Fully DIY New Zealand quartet Say Or Do have crafted a diverse hard alt-rock sound that blends atmospheric textures with powerful riffs and they describe as “energetic, vibey and powerful.”
Say Or Do started out as the solo project of frontman Sam French after his earlier bands dissolved a few years ago. In his words: “I wanted something creative that was drama-free, without the broken promises and hype that often come with band life (this is where the name Say Or Do came from).”
Sam released an EP and played solo shows in New Zealand and the UK, then hit pause as he joined up with his mates in rock/metal band Silence The City on bass. Eight years later, he’d relocated from Auckland to Hawke’s Bay, on the east coast of New Zealand’s north island, and was ready to revive Say Or Do with a louder feel more suited to live shows. It took a while to recruit the right crew, but Sam brought in JP on bass, Kazuki providing “killer songwriting and guitar chops” and drummer Hamish, who had previously been in a punk band with Sam.
It’s clear a wide range of influences have shaped the Say Or Do sound. As Sam explains: “Modern rock with an alt edge. We often get compared to early 2000s acts like Incubus, Bush, and Jimmy Eat World, but we try to put a fresh spin on that. Our newer songs are more up-tempo too, which makes them really fun to play live.”
Our latest taste of this is the band’s debut album Shifting Paradigms, which was released in May. It opens up with a bassline and rolling drums bringing a moody feel to the intro of Pull The Trigger, before a big cry of “Go” ushers in a delicious crush of guitars that give way to an engaging opening verse. A catchy chorus ends with a funky little lick that feeds into a lively verse, building pace as it flows into another chorus.
That’s followed by the album’s final single Gravity, which starts with light guitars and drums dropping into a piercing guitar blitz before a laid-back verse. The pace picks up as it flies into a singalong chorus “Make a case to fly, Shift the paradigm, Try and fight free from, Gravity,” before a mellow verse that bursts back into a big chorus. Check it out in the lyric video below.
The album is packed with melodic rock goodness, including the excellent Neon Lights, which features a delicious guitar solo teeing up a final chorus, the slightly heavier Lights Out, and the more laid-back Wasting My Time. And it concludes in style with the anthemic, dreamy feeling Awake, which was the album’s first single released back in 2023.
On the album, Sam told us: “It was a completely DIY effort, recorded in our bedrooms and lounges, and we’re stoked with how it turned out. The response has been awesome – loads of internet radio stations picked up tracks, and Neon Lights even landed on a national rock station, which was a surreal moment for us. Gravity has done pretty well on the streaming front – being added to numerous playlists, which has been great for increasing our profile.
“If you haven’t heard Shifting Paradigms yet, expect a ride that moves from modern-rock angst into more lush, vibey soundscapes. There are riffs, solos, ambient textures, grooves, and a vocal approach that’s melodic with just enough grit. Lyrically, it’s all about perspective – Shifting Paradigms is about seeing things differently and moving forward.”
And if you like the sound of that, you may enjoy the band’s next release, which will be a pumped-up take on The Police’s Message In A Bottle that’s out at the end of next month.
As mentioned, the Say Or Do sound draws on a wide range of musical influences, from The Beatles and Led Zeppelin through to Architects and No Use For A Name. “We all bring different flavours into the songwriting process, but it usually centres on strong melodies and guitar-driven rock,” Sam explains. “However, you might catch Kazuki listening to drone metal while I’ve got hardcore blasting… they may not directly influence our sound, but they’re in there somewhere. The mix of styles definitely fuels our sound.”
And on what inspires them to write music, Sam added: “Most of it comes from my own take on experiences – relationships (good or bad), specific moments in time, or broader thoughts about perception and what it means to be human.”
Say Or Do are the first band we’ve interviewed from New Zealand for over two years, so we asked them for some insight into the country’s rock and metal scene. “(It) really depends on where you’re based,” Sam explained. “In the main centres – Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch – you’ll find great venues and incredible talent. The underground scene is super supportive, with bands lifting each other up, especially when you’re still relatively unknown. We’re lucky in Hawke’s Bay too, with a couple of venues that really back original music. The Cabana, for example, is the country’s oldest dedicated live music venue, so live music is kind of in the DNA here.
“Breaking into the mainstream market is tough – there are only a handful of bands that dominate airtime – but with persistence, output, and resilience, I’ve seen acts go from minnows to big fish. It’s definitely possible if you stick at it.”
Say Or Do will be releasing their cover song next month and have another single planned for release before the end of the year. Looking to next year, their big goal is to release another EP, for which they have a Google Drive folder packed with about 30 ideas that need whittling down to a final tracklist. You should hopefully be able to see the band performing shows across the country as they aim to get their music in front of new people.
And Sam added: “We’re fully independent and DIY, so every follow, share, or word-of-mouth recommendation means a lot to us. We’ve got big plans ahead, and we’d love for people to come along for the ride. Thanks for checking us out!”
You can follow Say Or Do on Facebook and Instagram, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music and YouTube.
GigRadar 