SoulFang Feature 

• Amber Lynn
• SoulFang

SoulFang is the epitome of, "What the hell am I listening to?," but in the best way possible. The four members of the band came together like nicely-fitting puzzle pieces, and their genre-bending music takes you on a sonic journey that you won't want to come to an end.

The stars aligned when the four members of Soulfang came together. Meeting online and connecting in the local scene, they didn't set out to be a full-on band and put out music. Initially, they just wanted to meet up and jam, providing some actual human connection during the pandemic.

"I remember playing 'Say It Ain't So' by Weezer," vocalist Liz Sebert said. "It just worked effortlessly, and that was the moment for me that I was like, 'Hell yeah, we all just fit together.'"

"We started playing together and just this sound happened, and I think it's very much organically just where everybody is bringing their own influences," bassist Sam Robertson added.

Seibert was really into Motown and funk, while Sam played a lot of hard rock with drummer Chelsea Boyle and guitarist Henry Robertson (No relation to Sam). "We just came up with what we now call the SoulFang sound, which is this blend of hard rock and soul," Sam Robertson said.

Because the band connected instantly and so well, they challenged one another to develop a style that would satisfy their disparate tastes. The result is a band that blends slow dancing with headbanging, jazz clubs with mosh pits, and tenderness with shredding.

After a year of writing, rehearsing and performing together, SoulFang dropped their first single "Chemical Meditation" in January, premiering their unique brand of "sex metal" to the world. "Chemical Meditation" is the first track SoulFang wrote together, and came from a conversation between Seibert and Sam Robertson about the benefits of therapeutic ketamine and the advancement of psychedelic therapy.

According to the band, this song shows off the convergence of styles more than their others so far. It opens with an addicting, pulsing bassline before Seibert's calming vocals come in. It builds up to the chorus, which is peaceful and entrancing. Eventually, it swells into an epic solo from Henry that leaves you wanting to immediately backtrack and listen to it again.

Releasing this track was a way to test the waters and see how people would respond. "It doesn't fit very neatly into any particular genre," Sam Robertson said. "I thought, 'Well, let's throw everyone into the deep end with this one, and we're just going to see how it lands.'" With a very positive response, the group was encouraged to keep going and share more music.

There's a certain ease that comes through when listening to a SoulFang track, and the biggest reason is that these four genuinely like each other, and love spending time with one another. On top of that, the writing process is very collaborative. "There's definitely just an artistic flow to it, because we're not sitting down trying to use math and logic," Boyle said. "It's just, what we're feeling is where it goes."

So far, SoulFang has three released tracks under their belt, each an exciting adventure in its own right. Additionally, they love hopping on livestreams on Facebook to connect with listeners. "I think I like any opportunity to just show the authenticity of just how we actually are when we interact with each other," Seibert said.

"When you're at the level that we are—and we're really just trying to build a following, and we're trying to connect to the people that like our music—then having that dialogue, being able to answer the comments in real time and show people songs that are very much a work in progress, I think it's very intimate," Boyle added.

Luckily for fans, SoulFang definitely has more music on the way. The plan is to hit the studio this summer and release more songs in increments, like with their first three singles. While there is hope to do a full album at some point (on vinyl even), they want to pump out some more individual tracks. "Just to build our fan base, it makes sense to do it this way," Henry explained.

SoulFang hopes that their authenticity and excitement for playing music shines through in their songs. "Every song takes you on a bit of a journey," Seibert said. "We're just us, and that's how it's always going to be, and it's always going to come across in our music," Boyle added.

While you wait for more genre-bending tunes from the gang, join the SoulFang Facebook group (The SoulFang Fan Community) to see live streams, and catch them at some exciting shows this summer. First, you can catch them at a free, all-ages show on Saturday, May 27 in Liberty Park at the Sand Ohana volleyball tournament from 4-7 p.m. Then in June, they will be at The Hog Wallow Pub in Cottonwood Heights on Thursday, June 8 from 9 p.m. to midnight. This show has a $7 cover charge. Lastly, SoulFang will be at Piper Down Pub on Friday, July 28 from 9 p.m. to midnight, with a small cover charge.

Pressing play on a SoulFang fan is a new adventure—you're not sure what you're going to get. Once you get into it though, you'll find a treasure trove of beautifully melded genres and easy-listening experience by a group of musicians who love what they do.