Band Biographies: Sectlinefor

"I believe it's our duty to do everything we can to piss the metal purists off."

The spooky tale of Sectlinefor started in 2015 when a deranged manager spewed broken promises into the soil of lies, hoping to spawn a band that would follow his cinematic metal vision, for he did not have the talent to do it himself. His plan nearly worked too as he collected talented pieces from other groups and constructed a four-piece project under the pretence that he could make them all big stars. What he did not foresee, however, was that the juxtaposition of two chosen members would feed off one another, outgrowing the project, consuming all the nutrients, then firing absolutely everyone around them. No one ever heard from that manager again. No one ever heard from anyone again. Sectlinefor is the story of two plants and two plants only. Nobody else was invited.

Meet Jared and Piton, the vocalist and guitarist respectively. Their songwriting is a set of audio tennis from Hell, Piton using power tools to serve a symphonic amalgamation of metal and dance music as Jared retaliates with pop hooks designed for the fanciest of mental breakdowns. And once they'd hacked off the dead weight of other contributors, the streamlined Sectlinefor machine could finally move at the pace the duo liked: fucking fast.

In 2017, the Anorexic Insect debut dropped, featuring Piton's compositions at their most technical and Jared's vocals at his most desperate to impress. The record may have lacked the signature humour that Sectlinefor later became known for, but it was still well-received by every publication that heard it (not many). The band then gigged extensively around the London circuit relying on a backing track which filled the metal scene with great fury. Sectlinefor loved that.

"Anorexic Insect is a rare and exhilarating proposition. As mentioned some will run from its inner terrors and emotional turmoil but those with instinctive adventure in their tastes will be rewarded with one of the early true treats of 2017." - The Ring Master Review

These shows sharpened the bond of friendship between Piton and Jared. Their artistic insights now flowed together more naturally, simplifying the bloodthirsty technicalities into catchier alternative territories while the cartoonesque elements were blasted with steroids. And it was here, in 2018, that Sectlinefor became its own thing, best represented by Don't Make This About You, their sophomore record. This superior release reflected the joy of its creation as a less serious, more playful affair and the critics happily agreed, calling it the band's best work thus far.

"I can almost guarantee that if you make it all the way through this confused psychotic mess of an album you will wonder if I should be carted off to the loony bin [...] Their debut album pushed the boundaries, [Don't Make This About You] refuses to believe they even exist. 9/10." - House of Prog

Regardless, all of the disoriented reviews and grimaced audiences weren't good enough, and the future of Sectlinefor looked wobbly at best. Jared ran away to travel the world as Piton retreated into his dungeon, concentrating on his other progressive death metal group, Ygodeh. The two remained in contact and Sectlinefor was never far from their conversations, but when would life stand still for long enough to bring their gifts together again?

Ah, here we go. Fucking COVID.

With Jared locked down in New York City and Piton locked down in London, the eerie abandonment of these two monster cities transformed into inspiration. With nothing else to do, Piton vomited out instrumental demos, and Jared smashed lyrics back into them just like the yesteryears gone by. When the law finally conceded, the two rejoined forces and recorded the album within days, the audible paranoia of our current disconcerting world weaved between the spaces of these songs. They called it Kissing Strangers During an Outbreak. Jared assures us that the title is based on a true story. Their lead single’s music video, The Saddest Face in All of Existence, tells it best.

Airborne diseases aside, this record finally found the g-spot which some may argue as Sectlinefor's "sound". Piton's progressive sonic-beasts and Jared's obsessions with comical aesthetics have never fornicated so loudly, the darkness and the colours represented in equal measures, refusing to get too comfortable in depression or comedy, forever lost somewhere in the middle. We could only blame such a mess on this musical duo, but perplexing artistic comparisons are unavoidable. Some of the more favourable whispers include the likes of Faith No More, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Macabre, Deftones, Devin Townsend, early Ministry, Stump, Septicflesh, and Mindless Self Indulgence. None of which the band agrees with whatsoever.

Forget that and ask yourself: do you like your music to be pristinely polished with a high budget cloth made from the finest of silk? Do you prefer your sponges to be delivered with a pretty little bow and a personalised name tag? Bad luck, buddy, because things are about to get very ugly. But if you remember eating dirt as a child and loving the taste, then close your eyes and open your mouth. We have a whole new stack of germs to show you.

"You are the worst band I've ever heard." - Some old man interrupting our O2 Islington Show