Poison The Well’s highly influential debut album, The Opposite of December turns 20 this year and we have commentary on the album from drummer Chris Hornbrook. Enjoy the read and let us know your thoughts on The Opposite of December twenty years later.

First of all, how does it feel knowing The Opposite of December turns 20 this year?

It’s pretty crazy to be honest. Never in a million years did I think I would be talking about that record twenty years later. Our hopes and wants were pretty simple at the time for OOD. Needless to say we surpassed that in every way. 

How did you feel when the album came out?

I can’t really remember. I think I was a little bit bummed with how the record sounded and my performance on it. OOD was my first legit LP I played drums on. I had high expectations of myself that I don’t feel like I delivered on. I was able to redeem myself in my eyes later down the road. But that was the best I could do at 18/19 years old.

Where do you think the album fits in the band's legacy?

It’s hard to say because I was heavily intrenched in PTW. I’ve helped write every record and have been very involved with the recording process’ from start to finish. From what I can see from the outside is that it’s an important record in our catalogue and a defining record in Metalcore / Hardcore from that era. A prominent YouTuber, The Punk Rock MBA, said “I think this is the template for modern Metalcore”. Which is kind of wild to think about. We were just a bunch of teenagers throwing some riffs we thought were kinda cool together, not thinking too much about anything else. It’s amazing to have been apart of something special like that. 

How did the band approach writing?

Write the best stuff we can. Make it interesting and unique. Create something that we would be proud of. Nothing more.

Do any of the themes touched on the album still hold relevant for you after 20 years?

Somewhat. Later records for myself because I feel closer to them in terms of when they came out. I can relate more to the music and period of time. O.O.D. and T.F.T.R. were late teens and early twenties. I was still figuring out a lot of things and processing serious life changes that were happening at the time. It’s all a little blurry. 

What were your hopes and expectations for the record during the writing and recording process?

We just wanted people to show up to our shows and sing along. Not much more. It was just a small desire we collectively shared. Any other thought or dream seemed so far away and completely unattainable. 

When you were in the studio, how was the morale of everyone?

It was pretty good for the most part. I honestly think things fully came to life when Jeff started recording vocals. That’s when the songs went from two dimensions to three. That’s when we started to get really excited. 

When was the last time you listened to the record? Are there memories and emotions that come back?

I actually can’t listen to it. Like I said before my performance, in my mind, is so all over the place that listening to it just frustrates me, haha. I’m such a perfectionist. I do have a deep appreciation and tons of gratitude for what the record became but I honestly have little to no desire to listen to it. It’s apart of my past as a record of a time and place for me. 

What do you remember most about making the album?

Nothing. I really don’t remember much. The process was so quick, a week or a little bit over that. We went in and set up our gear, ripped through the songs and that was that. That’s the time most bands take to do preproduction on a record, not actually make it.

Were there any bands in particular you enjoyed playing with while touring for the record?

Twelve Tribes, Eighteen Visions and Throwdown. Touring wasn’t very consistent around that period so we would play a few shows here and there with heavy bands. You usually become tight with a band over the course of a month of ripping shows night after night. Those were the bands that we played a bunch with around 1999/2000.

What sort of place was your life in when the album came out?

Transitional. I had just graduated high school and had some serious life choices to make. Do the band for real or go to college. I was also dealing with my parents divorcing around the time that O.O.D. was written and recorded. That was rough to go through. 

Do you remember what you were listening to at the time?

Really shitty hardcore, metalcore and metal, haha.

Did you ever expect the album to have the influence it did?

Not really. Like I said before, our wants and hopes were really simple. We just hoped that people would show up and sing along. 

Looking back on things 20 years later, would you change anything about the release?

Regardless of how I feel about it I wouldn’t change anything. It perfectly sums up a period of time for myself, Derek, Ryan and Jeffrey.