Every Scar Has A Story (108, You & I) give track-by-track breakdown of debut EP on Equal Vision
As mentioned, Robert Fish (of 108, The Judas Factor, Ressurection, etc) and Tom Schlatter (of You & I, Hundreds of AU, Capacities, etc) have teamed up for a new project called Every Scar Has A Story, and their three-song, self-titled debut EP is out today on Equal Vision, with proceeds benefiting The Bail Project and Brennan Center for Justice (order physical or digital).
As Rob recently told No Echo, the EP was made entirely during the pandemic, with Tom recording the music at his home and Rob doing the vocals in his abandoned office, with Kevin Carafa helping out on drums, mixing, and mastering. "I wanted to do something that had a sense of melody but that was aggressive and a bit chaotic. Something different for me musically but where I could do my thing and do the songs justice," Rob said.
He also added, "As a band that is thankful to be part of a scene that is rooted in progressive politics and education, we want to seize this moment to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. This moment has encouraged many of us to confront our own actions and recognize how we contribute to or benefit from systemic racism. Let this be a moment to learn how to combat these systems, let this be a moment that re-frames your perspective and priorities."
Across the EP's three songs, you can definitely hear the unique approaches of both Rob's music and Tom's music coming through, and they fuse well together. With Rob on vocals, you can hear elements of the shouty post-hardcore of 108 and Ressurection, but Tom's bright, melodic, instrumental backdrop makes this a richer, prettier sounding project than Rob's most classic material, all while remaining heavy and intense.
You can stream the full EP below, and we're also premiering the lyric video for "Move On," which was created by Brian McTernan.
Rob also spoke to us over email and gave us a track-by-track breakdown of every song on the EP, and you can read that below while you listen.
To hear even more from Rob Fish, he's tonight's (6/18) guest on Brooklyn venue Saint Vitus Bar's interview livestream series. Tune in at 8 PM ET.
"Every Scar Has A Story"
We are complex, life is complex. We are what and who we are based on a combination of the good, the bad, and everything in-between and the song speaks to my own realization that all of the wonderful things I have in life are a culmination of learning to find happiness and success in spite of a lifetime struggle with regret, anxieties, self-doubt, sadness, and intermittent feelings of hopelessness. Those experiences and how I grow from them define my character and play a role in my ability to hope, dream, and experience as much as the positive aspects of my life.
"Move On"
There is the person we aspire to be and then there is reality; oftentimes they don't connect. The lyrics are about finding the courage to see it, admit it, and taking steps to change it no matter how daunting that journey is. It's about being driven to improve no matter how difficult and no matter what others have to say about your journey.
"Price of Admission"
We naturally view the world through our own experiences and the decisions we make, the actions we take, the words we use typically reflect those experiences, and are often solely focused on what we want for ourselves. The song speaks to the need to look outside of our own little world, and to understand how our decisions, actions, and words have a true, and oftentimes negative impact, on others. It's about thinking about the collective good of the world we live in and making decisions, taking actions, and speaking words with that in mind.
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Earlier this year, we interviewed Tom Schlatter about the new You & I reissues, his favorite new screamo bands, and more.