Getting to Know Our North (Interview – Written)

Brit alt-metallers, Our North, drop their exhilarating sophomore EP, ‘Everyone For Themselves’, which lands on Friday 4th July. The towering quintet have also just delivered their hugely captivating new single and video, Violent Rules. In this interview, we get to know them a little better.

1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to interview!

Just for context this is Chris Hepworth, Bassist writing this interview and am representing Our North on this one.

Three of us—Dan (clean vocals and guitar), Chris (bass), and Chris (guitar)—have been playing together for over 12 years across various bands. When we founded Our North, Johnny (drums) and Sam (unclean vocals) ed the lineup, bringing fresh energy and helping shape our current sound.

2. Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?

That’s a great question—and honestly, a tough one to answer.

These days, none of us really listen to the same music, especially as we’ve grown older and our tastes have evolved. Each member brings their own influences and energy, which gives the band a really diverse sound.

For me personally, Our North is a blend of nu-metal, punk, and increasingly, hip-hop. Music is always evolving, and we stopped trying to imitate other bands a long time ago. Now, it’s more about creating something that feels authentic to us. For example, I think the next track that gets written will sound completely different to what has come before it!

3. What’s currently keeping you busy? A new album/EP/single release? A new video? Playing live, or planning ahead?

We all lead pretty busy lives—with demanding jobs and families—so planning ahead is essential for us.

We try to stay focused on writing new material, producing music videos, and creating content we’re proud to share. Gigging is definitely still part of what we do, but we’re selective. When the right show comes along, everything else takes a back seat—we’re all in.

4. What is about this current period that is particularly exciting for you?

Honestly, I really enjoy filming music videos.

It’s always a good time and gives us a chance to step away from the music itself and dive into a different creative space. It’s refreshing to explore another art form, and those breaks help keep the whole process exciting.

I’m also genuinely excited about what’s coming next. Dan’s already writing new material, and it’s got a different vibe from the current EP—which is great. It keeps things fresh and pushes us to keep evolving.

5. Making music and being creative can be a very positive experience and can be very good for the mind. In what way has making music had a positive impact on your mental health?

We all agree that music, in general, is incredibly powerful for mental health. Whether you’re listening or creating, it offers a kind of emotional release and connection that’s hard to find elsewhere.

That said, making music can definitely be stressful at times—especially when you’re juggling life, work, and creative expectations. That’s why it’s so important to enjoy the process . For us, it’s not just about the end product—it’s about the shared ion that makes it all worthwhile.

Everyone needs a creative outlet, and for us, being in a band is that space where we can express ourselves—on stage, in the studio, and in those moments where a song starts to take shape through conversation and collaboration.

6. It can also be incredibly challenging, more so in the modern times. What have been some challenging aspects of making music and how have you overcome them?

Time is the most precious resource we have—and finding enough of it these days is a real challenge.

It was definitely easier when we were younger and had fewer responsibilities. But with experience comes efficiency. We’ve been doing this for a while now, and we’ve found ways to make the most of the time we do have.

Sam and Dan do a fantastic job of writing vocal parts and developing song ideas in a DAW before bringing them to the rest of the band. Having a semi-complete structure to work from really speeds things up. We also make a point to talk through the direction and vibe we’re aiming for before we start writing, which helps keep everyone aligned.

It’s rare that something gets written that someone in the band fundamentally disagrees with—we’ve built a creative process that’s collaborative and respectful of everyone’s input.

7. How do you handle the online aspects of being in a band? Having to put out content constantly, promoting across several different social media platforms, and having your success measured in likes and follows?

We’re fortunate to have some great PR helping us navigate the online side of things—but it’s definitely still a challenge.

Personally, I’m not as active on social media as I used to be, and I’m probably a bit more removed from that world than I was five years ago. That said, the band as a whole does a solid job of promoting ourselves and staying connected with our audience. It’s a team effort, and we’ve learned to play to each other’s strengths. I also fundamentally don’t like the whole “likes and follows” aspect of society. But we appreciate that’s the way of the world right now.

8. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help you?

What matters most to us is knowing that people are listening.

So if you ever check out our music on YouTube or Spotify, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a message, leave a comment—let us know what you think. It means the world to us and gives us a real boost to keep creating and sharing more.

9. Outside of music, what do you like to do to relax?

Everyone in the band is really different—and that’s one of our strengths.

Some of us are into football and follow sports religiously, while others are big-time gamers and self-proclaimed nerds. We’ve all got our own worlds and interests, which makes things fun and keeps the dynamic interesting.

But the one thing that truly brings us together is the band. It’s our shared space, our creative outlet, and one of the main reasons we keep doing this. No matter how different we are, the music connects us.

10. Where can people find you?

We’re on all the usually social media platforms, if you search Our North you’ll find us.

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