveball) Nas – Illmatic (1994, Columbia – Spotify)
– “Illmatic is a flawless album; everything about it is stunning and it really transports you to a time and place that isn’t your current reality whenever you listen to it. Songs from Illmatic always end up on our playlist when driving to shows as everyone in the band is a hip hop head to some extent. Our appreciation for the raw reality this album recounts, as well as the simultaneous angst and unique aesthetic, is something which makes us love this album.” (Entire band)

Artwork for “Eternal Grey” by Severed Beliefs.