Produced, mixed, and mastered by Christopher Vernon (Belle Haven, Bloom, Tapestry), NTH RD’s new song Teeth showcases a new side in the exploration of NTH RD’s sound, taking notes from metalcore and post-hardcore heavyweights including Alpha Wolf, Counterparts and Loathe.

Teeth explores both sides of dementia; the experience of the one with the disease and the experiences of loved ones and those affected by the repercussions of the disease. Watch the video below.

NTH RD is Jordan Kellaway (Lead Vocals), Lucas Banim (Bass Guitar), John Mihaloudakis (Drums) and Billy Balassis (Guitar).

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to NTH RD?

Billy: NTH RD was the first and only band we've been in. We started back in high school and it’s still been the four of us ever since.

How long has the band been around?

Billy: The foundation of the band formed in 2016, but the band as it stands today has been active since around 2017-2018. That’s when our vocalist Jordan joined, and when we started playing regular shows, releasing music and taking it all a bit more seriously. 

Lucas: We’ve definitely changed our sound pretty drastically since we started. We rebranded and relaunched in 2022 with a new refined musical direction on our EP ‘Panic’, which has become somewhat of a template for our sound moving forward.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

Billy: We were struggling to think of a band name at the time, and we used to rehearse in my garage. My dad was the one that suggested we call it North Rd because at the time, we all lived off North Rd. 

Lucas: I remember when we were having our logo made that our favourite one stylised the name as NTH RD and we thought that was way cooler than the name written out in full. Nowadays, we all rehearse at John’s [Drummer of NTH RD], and we still need to travel down the road to get to rehearsal, so it’s still pretty relevant to our lives!

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

Lucas: Our instrumentals/song structures are primarily written by myself, and Jordan handles the lyrics and melody. But every song has input from everyone, and everyone has a hand in structuring, writing and providing production input into every song.

Our songs tend to touch on pretty personal topics to us - as songwriters, our music has explored the process of Panic, watching a friend change, the process of growing and learning from trauma and most recently, the experience of dementia and the gradual deterioration of the mind. 

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

Billy: We all listen to many different genres; ultimately we draw from a range of influences to make music that we want to listen to.

Lucas: We’re definitely into a range of music as a group, but the inspiration points for the last few singles we’ve released have been Dayseeker, Bad Omens, Holding Absence, Thornhill and Loathe. 

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

Billy: I knew that I always wanted to play music, but seeing Robert Plant when I was 10 assured me that I wanted to be in a band. As a group, we all united over a shared love for Metallica very early on, and we always resonated with a heavier and more technical sound.

Lucas: For me personally I think hearing blink-182 as a teenager and then going back and watching all of their videos, made me realise that real people could be in bands, not just global superstars. Their origin as a small skate punk band and evolution into one of the biggest acts in the world still inspires me to this day.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …

Billy: We catch up every week to ensure we are tight with our set and that we're prepared for any upcoming shows. We also take that time to discuss all the admin side of the band.

Lucas: In terms of exercise, I try to go to the gym quite often, I find that cardio especially helps with my energy and singing on stage. I also stretch and do yoga exercises quite often to look after my neck and back. 

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

Billy: Our recent run shows supporting Against The Current was an amazing highlight for our band, and we felt we had been working towards playing shows of that level for a very long time, so it was great to see that work pay off. 

Lucas: We also completed our first Australian tour this year, which we organised, co-headlined and ran ourselves. Both of those opportunities were awesome, and huge milestones for NTH RD.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Billy: I would love to tour with Van Halen to see what touring was like back in the 70s/80s, compared to the present day.

Lucas: Past, I’d probably also say Van Halen. To witness them at their peak would be incredible. Present bands, I’d probably say Bring Me The Horizon. They’re the biggest metal band in the world for a reason, and touring with them would be unreal.

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