Scotland’s Party Cannon have built their reputation on outrageous stage antics, ridiculous imagery, and some seriously punishing slam. But behind the humor is a group of musicians with a genuine passion for extreme music, a carefully developed creative vision, and a desire to make the genre more welcoming. During their North American tour alongside Nekrogoblikon, Aborted, and Signs of the Swarm, we sat down with members of Party Cannon to discuss their musical identity, creative evolution, new vocalist Daryl, life on the road, and the surprisingly wholesome personalities behind the madness.
There’s something immediately recognizable about Party Cannon. Between the oversized props, outrageous costumes, and music that hits with absolutely no intention of holding back, the Scottish band has created an identity that stands out in an increasingly crowded extreme metal scene. But while their presentation might initially suggest that everything is one enormous joke, spending time with the musicians reveals a much more deliberate approach to what they do.
Throughout our conversation, the band made it clear that their humor isn’t an attempt to distract from their musicianship. It’s an extension of who they are. They genuinely love brutal death metal, understand the genre’s foundations, and have spent years developing a sound that combines relentless heaviness with an unapologetically ridiculous personality. And as we quickly discovered, there’s rarely a shortage of things to talk about when Party Cannon is involved.
Writing for the Experience, Not Just the Music
One of the most interesting aspects of Party Cannon’s creative process is how heavily the band considers its live performances when writing new material. While technical musicianship and intricate arrangements certainly have their place, the band has gradually realized that the most complicated song isn’t necessarily the one that creates the best experience in front of an audience. When discussing how their songwriting has evolved, the musicians explained that their earlier material sometimes leaned toward progressive, intricate arrangements that they personally enjoyed but didn’t always translate as effectively to the stage.
“Especially recently, we try and write music around the live experience,” one member explained. “In the past we’ve written really noodly, in-depth, progressive songs, which I like, and I still continue to write that stuff just because I like it. But we’ve come to realize that it’s maybe not so good live.”
For Party Cannon, the live atmosphere has become an important part of the songwriting process. They want their performances to feel energetic, unpredictable, and completely overwhelming.
“I think the vibe we’ve cultivated live is get onstage with a playlist and jump off,” they continued. “So we definitely write songs around that. Here’s just lots of breakdowns. Here’s all kinds of blasty parts. There aren’t too many bits where it’s like, okay, we’ll just go into a 70s Odyssey for a while and put in a bunch of guitar harmonies.“
There’s a clear understanding of what they want their audience to experience. Rather than prioritizing extended instrumental sections simply to demonstrate technical ability, they focus on creating something that encourages movement and participation. That doesn’t mean the musicianship is sacrificed. Instead, the technical elements become part of a much larger atmosphere.
“The more intricate parts aren’t there to be like, ‘Oh wow, it’s so intricate.’ It’s more like an overwhelming, suffocating type of feel. A wall-of-sound type effect alongside the breakdowns. It adds to this ‘this is nonsense’ vibe.”
That description perfectly captures what makes Party Cannon interesting. Their music can be technically demanding while still feeling completely chaotic. The complexity isn’t necessarily meant to be dissected; it’s meant to contribute to the overall experience.
Making Extreme Music More Approachable
Something else that came up during our conversation was the band’s desire to introduce more people to extreme metal. Brutal death metal and slam can sometimes be intimidating genres for newcomers. Between the imagery, vocal styles, and sheer intensity, someone unfamiliar with the scene might not immediately know where to begin. Party Cannon believes that their playful identity can help bridge that gap.
“Some folk might push away the idea of being a gateway band,” one member explained. “The music itself is horrendously insane, and sometimes it can be quite standoffish to get into that scene. Something a little bit more playful, a little bit more fun, gets people in, and they might realize they actually like slam or brutal death metal.”
It’s an interesting approach because the band isn’t necessarily trying to soften its music. They’re simply making the introduction more inviting. A listener might initially discover Party Cannon because of its logo, artwork, or ridiculous stage presentation. But once they start listening, they might find themselves exploring the wider genre and discovering bands they would never have otherwise encountered. The musicians even suggested that this approach could help give the genre a new generation of listeners.
“People might see the logos of bands like Discord, Gorgasm, or Cattle Decapitation and have a preconceived idea of what they’re going to hear. But they’ll see our logo and go, ‘Oh, Party Cannon, let’s check this out.’ Then they realize they actually like this kind of stuff and start digging deeper.“
For a genre that can sometimes become caught up in expectations about what is and isn’t acceptable, Party Cannon’s willingness to bend the rules creates an interesting alternative. And importantly, they don’t believe that having fun with extreme music means disrespecting its history.
