A Decade of Death Lens

In times like these, we look to music to help articulate the anger and uncertainty many of us feel about the current state of affairs.

And with their incendiary second album for Epitaph Records, Death Lens capture that energy with an all-inclusive throw down of working class fury that’s kept them at the apex of the Los Angeles punk scene for the last decade.

“Everything we say in our lyrics is true to ourselves,” guitarist Jhon Reyes says. “We try to be as progressive as possible, because we want to use our platform to speak for those who have no voice.”

What’s Left Now? follows 2024’s Cold World in the evolution of this multicultural quartet of working class musicians from the East LA area. Producer Zach Tuch (Knocked Loose, Touché Amoré, Movements) recorded the band as close to their rough and rowdy ways onstage, but with enough space to capture the nuances of surf rock and Latino music imbued within their eclectic brand of punk aggression.

“Tuch is easy to work with but he’s also brutally honest, which works in my favor,” frontman Bryan Torres says. “I like people who are honest. If you’re honest with me, I’ll be honest with you.”

And it’s that unshakable honesty which courses through these songs about real situations going on in the lives of Reyes, Torres, drummer Tony Rangel and new guitarist Ernie Gutierrez.

“The struggle of being born into a low income lifestyle and all the struggles that come with it,” Torres says. “You have no choice.”

“Sometimes it doesn’t feel right to be enjoying yourself playing music out on tour when everyone else is having a terrible time in life, getting deported and all of that shit,” Reyes says. “Death Lens is a reminder that you can still have a good time, but also connect with those who are going through it.”

Rock & Roll Globe had the pleasure of having a quick digital chat with Reyes before Death Lens hit the road later this summer.

What’s Left Now? is out now on Epitaph Records.

 

What inspired you to name the new album What’s Left Now?

I guess everyone collectively shares the same fear of the unknown. Every time we finish a tour or album, we feel that sense of “Damn, now what? What’s left now?” I guess back to our jobs until the next one, if there even IS a next one. Life is crazy man. 20 years from now we’ll be hyped that we didn’t allow ourselves to be stagnant.

In what ways has the last year and a half under this second Trump administration informed these new songs?

It’s been tough emotionally for a lot of us who have friends & family dealing with all the raids. “Saints in the Panic Room” is our response to the never ending injustice our people are experiencing daily. It’s our Anti-ICE anthem for those who feel silenced and powerless.

 

How do you feel What’s Left Now? differs from your other releases in terms of sound and direction?

This album takes the rawness of No Luck along with the maturity that was Cold World and blended into one. There’s a little something for everybody in What’s Left Now?, new and old listeners. Writing the album with Tony, Ernie & our producer Zach Tuch truly pushed us to create something that we’re all proud of. Everyone comes from different musical backgrounds, so it inspired us to make quite an eclectic album.

 

What led to the collaboration with Militarie Gun? In what ways do you find kinship with them?

Started off with writing “Waiting To Know” on the studio and we were stuck on a bridge and Tony just started ripping a rhythm track that just worked. Once we played it back we were like “Damn, would be sick if Ian sang on this part.” Next thing you know he pulls up and tracks his vocals. Rest was history.

We’ve had three tours with the MG boys. Those dudes inspire the hell out of us to always take it to the next level. Their professionalism is the template most bands should be replicating to be successful honestly. Mad respect to their hustle. Ian shooting the video with us was poetic for sure.

 

VIDEO: Death Lens & Militarie Gun “Waiting To Know”

What is the youth movement like in punk and hardcore these days? From your POV, how do you feel Gen Z and Gen Alpha are keeping the scene alive?

I see a lot of young heads going to these shows. It’s refreshing to see parents exposing their kids to this type of music early. I’ve met a ton of families who brought their kids to a Death Lens show and they say “this is their first show ever.” It’s an honor, hopefully it sticks with them. Love how even with the newer generations, they’re still showing love to ones that came before them. They’re embracing 1990s-2000s like they were born in it. The punk & hardcore scene is in good hands forsure.

 

You are planning a big tour later this summer into the fall. How are you feeling about traveling the country under the auspices of this current administration?

We’ve lived in Europe for two months before on our last run with Bad Religion and it was insane. The anticipation of it always kills us but we’re ready for it. As for the fall tour, it’s going to be our first Headliner tour ever so that should be interesting. We’re excited and scared all at the same time, we’ve hand picked a lot of the direct support so it should be a movie.

 

It’s been 10 years since the release of the first Death Lens album. How do you feel the band has grown in the last decade?

The band has been through a couple different variations in members since that first album. We’ve matured a lot within the last decade. Musically at least. We’re still a bunch of goofy ass dudes. We’re not the same party/drunk band from the Deathfrights era. We want to move on from that chapter respectfully.

The Death Lens we are now is what we want to be remembered by. Our platform has grown exponentially since then, and we’re ready to keep rocking for the fans with our new jams, but we’ll still play the OG’s. Everyone is passionate about the songs, the culture and hustle right now, feels good. We’re excited for what’s next. If it all ends tomorrow we know we gave it our all.