This exclusive interview with the members of Ground/Less reveals their experiences and reflections on their musical journey and the evolution of their Metalcore scene in South Jersey. They were also enthusiastic about discussing their collaborative creative process. Discover on this interview, how this dynamic band uses music and social media to bring together fans of the American band.
1. You have been evolving since 2019, did you have any musical background in other bands before forming Ground/Less?
Marc: Me, Jonn, and Brandon have all been together in previous bands before we formed ground/less. Since we're all familiar with each other's playing styles, it helps in shaping and moulding the songs. As for Vlad, he was also in a band that we got to share the stage with and had opportunities to see him perform. He brings a vocal style to the band that we feel all around fits the vibe we're going for. We have a lot of chemistry between us as a 4-piece band, it helps to shape and form a style we feel is our sound.
2. Is there an active metalcore scene in South New Jersey, or do you have to move to Philadelphia since you are close to this legendary town?
Vlad: We are located in the heart of South Jersey and for over the past years the music scene not just Metalcore scene has evolved and changed. We went from having a plethora of venues to now being completely limited whether it's in Philadelphia, Atlantic City or even up in North Jersey. The landscape has changed venue wise, but we are always willing to travel to entertain.
3. How do you see the future of metalcore and what evolutions do you hope to see in the genre?
Brandon & Jonn: There are a lot of metalcore bands, both new and old, who are redefining the genre. Music is always changing, and we feel that the past couple years has shown that the metalcore genre has shown little to no limit.
4. How do the band members see their role as artists in society in 2024?
Brandon: We don't know what our role in society would be, but our aim is to bring as many people together as possible to find common ground through music.
5. What is the relationship between Ground/Less's music and social and political movements?
Our music is more influenced by our own personal day-to-day lives, however we as a band respect people beliefs, lifestyles and the individual as a person. As for politics, we as a group don't believe in champion politics, it's always the people vs government.
6. How important is collaboration between band members in creating their music and lyrics? Do you create all your songs separately and patch them together during jams, or how do you proceed?
We almost always collaborate together on songs. We still do a lot of old school, just jam it out and see where it goes. Sometimes Jonn or Brandon may already have a song written they want to bring to the band. The writing process for us usually starts with the guitars, once they have a song put together, we'll jam it out as a band to get a feel for it. Then we work out demos as a way to listen back and critique anything that needs to be. Once we have a demoed out instrumental, it gets sent out to Vlad for the vocal magic.
7. Your songs have reached thousands of listens, is that satisfying for a start?
Vlad: It's very refreshing seeing that our craft is reaching new heights of listeners, and we are only just beginning.
8. What is "Dreamstate" about? It seems to evoke the theme of escape and seeking refuge in dreams, can you elaborate?
Vlad: "Dreamstate" is about being in a coma, initially. However, the "coma" is a metaphor for going through depression and wanting an escape from this life.
9. "Denial," which seems to be one of the most appreciated tracks from the eponymous EP, seems to be the most personal text of the lot. Who wrote it?
Marc: "Denial" was written musically by Brandon. It's a personal song to the members of the band, In 2015 we lost a good friend of ours in a motorcycle accident and Brandon wrote out the guitar track as a way to cope with the passing. Originally named "Denial" isn't just a river, when he brought it to Ground/Less, it was an instant hit. We shortened the title to "Denial" and The lyrics were written by a former vocalist in the band at that time. The over all theme is about going through the denial phase of the grieving processes.
10. Which do you prefer to perform live, "Acceptance" or "This Is Ritual," and why?
That's a tough one to pick, we love both songs equally. We just released the EP, so we haven't yet played these songs live, but we can't wait to see how the crowd reacts to them.
11. How do platforms like Patreon help you connect with fans?
Vlad: Well with Patreon we're trying to keep it a place for all the exclusive content we keep from the main socials. If anything, it's the hub for all Behind the scenes place to be. We're still in construction with ideas and content. For our fans we like to give them the opportunity to hear studio updates, unseen promos, flyers, new merch first before anyone.
12. Do you have any concert plans coming up in early September?
We don't have shows planed for early September, however we're looking forward to shows in 2025. People can always check out our social media pages or contact us at g.lessbooking@gmail.com for bookings.
| GROUND/LESS MEDIA : |  FACEBOOK |
 BANDCAMP |
 INSTAGRAM |
This band from New Jersey demonstrates their unyeilding integrity and shared brotherhood in the creativity of their music, with no hesitation in sharing their work with their fan base. They have well-established tools at their disposal, which they use to keep their fans updated with little news and other goodies on Patreon. Although they haven’t been around for many years, this band could undoubtedly grow their following in the coming years. In the meantime, with their latest record Ground/Less as scored big points, even though they are not the only ones vying for the top spot among the most listened to. Give them a chance and discover this American Metalcore band that was a pleasure to talk to. Crank up the volume!
