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Intent To Harm came together through severe adversity and a determination to push through genuinely hard times. Formed by Matt Turkington, formerly the vocalist for Internal Devour, Splatterpuss and Alter Idem, as a deeply personal outlet during unimaginable struggle. Featuring some familiar faces from the Australian underground, including members of Internal Devour, Splatterpuss and Body Prison, this new act is built on the foundations of proper old-school brutality: filthy riffs and knuckle-dragging grooves.
1. “Drained Of Life” is your debut single. Why was this the right song to introduce Intent To Harm to the World? You’ve mentioned it was the first song written on guitar during recovery. What does it represent to you now compared to when it was first created?
I picked Drained of Life because it features some of the very first riffs I had ever written on a guitar, and it was the first material I felt proud of. It was also a very difficult time in my life, so focusing on something other than the pain helped my mental state. There wasn’t too much time between writing and releasing it, but it represents resilience and friendship to me. A lot of friends gave me tips and encouragement which means the world to me.
2. Intent To Harm was formed during an incredibly difficult period in your life. Can you talk about how the surgeries and recovery process shaped the identity of this band? Was there a specific moment where you realized this wasn’t just therapy anymore — it was becoming something bigger?
The surgeries were honestly horrific and took place on the other side of the world which made it more difficult. As soon as I woke up from the major surgery, I knew life would be different for me. I remember thinking that if I ever got to take my partner out for dinner again, that’s a win. Performing vocals, being on stage, or making music again felt so far away. Making music has always been something dear to my heart, and I have always used it as a cathartic process. I felt very lost without it, especially in a time I needed it more than ever. So I decided to find a way around my limitations.
3. Matt, you’d never played guitar before this. What was it like teaching yourself to play while physically recovering from spinal surgery? Did the physical limitations influence
It was very hard haha, and for a long time I thought that maybe I won’t be able to write songs I am happy with. My partner Laura helped me a lot in the beginning because I couldn’t even pick up or hold a guitar. She would help me set-up in bed and I would just mess around with catchy chug orientated riffs to begin with. I ended up buying a lightweight headless guitar and that was a game changer. Now I am able to play standing up for around 20 minutes and that has helped me write more challenging riffs. I would say that the physical limitations have absolutely shaped my songwriting but at the same time, I have tried to really push myself to the edge of what is possible for me to play.
4. You’ve all been involved in the Australian underground scene through bands like Internal Devour, Splatterpuss and Alter Idem. What feels different about Intent To Harm compared to your previous projects? Is this band more personal? More direct? More Focused?
It actually feels very similar to all of those bands which I didn’t expect it to. Especially seeing as I was a vocalist in those bands, I thought that maybe it would feel weird to have someone else doing vocals but it was actually awesome. I would say I am a little less ‘serious’ about this band, as I always had dreams of touring overseas with those other bands. Whereas with ITH, I am just happy to be playing music with my friends and my ultimate goal is to just get back on stage again. For Daniel and Tom, I think it is very much a fun band but that is also what makes it great haha. Music is meant to be fun, and when you are having fun, you write better music I think.
5.The band combines old-school brutality with hardcore groove. Was that fusion intentional from day one, or did it naturally develop from the members involved? What bands or eras were influencing the sound while these early songs were being written?
Yeah it was definitely intentional as brutal death metal is my favourite genre, followed by hardcore. All the songs we have in the bank were mostly written before the other members joined so they didn’t influence the sound directly. However, the riffs from all of my previous bands influenced my style and Tommy wrote some Internal Devour riffs. Dmac and I like all of the same bands and our current influences are Tribal Gaze, Sunami, 200 Stab Wounds, The Red Shore, Sanguisugabogg, Defeated Sanity, etc. Aidan from Internal Devour, and Fraser from Splatterpuss have also influenced me greatly as I was always in awe of what those guys wrote.
6. Bringing in Daniel Macdonald as vocalist seems like a deliberate move to amplify the aggression. What made him the obvious choice? What did he bring to the table that elevated the material? Yeah for sure, he is a friend of mine and instantly came to mind. His voice is just so tough and fits the style perfectly so yeah I am pumped he is on board. I also had some other mates keen, so I will get them in to do some guest vocals.
7. Connor McLaughlin joined as a session drummer from the United States. How did that connection come about, and what did working with someone internationally add to the dynamic? Did recording remotely change the creative process?
I found some of his drumming videos on Instagram and reached out to see if he would be keen. I sent him some demos and he was down, and yeah it just went from there. I programmed some drums, just so I could send him guitar scratch tracks to write real drums to. From there, he recorded some pre production drums in his basement, which led to some riff changes and more scratch tracks haha. After I was happy with it all, he put down the finals and absolutely smashed it.
8. There’s a powerful narrative behind this band — survival, resilience, rebuilding from scratch. How much of that story do you want listeners to know, versus just letting the music speak for itself? Do you see Intent To Harm as a positive force born out of Negativity?
I am not too concerned if people know or not, but it is for sure a positive force in a time of struggle in my life. Everyday is still very hard for me, and having music and my friends is everything to me. My partner and I also run a record label (Vicious Instinct), and this has been the catalyst to get it running at full capacity again. The label means a lot to me, and I am so stoked to have it back up and running.
9. Now that you’re physically able to perform again, what does stepping on stage mean to you compared to before the surgeries? Has your relationship with heavy music changed after nearly losing the ability to participate in it?
I am not quite well enough yet and haven’t been back on stage yet. I won’t go too much into it, but there have been some complications and the bones in my spine are still healing. Getting back on stage is my dream right now and I am going to make it happen no matter what. I think I will appreciate it much more, but in saying that, I first had metal rods put in my back at age 22 so every single show I have played has been after surgery haha.
10. “Drained Of Life” marks the beginning. What’s next for Intent To Harm? More singles? An EP? Live shows? And how far do you see this project going?
We have almost finished recording another single, with just vocals left to go.Otherwise I have a bunch of songs sitting there that Tommy and I will go through and tweak. I’d say we will drop an EP with a music video and after that, hopefully some shows and if I can will it into existence, some small tours.
