As your feet hit the floor and the sunlight of a new day radiates your room, you begin to feel a tug deep within you. This sensation grows as you steady your breathing, trying to quiet the tension. Then it hits you, this feeling spawns from your greatest saboteur.
Cincinnati’s own Heavy Hinges (HH), known for their unique blend of rock, soul, gospel and folk, aim to combat this enemy with their newest EP, The Enemy in Your Chest Cavity. Recorded at Fuzzyeyed Studio, this new body of work taps into the band’s authentic sound with tracks that delve into the hardships of love and their overall attitude toward life.
HH doesn’t hold back, diving headfirst into raw and emotional territory. The band’s singer, Maya Banatwala, and guitarist/vocalist Dylan Speeg work together closely to craft a sound that is engaging and meaningful, if only to them.
“A lot of our music is kind of what we’re going through. When I’m writing, I’m reflecting on what’s going on in my life, and Dylan also has a funny way of picking up themes that he knows I’m dealing with. I feel like he does that for me to really feel what I’m singing or playing,” Banatwala told CityBeat. Whether it's themes of mutual destruction in “Travelin’ Slow” or the emotional processing of a difficult break up in “Keep on Movin,” this EP offers a range of topics sure to resonate with its listeners.
Along with its theme, the band has meticulously crafted the sound of the EP.
“We rehearsed the hell out of these songs, so when we went in, I don’t think we had a song that took us more than three takes,” said Speeg.
It’s apparent through each track that this is just as much a labor of love as it is a studio album. Taking on a multitude of influences, courtesy of each member, each song has become a melting pot of the soul, rock and folk sound that we’ve come to know and love from HH.
“I hope that people can see that we’ve grown as a band,” Speeg says. “We’ve continued to put different ingredients into what we’re doing, but then stirred it up so it becomes one cohesive piece.”
Banatwala said Cincinnati stands out as deeply collaborative for musical artists. This tight-knit nature has created an environment where anyone can participate.
“There’s definitely a community. Everybody has worked with each other and everyone’s always meeting new bands and playing together. I feel very involved in this city,” said Banatwala.
“I think there’s a lot more opportunities for original music to get played here,” Speeg added.
This collaborative energy has helped foster a space where original, genre-defying music thrives, making Cincinnati’s scene stand out from other cities that might lean more commercial.
The Enemy in Your Chest Cavity comes out Sept. 14.
