The unbearable/beautiful noise of Beacon

Beacon are not for the faint-hearted. Their brutal and discordant sound communicates rage in such effective terms that they can be an uncomfortable listen. They recently dropped into Platform HQ to discuss how it feels to be the new face of angry music in Seoul.

There's something very singular about the music of Beacon. While the band displays their influences right on their sleeve, the way in which they interpret their inspirations makes them unique. Equally, their ability to channel pathos is something that many bands aspire to but few achieve.  

The band have been releasing music since 2018, and two years later, signed to Seoul-based punk label World Domination Inc, which works with the likes of Winningshot, ...Whatever That Means, Green Eyed Monster, and more. "If you ever wanted to go back in time and see a show in 1990s Seattle," reads the WDI Records description of Beacon, "this is the band for you."

It's easy to see why this comparison is made, and elements of Beacon definitely mirror the punkier end of grunge. In particular, the unwieldy sound of Bleach-era Nirvana is ever-present. "Nirvana are one of our biggest influences," Beacon singer Kay confirms. "I'm also very into Slipknot and Rage Against The Machine. Noori (Beacon's bassist) is really into the hardcore punk scene."

Beacon's music, especially their most recent EP, Friends, channels a visceral angst. This discordant and dark release is an all-out assault on the ears. In just three tracks totalling five minutes, Friends becomes an uncompromising treatise on pain. Impressively, Beacon reject anything remotely pretty, the formulas and conventions all too present in music. It's challenging, fierce, and absolutely unignorable.

"Our music comes from negative feelings, Kay explains, "that is where our energy comes from." Is the harsh sound on Friends an indication that the band are not in a good place? "I can't speak for the other members," says Kay, "but, as the main songwriter, I think that my best songs come when I'm experiencing difficulty."

While their music shares an affinity with punk, grunge, and garage rock, the trio rejects the limitations caused by genre labels. "We used to think hard about that kind of thing when people asked about our music," says Noori. "But genres are just descriptions of what musicians make. No genre comes before the act of creation. ‘Straight sound with aggressive guitar riffs’ was how we described our music, but I’m not sure what will come next."

As well as their sound, Beacon have become well-loved for their performances, which evoke the same ear-destroying energy as their music. Despite this, the band insist they do not put any emphasis on preparing to perform. "Performing doesn’t mean much. We’re just playing."

The band are quick to celebrate other bands while describing the challenges of making noisy music in Seoul. "We're big fans of Bad Number Nine and Soumbalgwang. But music here is very focused on what mainstream audiences like: melodic pop music. I always crave loud music, but it's hard when so few people here in Seoul seem interested."

The broader music world might ignore them, but Beacon are subverting the typical and creating a pain-driven sound completely their own. They wont be ignored much longer.

For more information on Beacon, follow them on Instagram.