The Musicianship Behind the Madness
Of course, we couldn’t discuss Party Cannon without addressing the assumptions that sometimes come with having such an unconventional identity. The band acknowledged that some people believe their popularity is primarily connected to their recognizable logo and outrageous presentation. However, they were quick to point out that there’s considerably more happening musically than people might initially assume.
“A lot of people are like, ‘Party Cannon are only where they are because of their logo.’ If that was the case, it sucks you didn’t do it first,” one member joked.
But behind the humor was a genuine point about the importance of giving the music an opportunity to speak for itself.
“Watch the live show. Listen, actually listen to the songs. Give it more attention. There’s more intent to this. It’s more about creating a vibe rather than just being another brutal death metal band.”
Another member highlighted just how versatile the musicians are outside of the music they perform with Party Cannon.
“Being the non-musician in the band, looking at these guys, they’re not just one-trick ponies. They don’t just play death metal. They can play chicken picking like country music. They can play Victor Wooten bass lines. They’re very well-rounded musicians. They just choose to play this horrendous music.“
That last part might be one of the best descriptions of Party Cannon’s entire philosophy. They aren’t playing this way because it’s the only thing they know how to do. They’re choosing to create something intentionally ridiculous, aggressive, and entertaining.
As one member put it, “I want my band Party Cannon to be more about being a great experience.”
That mindset also carries into the recording process. The band explained that they want their albums to retain the organic feeling of an actual performance rather than sounding excessively edited or digitally polished.
“When we record stuff, we try and make it sound as live as possible. People want to see us, but we try to make it sound like there’s people in the room playing music. It’s kind of more organic sounding.“
They discussed how some heavily produced recordings can sound completely different when translated to the stage, creating a disconnect between what listeners expect and what they actually experience. Party Cannon wants to avoid that.
“I think part of our thing is that we try to make the music on CD sound like it would do live. So you go see it and think, ‘Yep, this is just as much fun.’”
It’s a philosophy that puts the live experience at the center of everything without making the recorded music feel like an afterthought.
Brutality Meets Humor: Staying True to Their Influences
When the conversation turned toward their musical influences, the band opened up about the importance of grindcore, punk, and powerviolence alongside their love of brutal death metal. For them, extreme music doesn’t always need to be presented with an intimidating or overly serious personality.
“I grew up close to brutal death metal. I love brutal death metal. That’s the reason I started this band,” one member explained. “But alongside that, I was really into grindcore and punk and powerviolence, which are just as extreme but take themselves way less seriously.“
He continued by explaining how that combination became the foundation for Party Cannon.
“My whole vibe when we’re doing Party Cannon was that I wanted to keep the lighthearted, really fun side of grindcore or powerviolence and combine it with the really extreme side of brutal death metal. It kind of feels hand in hand. It’s fun to listen to because it’s so extreme.”
That philosophy is reflected throughout the band’s music, from its outrageous song titles to the exaggerated imagery surrounding its performances. Rather than adopting the personality of horror villains or attempting to create an intimidating image outside the music, Party Cannon draws inspiration from things the members genuinely enjoy.
“Most of our songs are about Mario Kart and fellatio and things like that. Things that everybody can get behind,” one member joked. “That comes from a far more authentic place for us.”
It’s difficult to argue with the authenticity of that approach. The band also emphasized that its music contains plenty of nods to the artists and records that influenced them.
“Our song titles might be dumb, but they’re still kind of in the vein of real brutal death metal bands. The cadences are there. It’s kind of gory, but it’s silly gory. You can definitely see these guys have listened to Cannibal Corpse or Deeds of Flesh at one point in their life.”
The humor might be the first thing people notice, but the foundations are firmly rooted in the music they grew up loving.
Reintroducing Party Cannon: The Arrival of Daryl and the Subjected to a Partying EP
Another major part of the conversation focused on the band’s evolution following the introduction of vocalist Daryl. Rather than simply bringing a new voice into the existing lineup and continuing with business as usual, the band used the transition as an opportunity to reconsider what makes Party Cannon sound like Party Cannon. They explained that once the lineup change happened, they wanted to release new music relatively quickly. They didn’t want to announce a new vocalist and leave fans waiting an entire year to hear what the new lineup sounded like.
