It’s once in a blue moon that a rock band comes along that can pull off melodic singing and screaming at the top of their lungs while playing pop-punk similar to Blink-182 and Sum 41, but the Florida band, 408 can do all those things and they do it well! Maybe the secret sauce is having numbers in the title? We aren’t sure but whatever it is, it’s magical.
408 got their name from a popular main highway that runs through this Florida bands home state. You laugh on it, cry on it, pray to God there will be a bathroom at the next rest stop on it. It’s one of those highways we all remember as kids driving on seemingly endless pavement with our parent’s crappy music on and wondering, “Are we there, YET?!” 408 the band took this to heart and knew they had to solidify these memories in music history.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ARTIST MANAGEMENT
We spoke with 408 band bassist and front man, Mark Faroudi about their upcoming album produced by Andrew Wade, “Sherbet” and all the upcoming releases. Sherbet got its name from the band wanting to “incorporate some light in the darkness of COVID times and it was kind of a soul-searching moment for everyone so we wanted to add some light-heartedness to it.” This is one thing that we have heard from many bands and that is a good thing. They were able to see the opportunity in front of them and took it by both hands and really went for it with their song writing. The last show 408 played before the apocalypse was with Sum 41 so they were clearly on their way up the musical ladder… only for it to come to a screeching halt thanks to that pesky (and deadly) virus.
Faroudi told us that each of their songs off this new album are going to be released every so often so we (the listener) have the chance to give it the time it deserves. He said, “This way each song has its own chance to be heard in its proper amount of time it’s meant to be heard in. If you release a whole project at once, one might stick out and others might get overlooked because not everyone has the time of day to sit and listen to a new album.”
Their first release off Sherbet last month was, “Missed Call”. This songs video portrays Mark singing and progressively starts wearing more of his girlfriend’s clothes until it cuts back to him in a dress and make up (and he looks pretty darn good, we might add!). He said, “the name stems from a personal experience of a very toxic relationship and the other person trying to contact an excessive number of times, then deep dives into a very toxic breakup. The person that you loved put you through very tense and emotional damage and you’re just recalling all of it… The song and the video are meant to portray a very bad break up to the point where you don’t even know who you are anymore, hence me in the dress. Like a loss of who you are as a person.”
408’s latest release from April 08, (also known as “408 day” -get it?) is, “Undertow”. Mark described this release as “punk rock, ambient rock, shoe gaze, beach-style of a song with a California vibe” while this video is very artsy.
Mark says, “We have some cool stuff coming down the pipeline. Missed Call and Undertow are just the first of many. There’s a lot more music that’s coming out and we’re just excited to see what everyone thinks, that’s the best part of this whole thing is releasing it.”
408
It was also mentioned that the third release will be a song called, “Signal Mara” which the band is super excited to release around May -it’s also Mark’s favorite “mostly because it will have a strong electronic influence”. A few releases following will be (in no particular order of tracks off the upcoming album) “First To Fake It” and “Where Does Time Go?”.
Mark said his dream collaboration would be with Blink-182. He says his favorite Blink album is, “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket” and he has “over digested all of their work “. With such a mega influence like that you know whatever 408 pumps out is going to be good. So, Mark, Matt, Travis, if you’re looking for an opener for your next tour, look no further, 408 will not let you down!
The best way to judge this band is to see them live, that’s where there magic resides. Their sonic vision represents the best of alt rock and it will electrify your ears. 408 features Mark Faroudi (vocals and bass), Jon Jordon (vocals | guitar), Steven Parsons (vocals | guitar), and Jake Cerritani (drums).
Seriously, check out this band so you can say you knew them before they blew up!
