The Harbor Divide is: Music you can listen to when you are feeling broken, knowing that those heart-wrenching lyrics are just what you are going through.

The Harbor Divide is: A band that has been through experiences that have left them beaten down, but that is what makes their music so inspiring.

The Harbor Divide is: A group of people who are passionate about the music they write and play. They put their hearts and souls into everything they do.

The Harbor Divide is: Brandon Perez, Joe Kelly, Nathaniel (Fluffy) Hartford, Quinton (Quint) Dreier, and Cody Gibbs.

Q: Who are some artists or bands that inspire you?

Quinton:

Motionless In White, The Ghost Inside, A Day To Remember, and The Plot In You are just a few of the great bands that have inspired me in the last few years. I love their messages and the music they create.

Cody:

Architects, Invent Animate, and Northlane.

Brandon:

I would definitely have to say the bands Architects, Erra, Currents, and Invent Animate. Lately, all of these bands have been pushing me to create better than before. These bands are all next level musicians in my eyes, and I one day aspire to be where they are.

Q: What made you decide to start a career in music?

Fluffy:

I used to watch old live videos of people like Randy Rhoads and Slash when I was a kid and it made me want to be up on stage doing what they were doing.

Brandon:

I’ve never fit in anywhere but in the art rooms at school or with my friends who were considered the “losers” at school. Music helped me get away from the world and fade into a place where the only things that mattered were melodies and rhythm. Lyrics became extremely personal, and whenever I found a band that could lyrically say the emotions I embodied, I wanted to be able to do that same thing for others.

Q: What brought you together as a band?

Brandon:

Joe and I have been together since we were 14 years old. We’ve been writing music together since our first band “I Envision Apollo” years ago. The second longest member of this band is Fluffy. He joined shortly before our first show due to a “founding” member leaving. After that, another old member had left and Quint took his place, learning our set in one night and playing his first show with us a week later. Cody was the last one to join, two days before we went into the studio to record our second EP “LOST.” Adding him to this band was one of the best things to happen. His personality, drive, and talent is what we needed to glue the rest of us together when we all felt discouraged with the member changes constantly plaguing us.

Q: What is the basic timeline of The Harbor Divide?

Brandon:

We started out as ETHOS in 2015 with Brandon Perez (Vocals), Josh Clark (Guitar), Skyler Lynn (Guitar), Joe Kelly (Bass), and Derek Wilkerson (Drums). Before our first show, we had to change our name due to legal reasons, and we became The Harbor Divide. Skyler left a few weeks before our first show and we had our friend Fluffy fill in on guitar for a bit until we eventually made him a full-time member.

After about a year, some things started happening with the band, personal issues got in the way of things, and Josh left. That was when we had Quint come try out for us. Everything was super sick with Quint and his ability to help with vocals was an amazing benefit to the band. A few months later, Derek took a new job that caused him to have to travel all over the country, and we found someone to replace him. We welcomed Chris Bellavia to the band as our new drummer, and after a few months, we all realized that the direction of music we wanted to go in was not what he wanted. He agreed to play shows when we needed him too, but he joined another local band, You Are a Toy, which was a perfect fit for him and we all couldn't have been more proud. At this point, we welcomed Cody Gibbs to the band on drums as our FINAL member in this band’s timeline so far, and hopefully the last change we have.

Q: What genre is your music and why did you choose to make this type of music?

Brandon:

We would be considered 'Djent/Metalcore." The fast energy, the drive, the melodic leads and choruses, it's all something we love. It's easy to release all our emotions into these genres. This type of music allows me safely release my anger, depression, and anxiety in a way that can do the same for others.

Q: What is your favorite song to perform?

Fluffy:

“Luna” because of the energy it brings and with the way it is written, I can just go nuts on stage.

Quinton:

It'd have to be between “Lost” or “Daybreak.” Those are our most hype songs and I love the reaction from the crowd when we play them!

Cody:

Mine would probably be “Dream House” because it lets me release every bit of built up aggression.

Joe:

“Divided” because it is super angry and hype.

Brandon:

Current favorite, “Luna.” The energy and drive that the whole band has during the song is incredible. Bonus, a song we have yet to play live, and have only practiced, but I know it will be my new favorite when we start playing it live.

Q: What is the most influential lyric for you?

Quinton:

“I reserve my right to feel uncomfortable, reserve my right to be afraid
I make mistakes and I am humbled every step of the way
I want to be a better person I wanna know the master plan
Cast your stones, cast your judgement, you don't make me who I am”

These lyrics from ADTR's “Common Courtesy” album really resonated in me. It goes to show that these performers are real people with real emotions. They make mistakes like everyone else, and no matter what anyone says, you're your own person. You know who you are and no one can change or take that from you.

