There is something immediately refreshing about talking with Scoundrel. Beneath the crushing riffs, breakdowns, and heavy influences is a group of musicians who clearly enjoy being around one another. During the interview, drummer Chris, vocalist Cody, and guitarist Rob opened up about their latest releases, the band’s evolution, their influences, life outside of music, and the humor and chaos that make up their chemistry.
Scoundrel recently released a cover of Lamb of God’s “Ruin,” a track the band chose to honor one of their biggest musical influences.
“We love that band, and I feel like we did a good job trying to pay homage to one of our biggest influences,” the band shared.
Their appreciation for Lamb of God runs deep, with the members explaining that the band’s riffs and overall approach to heavy music have helped influence Scoundrel’s own sound. As they put it, “You always want to pay homage to the greats.”
The band’s latest self-titled EP represents something even bigger for Scoundrel: a new chapter. After being relatively absent for a period of time, the band returned with new singles before bringing everything together through an EP designed to show listeners where they are headed next.
“We were trying to move into, like, a heavier, faster direction,” Cody explained. “That’s kind of like an introduction EP for where we want to go in the future.”
For Cody, the writing process was especially exciting because of his love for storytelling through lyrics.
“I’m a very dramatic lyricist, so I like to tell stories and stuff like that,” he said.
The instrumentals created by the rest of the band gave him plenty to work with creatively, making the process of shaping the songs feel natural and exciting. The EP also represents what the members describe as a rebirth for Scoundrel. The band had been relatively quiet for part of 2024 before returning with new material and eventually solidifying that comeback with the EP.
“That was kind of almost like a rebirth for us,” one member explained. “We were kind of absent for about a year, year and a half… so when we came back, we put out a few singles and then kind of solidified the releases with an EP.”
The release also gave Scoundrel an opportunity to experiment outside of the musical box they had occupied for years, including collaborating with rapper Auggie. That willingness to experiment appears to be an important part of the band’s future. When asked what life would look like without music, however, the answer made it clear that music would never truly disappear.
“If I wasn’t doing music, I’d probably just be chilling out, playing music at home,” Cody said. “I kind of just love music. I feel like I need to be doing it.”
That passion is evident in the songs the band chose when discussing what newcomers should hear first. “Wretched” was repeatedly mentioned as one of the strongest representations of Scoundrel, particularly because of its speed, heaviness, and powerful ending.
“That song is super heavy, it’s super fast-paced, and just has a feeling about it,” the band shared.
Another member added that the song’s ending is what makes it especially memorable.
“The outro of that song really captivates people.”
Meanwhile, “Damaged” offers a different introduction to Scoundrel’s sound. The song begins in a more mellow space before building toward a heavier conclusion.
“It has a really good transition to get people who aren’t into heavier music,” the band explained. “It eases them into it.”
“Ides” was also highlighted as a strong entry point, particularly for listeners interested in hearing the band’s metal influences.
“Ides is a good introduction song for us because it’s very metal.”
The interview also touched on the lyrics that have stayed with the musicians long after writing them. Cody pointed to “Lions with Lambs Underneath” and “Dead,” explaining that the themes explore how people often hide who they truly are in order to impress others.
“So many people around the world act like someone they’re not, just to impress people all the time,” he explained. “At the end of the day, you’re either hiding someone who’s afraid of something or afraid of people seeing who you really are.”
While Scoundrel’s music can be intense, their personalities bring an entirely different energy. When asked what movie the band would be if they were a film, the answers quickly turned into a combination of chaos, comedy, and complete unpredictability.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Pineapple Express, and This Is the End were all thrown into the conversation.
One member summed up their dynamic perfectly with the line:
“The world’s not ending, but our mental state is.”
That humor seems to be a major part of what keeps the group connected. Whether they are talking about rehearsals, working on cars, or arguing over the smallest details, the chemistry between Chris, Cody, and Rob was clear throughout the conversation. Rob even jokingly introduced his role in the band by saying:
“I talk shit.”
The rest of the band clearly had no argument with that description. Ultimately, Scoundrel are entering an exciting new era. Their recent EP isn’t simply another release; it’s a statement about where they have been and where they want to go. With a heavier direction, renewed energy, diverse influences, and a friendship that is just as entertaining as their music is intense, Scoundrel are building their next chapter without losing the personality that makes them who they are. As one of the band members said when discussing their new direction, the EP is meant to let listeners know exactly where Scoundrel are headed.
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