Interview: Corey Bennett of Bermuda

David Voidspeak sat down and spoke with Corey Bennett, vocalist of California metal act Bermuda, check it out!

NT: How does this new record differ from the previous ones?


CB: It’s more song oriented. We paid much more attention to the dynamics . The pitch and release of each track and the record as a whole .It’s still us, just a more mature and focused us.

NT: So heavier? Or is there a sense of melody that sets the tone? Or a combination of both?


CB: Both actually. Our rhythm guitarist Noah has a knack for writing the most heavy handed, dark, riffs ever. Then our lead guitarist mike comes in a makes the needed changes structurally and adds his leads /melodies . Our drummer is also really killing the songs, he’s found the perfect medium of playing to each songs vibe while also showing his ability


NT: So have you decided on a name and a theme? Conceptually? Or will it be widespread with different topics?


CB: We don’t have a title yet. We’d toyed around with titles like ” sovereign” , ” leaving earth”, etc but decided we want to get a better feel once the vocals are underway to decide upon a title. Theme wise, I’d say it’s much more dark and bitter. As a whole and as individuals, we’ve all been handed extremely shitty hands since the last album ( be it relationships desolving, the massive lineup change, family tragedies, or tragedies in our circles of friends). You can’t go through hell without picking up a few demons.I never like to specifically say what I write about, I try to walk the line between personal catharsis and artistic anonymity so as not to alienate anyone who’s not accustomed to our music. However , I will say that I’m being less ambiguous this time around.

NT: Incredible. Honestly that line “you can’t go through hell without picking up a few demons” is what sticks out. Its rough for everyone but overcoming is the testament of true strength.


CB: That’s actually on a track ! As of now it’s under the title ” use your burdens”

NT: Yay! Haha.


CB: That’s a point I’ve tried to get across on each record. There’s always going to be hard times , and days where all seems lost . The choice to continue on, and find our ways through the dark is what defines us.

NT: Indeed.


CB: Nothing says ” fuck you ” to those who want to see you fail, like refusing to stop.


NT: Heres the fun questions that fans always dig. Your dream tour of 5 bands. Can be any band past or present!


CB: Hmmmmm. Deftones, Gojira, Ion dissonance, Slipknot, Dillinger escape plan/

NT: Deftones is in my top 5 favorite bands so seeing them would make my heart stop!


CB: Exactly. I wouldn’t even want to play, just sit side stage and let it all sink in , maybe break mosh retirement for a few key points in each bands set. Deftones are actually my all time favorite. We recorded a cover , but I doubt it’ll ever be released.

NT: Dude! What song? Honestly deftones and Linkin Park covers are hot right now so you guys would probably get tons of respect.


CB: We covered ” elite” off the white pony album, mainly because it was all screaming and the members at the time were wary of trying a more melodic track

NT: Loved that track. Digital Bath is still my favorite haha.


CB: Linkin park are actually a favorite too. I don’t care what anyone says, they’ve broken a lot of boundaries

NT: Absolutely! They have core bands touring with them. I don’t really care much for Of Mice and Men, but thats getting the heavier scene some much needed publicity so thats amazing.


CB: I’ve never been a big OM&M fan either , but they’re nice guys. We had a show in the same city/same night as they did one tour and they took the time to come down and say hello & see if any of the tour package needed anything .

NT: Yeah they’re solid dudes. Happy for them for sure!. Next question! Obviously touring is a big part of being in a band, so how is life on the road? Is it everything you thought it would be?

CB: I’ve never had any illusions about the road. I grew up in a life that was identical to tour , so I knew it wasn’t going to be a constant party. It’s honestly 75% rough days, but that 25% good makes it all worth the struggle. The days when kids pull us aside and say our music helps them get through the day, those are our best days. Those are the real fuel for the fire .

NT: How do you feel about music pirating? That’s a hot topic in todays scene.


CB: Tbh I see both sides. I was LIVID when our full length leaked a month early, even more so when the individual who leaked it pawned it off on a friend. I was angry that something I worked so hard for was taken from me, I literally exhausted myself completely on every level for ” the wandering” , our former guitarist, drummer and I spent 2.5 months writing every single day to create that just to have some jaded little kid who fancied himself a journalist , completely tear us to shreds because we weren’t the type of music he enjoyed and leak the album. Then a few weeks went by, and we started getting the messages from kids saying how much they enjoyed it. We quickly stopped caring how kids got the music, as long as they got it and passed it on. However, sales are incredibly important. Kids don’t realize that.

NT: They don’t! It sucks that they can spend a shit ton on video games and shit but they can’t come out to a show and buy some merch!


CB: First week sales determine how your next touring cycle goes. Where you go, who you tour with, the amount of promotion you get etc

NT: Yeah I’ve noticed bands are really pushing their sales in the first few weeks.


CB: I agreed. Touring in the US gets tougher every day. Now the amount of bands being robbed is fucking astounding. Sales are especially important for bands like us , who don’t have immediate internet popularity.

NT: I completely understand that. So that follows up to my next question. How is it being a label band? Is there more headaches? More legal shit? Less freedom?

CB: We’ve been really fortunate in our dealing with the label. MediaSkare doesn’t tell bands how to sound, they signed us all sounding how we did and they just kind of open the door for us and say ” ok, go do your thing” . There’s always headaches , there’s always going to be disagreements , but at the end of the day they’ve always backed us ( whether it was dealing with a van engine blowing up on the road, not having gas money to make a show/eat, or defending us when accused of wrongdoing ) and with this record they’ve been especially helpful . They didn’t analyze what we are trying to do, or the studio we wanted to use. They just asked the who, where, and how, heard a few demos and said ” let’s do this ‘l

NT: Thats amazing. Sounds like you guys really have a great opportunity to make some awesome things happen in the coming year!


NT: Anything you want to say to your fans? Maybe to those who are struggling in life?


CB: Do not give up. It’s inevitable that we all give in at some point but what defines us is how we live after the mistakes. The harder you push, the better things will get for you. We are proof that being angry is ok, sometimes anger helps you make it through the day and get out of bed again the next. It’s all just a matter of focusing your anger and using it to better your situation.

NT: 100% agree dude! Thank you so much for this interview man.


CB: We don’t have fans honestly, we have thousands of family members who all matter to us. We owe them everything, and they can bank on us never forgetting that. I love seeing familiar faces at our shows, giving them a hug or handshake and catching up on their lives. If they need anything, we are there.

NT: This means the world to me man. So nice to know hard working down to earth people. I love Bermuda. So heavy and so talented.


CB: My pleasure bud, thank you for taking the times to speak with me!