Brandon:

The Harbor Divide: “Everything we see, everything will end. All the pain we feel, there will be nothing left. I’ve dreamt of a place far away, where all our worries dissipate.”

The Contortionist: “Once you found the breath you lost, breathe again.”

Currents: “After all this time, you still decide to walk away. Turn on me and leave my heart and soul so incomplete. I’m just a failure scraping truth from your lies. You left my soul suffering. No more secrets, a family left in pieces, gone!”

Q: Is there a venue that you would like to play?

Quinton:

St. Andrew's Hall in Michigan.

Cody:

I would play the Royal Oak Theatre because it sounds and looks beautiful.

Joe:

The Agora in Cleveland. The acoustics there are amazing.

Brandon:

Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California.

Q: What is your craziest memory together?

Joe:

When Quinton got into a car accident on the way to a big show and still played the show. (Note: This was Quinton’s first show with The Harbor Divide.)

Brandon:

My favorite memory of us together, is at one of our shows when Fluffy and I both crowd surfed during our set. The five of us collectively haven’t been together that long yet, so we’re still making some crazy memories outside of actually playing.

Q: What makes you passionate about making music?

Cody:

It so accurately describes my feelings with great detail.

Brandon:

Music has a way of “saving” people if you will. Like I said previously in the last question, words have a big impact on me personally. I know some people relate in the same way too. If I could “save” one person with the words that I sing/scream, then I know I’m doing the right thing. I keep on living and creating to give people the safety in words that music gave me when I was in a very dark place.

Q: What does the writing process look like for you?

Quinton:

Most of the time, Brandon will write a majority of the songs, but one of us will throw in a riff or lead that sounds good and we incorporate it into a song we're already working on or start it for something new.

Cody:

It’s ugly and vicious.

Brandon:

Basically, I do the majority of our writing. I sit at home and just write, and write, and write, and write. The band will come to me with a riff, or lead, or drum beat and that one part will normally turn into me sitting down and writing the rest of a song based around that over the course of a few days to a few weeks. If I’m not with my girlfriend, at work, sleeping, or at a show, I am writing.

Q: Where do you get your inspiration for your music/lyrics?

Brandon:

My inspiration comes from two extremes. I either have to be severely depressed, or over-the-top happy to write. If I am just content, I have major “writer's block.” The inspiration lyrically comes from all over. From stories that I read, from TV shows, personal life experiences (which is the main topic of most songs), or close friends’ experiences. Musically, I write for my mood. I try and embody musically the emotion that I am feeling. Songs that I am listening to also play a huge roll in my inspiration. Certain riffs or leads will just give me that “itch” to write and jam out some sick riffs myself and it sometimes turns into full blown songs.

Q: What is your main goal with music?

Cody:

To make people feel how I feel and educate those who would like to learn more about music.

Brandon:

I want to give people the feeling that music gives me. A few years ago, I was extremely suicidal, and music was the only thing that kept me from taking away my life. If I can do that for someone else, that’s enough of a “career” for me. That’s all I want.

Q: Do you have anything in store for the future?

Quinton:

We're going to try to get our name out there as much as we can, keep working on new material in hopes we'll get picked up by a record label, and try to have a great time doing it.

Brandon:

We’re currently working on our first Full Length album, and the only thing I can say is that it’s already been some of the craziest work we’ve created. The past year has been extremely rough on all of us, and it shows in these new songs how much we’ve grown and how much we’ve dealt with. Aside from that, we have plans for a video or two of some new singles we’re recording shortly to tide people over until the Full Length comes out next year.

Q: Do you have any tips for aspiring musicians?

Fluffy:

Never stop giving it your all. A lot of it will be discouraging, but you can't let that get in the way of following your passion. I know some great musicians who have a lot of potential but they gave up on it because they let themselves get discouraged by failure. You are bound to fail time and time again. Use your failures as experience and learn from them.

Cody:

Never give up and persevere through everything because the music you make will help others get through the same things you’re going through.

Joe:

You need to give this every ounce of effort if you want it to work. Nobody gets anywhere in the music industry without hard work.

Brandon:

If this is what you want to do, you cannot second guess yourself. You need to be willing to quit jobs, end toxic relationships, and accept that you will fail, over and over again. You don’t make it by not giving your all at this. You need to eat, breathe, and sleep your craft. Understand that this is a business as well. If you can’t handle that end, see if someone else in your band can. You and your band (if you have other members) should work together as a TEAM, regardless if one member does the majority of the work or not, help out and do what you can. Don’t be “that member” that just rides the work of others. Be PASSIONATE, DRIVEN, and HUNGRY.

Facebook

Instagram

*Answers have been edited for length and clarity.