Not apathetic about the future

Say what you will about Dead Horse Trauma’s music — the band is a divisive one artistically — but there’s no debate about how hard the band works at its stage show and the promotion of the same. Now for a look at what the hardest-working act in Des Moines metal was like in its early days, all you have to do is peek your head into an Apathy Syndrome show.

Apathy Syndrome plays the Val Air Ballroom, 301 Ashworth Road, on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 through ticketweb.

Officially founded in late 2011 by vocalist Joe Day, guitarist Tanner Corn and drummer Zach Jones, the band was slow to get rolling. The first show wasn’t until August of 2012 and was followed by a five-month hiatus. Tweaks to the lineup followed over the next two years, with DJ Nick Stone being added in 2013, keyboardist Adam Williams coming on board in early 2014 and bassist Tim Sigler joining just a couple of months ago.

But now the band is fully loaded and, after spending most of the past year cultivating a local following, they are ready to take their sound regional. They credit their friendship with the guys from DHT with helping drive home the importance of hustling.

“(DHT frontman Eric Davidson) has helped us out tremendously,” Day said. “Just all the advice he’s given us on the day to day, what not to do.”

Seeing how a solid work ethic has helped DHT has also helped to instill a similar drive in Apathy Syndrome’s members.

“We promote and promote,” Corn said. “We want to bring the best performance possible.”

“It’s work,” added Jones. “But you love it. It’s not like going to a job.”

“Developing a following is about being more than a band member,” Williams concurred. “It’s doing your homework.”

Even when the band is not prepping for a show, they are talking to fans, handing out fliers and supporting the rest of the music that is being played in the capital city. Because another thing Apathy Syndrome knows well, is that you give love to get love.

“We’re always at other shows, giving other bands the support that they give us,” Day said. “It’s a brotherhood in the Des Moines music scene.” CV

Chad Taylor is an award-winning news journalist and music writer from Des Moines who would love to take his talents abroad if the rent were not so much more affordable in Des Moines.