Deep State Rocks Out at Flickr
Deep State recently played a headlining show at Flickr Theater, a venue frequented by locals and students. The place was packed, as it often is when Deep State shows up. They have a reputation for being particularly raucous, and a sizable area near the front was in full mosh mode about halfway through their set.
At one point, a bearded man with gauges took off his shirt and proceeded to drum his beer belly in time to the music. It was your typical run-of-the-mill Deep State performance.
They’re pop punk headbangers, the perfect sort of band to go watch live in a city like Athens. They also have a pretty underrated component to their music: Their brash, tight chops hide something unexpected in lead singer Taylor Chmura’s smart lyricism, which ditches traditional punk ‘stick-it-to-the-man’ themes for something more introspective.
I had the chance to talk with Chmura and drummer Michael Gonzalez in their practice room before the show, in a record pressing plant just outside downtown. The atmosphere was prototypically punk. Beer cans and music equipment were strewn about. Chmura was sporting a denim two piece.
I was surprised by how well-spoken they were. When I made a remark about it, Chmura was quick to assure me that the interview was “the very polite buttoned up part.” Later that night at their show, it was “going to be a fucking mess.” He wasn’t wrong.
Deep State’s name was conceived by Chmura, who was studying political science in 2012 at Georgia State. He was fascinated by the idea of a deep state–a rogue, clandestine faction of government at odds with a nation’s interests. It’s a fitting name for a band operating in a genre that’s traditionally political in nature.
Chmura wasn’t just interested in the name for its political connotations, though.
“I imagine that there’s a Deep State inside of yourself that is trying to undermine you. And might actually be controlling some of the decisions that you make, whether you know it or not,” he said.
Gonzalez added that many people have come up to him, asking if Deep State referred to their southern heritage or to a deep state of mind.
That wasn’t the original idea, but Chmura agreed with Gonzalez’s point that “people should have different ideas about it.”
The multiplicity of Deep State’s name is indicative of their identity. What may seem straightforward at first is anything but. It’s a quality of theirs that is perhaps most evident in their new album, “The Path to Fast Oblivion.”
Lead guitarist Christian (Smokey) Deroeck can be found front and center with catchy riffs and screaming guitar solos. Gonzalez has rapid fire cymbal-heavy drum patterns, and Brandon Page adds some punch with his uptempo bass lines. Chmura alternates between a barking delivery and something decidedly canorous. The band includes slower songs at times, but on the whole, they prefer to be [and are probably best at being] upbeat and energetic.
Chmura’s lyrics offer thoughtful reflection. In “Accomplice,” he’s confessional: “I wanted to be more than anyone to you. Sad but true.”
The lyrics aren’t always personalized either. In “Time Unrivaled,” he asks, “Do you ever look back to where you’re walking from? Do you think about the distance traveled?”
Chmura said, “I’m not afraid of whatever thing I want to put on the paper. I’ve become more comfortable as somebody who is vocalizing something inside of me, or inside of us.”
Indeed, his lyrics are thoughtful and deep, and combine with a domineering punk sound that provides one hell of a show.