“When a band announces a new vocalist and doesn’t have music with it, and you have to wait, that kind of kills the hype for me,” one member explained. “I’d rather announce Daryl and get something out as fast as possible.”
With festival announcements and other plans approaching, the band decided that releasing an EP would be a more practical way to introduce the new lineup than immediately committing to another full-length album. But the process also involved taking a closer look at the band’s musical identity.
“Since we kind of changed identity in a way by having new vocals, I sat and thought about what makes Party Cannon, Party Cannon. What music do I like, and what music do I want to put into it?“
That thought process eventually led to what the member described as a musical triangle.
“We’ve got the blasting ultra-brutal death metal, the slamming groovy New York-style death metal, and just straight-up goregrind and grindcore. That kind of area. So I wanted to get that triangle sorted.”
The idea was to explore each of these elements across the EP, allowing different songs to emphasize different aspects of the band’s sound. He explained that some tracks leaned more heavily into blasting, while others focused on groove, slam, or the band’s grindcore influences. They also had the opportunity to test the material during their festival appearances and see how audiences responded.
“We had them all written, and they kind of dripped out as singles. We could see and react. We’re playing old favorites and stuff like that, but when we played these new songs, people were responding to them.“
For the band, Subjected to a Partying became more than an introduction to a new vocalist. It was a way to bring together different sides of their musical identity, introduce the new lineup, and give both longtime listeners and newer fans a better understanding of what Party Cannon represents. And with the band already thinking about how its next full-length might develop, it sounds like this creative exploration is far from over.
The Creative Minds Behind the Artwork and Stage Antics
While the music is obviously central to Party Cannon, the band’s visual identity is another enormous part of its personality. From unusual merchandise to custom props and costumes, there’s a lot of creativity happening behind the scenes. One member explained that he’s heavily involved in the artistic side of the band, including designing unusual merchandise and developing some of the objects that appear during performances.
“I’m the artist of the band. I live art and breathe art,” he explained. “We did the Mega Drive and the Nintendo 64. We did three 3D-printed minis. I’ve done all that sort of stuff in the last little while. So all the obscure merch and all the onstage performance MacGuffin, I do all that stuff.“
It demonstrates how much thought goes into creating an identity that extends beyond the music itself. The band’s presentation might seem completely spontaneous, but many of those details are carefully developed to contribute to the overall experience. Interestingly, the member also described himself as a pretty big nerd outside the band, with interests in video games, films, and B-movies. It’s another example of how the personalities behind Party Cannon naturally influence the creative decisions they make.
The Unexpectedly Wholesome Side of Party Cannon
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the interview was discovering just how passionate the members are about animals. During a conversation about their personal interests, one member opened up about his involvement with greyhound rescue and the years he spent volunteering at a shelter.
“Up until recently, I volunteered at a greyhound racing shelter for years and years and years,” he explained. “I adopted my own dog, and because of life circumstances, I kind of stopped volunteering as much. But I run a yearly event. It’s like a grindcore event in Glasgow called Grind Tones, just to raise money for a kennel.“
His interest in animal welfare began much earlier. Growing up with parents who worked as veterinary surgeons gave him an opportunity to see firsthand how animals were treated and cared for.
“Growing up, my parents were vets and stuff like that. I had more of an inside look at how animals are treated and seeing my parents help them. I’ve always had a big fondness for animals.“
He also spoke about the difficult realities of greyhound racing and why helping retired racing dogs find homes became so important to him. It was a genuinely heartwarming moment, especially considering the contrast with the band’s usual onstage image. And as it turned out, the animal conversation wasn’t limited to greyhounds.
I shared some of my own family’s experiences rescuing dogs, explaining that we had gone from having two dogs to eventually having 17 after moving from New York to the South. The band was immediately interested, and the conversation turned into a discussion about animal shelters, veterinary care, and the importance of giving animals a better life. But the wholesome detour didn’t stop there. We also discovered a shared enthusiasm for capybaras, reptiles, turtles, and sloths.
One member recalled receiving a book about capybaras as a child and struggling to convince people that the enormous South American rodents actually existed.
“I remember going to school the next day, and obviously in 1996 you can’t just Google stuff. I was trying to tell people what a capybara was like. It’s a giant guinea pig that lives in South America,” he recalled.
He described the animal as the biggest rodent in the world, surrounded by an almost universally friendly reputation. It was one of those conversations that perfectly demonstrated how quickly an interview with Party Cannon can move from extreme metal to unexpectedly wholesome territory. And honestly, that’s part of the charm.
