When you hear the word ‘heavy’ in relation to music, at its core, it tends to denote something related to metal. Emotionally, it’s a much broader term – it can be another word for something meaningful, for something sad, or something that provokes deep thought, and one of our favorite parts of Nø Man is that they embody almost every possible interpretation of the word.
Nø Man is a DC hardcore band that picks up where Majority Rule left off, but that’s just scratching the surface of what makes them unique, even vital, to the genre’s modern era. On top of considerable pedigree, the band is fronted by Maha Shami, the daughter of Palestinian refugees.
Hardcore has never been more popular in the US: in 2026, you wouldn’t bat an eye hearing it in advertisements for cars, fast food, or even children’s toys. It’s a sign of the times, and on the surface that’s amazing. But it feels less than genuine and more like commercial placement meant to curtail an artistic space that’s usually proud to be literal and filled with folks trying to challenge the status quo. Nø Man’s takes are genuine, personal, and overall quite heavy – we were frozen for the entire outro of “They Have Names,” which shifts from fast, sludge-y D-beat to a chilling post-metal outro.
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“They Have Names” feels so impactful and has so much to say that it could have been a standalone single, but they also just premiered “Zoo” with Flood Magazine to let the world know they’ve got a brand new album full of this stuff on the way. Between the Sword and the Neck is due October 30th via Iodine Recordings, and we were honored to have a brief chat regarding it’s background, how they wanted it to be different from their last album Glitter and Spit, bringing in Maha Shami’s mother for recording, and more.
FB: Let’s start off with something a little bit meta – do you think hardcore is experiencing a boost in popularity because societal growth demands a cathartic space for truth, or because popular culture is trying to look more ‘in on it?’
MM: I haven’t really noticed a boost in popularity here personally. The type of bands and shows I like to go see have always been ones that have had something to say, even if it feels like we’re screaming into the void sometimes. Hopefully more than catharsis people can use these spaces to organize, plan and learn.
FB: DC has long been an outstanding place for the genre with tons of legendary bands, Majority Rule included. Are there any newer ones you’ve played with or have become aware of that you think help carry the torch?
MM: Tons of great bands in the DC area right now. Goetia, Deliriant Nerve, The Final Agony, Malform, Drivel, Corvo, Loose Leash, Blood Monolith to name a few. I feel like the metal and grind scene here is more active than when I was younger.
FB: What was it like making the jump from Majority Rule to Nø Man? What inspired the shift to something new as opposed to sticking with MR but taking a different approach?
MM: NØ MAN was a project started when Majority Rule was doing reunion shows. Pat was staying with Maha and me for a bit and we just wrote some new songs for fun. It’s pretty effortless to make art with Pat and Kevin since we’ve been playing together for decades. I’ve never really been interested in writing new Majority Rule songs. I like that it existed for a limited time and we can still get together when there is an opportunity to raise money for a good cause.
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FB: The new single “They Have Names” is incredible the way it splits up hardcore and this towering, eternal feeling post-metal outro. How did the song come together? How did you decide on the spoken word part with the names of those lost in the violence waged on Palestine?
MM: When I wrote the initial idea for the song the end was just a non stop loop and a kick drum on a drum machine. When we got together and arranged the whole thing the song still really didn’t have an end, it was just us playing the last repeats over and over while making more noise. It wasn’t until I read the lyrics that we came up with the idea of asking friends and family to share the names of people they had lost to the occupation. In Maha’s lyrics she names 3 of her family members that were killed before she was born. The title of the song comes from a banner we made with the names of hundreds of infants and children that were killed in first months of the latest Gaza genocide.
FB: I can only imagine that the task of reaching out to those families and loved ones was incredibly difficult. Other than grave injustice, were there any feelings or motivations you held in mind for those sessions?
MM: It was a rough task and felt like a huge responsibility. We had everyone record it on their own as a voice memo and send it. One of the submissions was 6 minutes long with over 200 family members they had lost. I had to keep taking breaks while mixing because it made me sick. I have no idea how people are able to process that amount of loss and still function.
FB: The previous single “Moan” does something a lot of the best hardcore does, which is make the listener uncomfortable with lines like “Do I keep you up at night.” How do you balance direct, pointed lyrics with deeper, more layered ones?
MM: Going to speak for Maha here which I probably shouldn’t. I see her writing and rewriting the lyrics so many times I know she’s always trying to find a balance. A lot of the lyricists she likes write in a much more literal way where her starting point is more abstract. From what I’ve seen her lyrics start much more stream of consciousness and slowly start to balance being direct against symbolism.
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FB: There’s a poetic violence to the album title Between the Sword and the Neck, which comes from famed Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani. Can you expand a little on how the record is rooted in “sumud?”
MM: Sumud is an Arabic word that translates to “perseverance” or “resilience”. I think the record embodies that by highlighting Palestinian voices and names in a world that is actively trying to make them disappear.
FB: What was it like enlisting the help of Maha Shami’s mother for the record?
MM: Maha’s mom Kamelah has been a huge presence in all of our lives. Our daughter Kami is named after her. At a benefit show here in DC Maha read some of her poetry to the crowd one time before we played. After that Maha asked if we could use a translation of that poem which ended up creating the last 2 songs on the record.
FB: What were some of the main differences between recording Glitter and Spit vs Between the Sword and the Neck? Were there any different expectations, sonically or otherwise?
MM: The main difference for me was I really tried to approach each song as its own mix. I finished them one at a time using different elements and instruments for each one. Our lives were also a little more hectic for this one, especially with Kevin having a newborn. So we took any chance we could to keep chipping away at it. Most of it was recorded here in my studio but I went up to New York to get the bass done so Kevin didn’t have to be away.
FB: In one of your songs “Eat My Twin,” you really get down to the heart of this last question but I would love any additional commentary you could add. Do you have any advice for artists that feel a sense of overwhelm or feel that no matter what they do, it’s not enough? Do you think the world is approaching, or maybe circling a point where raising awareness is less important than taking action? How do those points reconcile?
MM: Man, I’m a terrible person to give this advice. I gave up hope for this shitty world a long time ago. I think it’s important to try to find the people and places that make you feel safe and alive. Hopefully that’s where I’ll be when everything burns to the ground.
(Thanks for reading! If you’re looking for more music, check out our Bandcamp compilations here. If you like us, or possibly even love us, donations are always appreciated at the Buy Me A Coffee page here as well. Don’t let the bastards get you down!)