Q&A: Mind Power On Debut EP ‘Depopulation’

Mind Power, a new groove metal band from Pennsylvania featuring Robert Meadows (ex-A Life Once Lost) on vocals, have released their debut EP, Depopulation, and it absolutely does not disappoint.

Decibel caught up with Mind Power’s Gregory Savory and Robert Meadows to talk about starting the band, Mind Power’s new EP and the dark themes in their lyrics. Check out Mind Power on Bandcamp and Facebook.

How did Mind Power get started? Was this always the lineup? 
MP got started a little over 2 years ago, longtime friends Bill, Ryan & Mike got together and started riffing out after DEP [Dead End Path] and BTH [Bring The Heat] were finished and everyone had a bit more downtime to hang out. We got the (Depopulation) EP written and recorded in no time, we looked for vocalists and bassists for what seemed like forever but couldn’t find the right dudes to fill the spots, we pressed on. Randomly, on a whim, we messaged Bob and asked if he would be into coming up and jamming and then eventually laying the vocals down. 8 months later, Bob had lyrics written and was ready to come up and jam. Everything came together great and things were getting done. While tracking “Negative Spirit Animal,” Mike got a phone call from Brandon [Whipple], who had been living in AZ, asking if MP still needed a bassist because things weren’t working out, out there, and he was coming back home and wanted the spot. Obviously we said yes and in a week, he drove all of his shit back to PA and Mind Power was complete.

You were previously in A Life Once Lost, and there are also former (and current?) members of Dead End Path, Ligeia, and Bring The Heat. Does having so many experienced musicians in the band affect the writing and recording process at all? 
Absolutely. Bill, Mike, Ryan, and Brandon played in a band together back in the day so they know how one another’s brain works in the musical aspect. Obviously adding a vocalist of Bob’s caliber to the mix will only improve things vastly. Nobody is a part of any of their “former” bands currently.

Depopulation is Mind Power’s first release. How has it been received, and where do you hope to go with the band from here? 
It’s been received quite well actually and it’s only been available for a brief period of time. We hope to release it digitally on iTunes, Spotify, etc., and physically on vinyl. We are trying to simply get our music and our name out to as many people as we can while playing some cool shows in some cool places along the way.

The songs on Depopulation have titles like “Negative Spirit Animal” and “Nothing Will Change.” What lyrical ideas did you take on when you wrote the EP?
The lyrics touch on depression, guilt, shame, gloom. Typical for me but over the past few years, I have made a lot of stupid mistakes. I have hurt a lot of people close to me. Through my negative and selfish actions, I have lost a lot. Friends, family, relationships – I simply destroy everything I come close to.