Life on the Road: No Privacy, Long Drives, and Plenty of Laughs
Touring might look glamorous from the audience’s perspective, but the band offered a much more realistic picture of what happens behind the scenes. Between long drives, unpredictable schedules, and the challenge of finding proper meals, life on the road can become physically demanding.
“We’re self-driving, so we’ve got four drivers in the band, and there’s insane 19-hour drives and stuff like this, taking shifts,” one member explained. “We don’t really know when we’re leaving or anything.”
Despite the challenges, they were quick to emphasize how much they were enjoying the tour.
“I’m not complaining. It’s been like the best tour ever. I’ve had so much fun on this tour, and I would not change anything.”
We also discussed the difficulty of maintaining energy throughout a tour, particularly when performances happen night after night. Interestingly, the band explained that despite its name, not everyone is interested in drinking or partying.
“I don’t drink or smoke or anything like that. I’ve never,” one member revealed.
He explained that people are often surprised when they offer him a beer after a show, assuming that someone in Party Cannon would naturally be interested. But for him, the stage is where he gets to release that energy.
“We manage to vent it all out when we go touring. So when we go back, we’re just like, want to sit down, have a coffee, chill out. It’s like, you want a beer? That’s the last thing that I want right now.”
It’s another reminder that a band’s name and stage persona don’t necessarily tell you anything about the people behind it. And then, of course, there’s the tour bus. The conversation quickly turned into one of the funniest parts of the interview as we discussed the realities of sharing extremely limited space with other musicians. Between changing clothes, walking around in pajamas, and having absolutely no personal space, everyone agreed that touring requires a certain level of comfort with the people around you.
“I’ve seen some of the band members’ testicles more than I’ve seen my own this run,” one member joked.
The band also acknowledged that while everyone might be comfortable with one another, there’s still an importance to respecting personal boundaries, particularly when photographers and other crew members are traveling with them. It’s a strange balancing act between spending nearly every waking moment together and remembering that not everyone is part of the band. But as the members made clear, you learn to adapt pretty quickly.
When the Internet Doesn’t Know the Full Story
We also discussed how musicians can become the subject of online criticism when people don’t have the full context behind a situation. The band brought up a recent canceled performance after one member developed a pilonidal cyst that required medical treatment. Unfortunately, the situation attracted comments from people who seemed to misunderstand the severity of the condition.
“All the comments were basically like, ‘He had a giant pimple,’ or ‘You get those things from just being disgusting and smelly,’” one member recalled.
The musicians explained that the condition was considerably more serious than some commenters seemed to understand, particularly when surgery and recovery are involved. Having a medical background myself, I understood the importance of not dismissing something simply because people might not be familiar with it. We discussed how painful these conditions can be and why sometimes canceling a performance is simply the necessary decision.
The band also joked about how quickly musicians can find themselves at the center of online controversy.
“We’re like a stinky onion. There’s more horrible layers the deeper you go in, and it might make you cry,” one member joked.
It was a fitting way to describe the interview itself. The longer the conversation continued, the more unexpected sides of the band emerged.
More Than Just a Party
By the end of our conversation, it was clear that Party Cannon is much more than the outrageous stage presence audiences might initially associate with the band. They’re musicians who genuinely appreciate the history of extreme metal, understand the importance of their influences, and have developed a creative identity that allows them to approach the genre from a different perspective.
Their songwriting is intentional. Their live performances are carefully considered. Their humor is authentic. And their willingness to embrace the ridiculous doesn’t take away from the musical ability behind everything they do. What stood out most was how comfortable the members seemed with being exactly who they are. They aren’t trying to convince audiences that they’re something they’re not, nor are they interested in conforming to someone else’s expectations of what an extreme metal band should represent.
They want people to have fun, discover music they might not otherwise encounter, and leave a performance having experienced something memorable.
And perhaps that’s the secret behind Party Cannon’s appeal. You can walk into a show expecting ridiculous costumes, questionable props, and an overwhelming amount of brutality. But you might walk away appreciating the musicianship, discovering a new favorite band, or learning about the importance of greyhound rescue.
Party Cannon might be bringing the chaos, but behind the madness are musicians with plenty of substance, creativity, and personality. And honestly, that’s what makes them so much fun to talk to. Catch Party Cannon on the road and experience the madness for yourself. Just don’t be surprised if you leave with a newfound appreciation for slam, a few questionable memories, and an unexpected interest in capybaras.
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