From the opening, crunchy riff that drives the underlying rhythm of ‘Bleed Out’, you had better make sure that your seatbelt is securely fastened. It assaults your senses, with the deep chugging sound of going up the steep first incline of a rollercoaster.

You get so low sometimes, I just don’t know…

Dustin Rinehart’s voice matches the intensity of the music, making this a track that screams to be played at a very loud volume. Hopefully, your stereo volume goes up to 11…

Formed in the fall of 2013, DAYMARE recorded their eponymous EP with former Hawthorne Heights guitarist Micah Carli at the controls. Released in 2016, the response has been enthusiastic from fans and critics, alike.

The Columbus rockers embrace the DIY nature of recording and touring, and supported The Struts, Coin, Holy White Hounds, Face to Face, and Valient Thorr in 2016. They also know that they have to hustle to take the next step in their career.

“It started as just something between Austin (Spears) and I,” said Dustin. “We were roommates and were playing in a punk band called ‘The Garrison’ at the time. We just started messing around and demoing some things. It sounded nothing like the punk band we were in.

“We were listening to a lot of different things at the time, like Royal Blood and Biffy Clyro, things that are tuned down like that. So, we tuned down and everything started sounding nice and dark, like how we wanted it.”

That down-tuning gives them a sound that you feel in your core, and was the sound they wanted to achieve.

Photo Credit: Tiffany Detzel/Electric Perception

“It just started happening naturally,” he continued, “and it was like… we’re starting a thing, aren’t we?”

The band was born, with Rinehart moving to vocals from playing bass in the punk band.

“Isn’t that like the worst job ever,” he said, “if you’re an anxious person like me?”

If Rinehart is an anxious person, he doesn’t show it.

And yes, they did indeed start a ‘thing.’ After auditioning a few guitar and bass players, they decided on bringing in a couple of long-time friends. Joining Rinehart (vocals/guitar) and Spears (drums) were Kyle Hull (bass) and Eric Lozier (guitar/vocals).

Spears and Lozier have known each other since they were six-years old, while Rinehart and Hull have known each other for 16 years.

The band now had the pieces to complete the group, solidifying a genuine sound that is all their own.

“The sounds that I channel when I’m working on DAYMARE stuff,” Dustin said, “are bands like Helmet, Quicksand and Deftones. A lot of that is what drives the songwriting in DAYMARE.”

What’s also apparent is the influence of Chevelle and Queens of the Stone Age. Still, they have forged a heavy sound that may remind you of other bands, but is one they wholly own.

With the release of the eponymous EP, Rinehart paid a visit to local radio station CD 102.5 to see what might happen.

“The week that it (EP) came out,” he said, “I went to a music meeting with Leslie James and some of the other staff. I pitched our song ‘Bleed Out’ to them. The reception from the room was incredibly warm. The song ended up going into regular rotation.

DAYMARE at Express Live! (Photo Credit: Tiffany Detzel/Electric Perception)

“It spent about a month in their ‘Five Spot’, which is their top-five requested songs of the weekday.”

True their DIY nature, the band couldn’t shoot the video for the first single until the summer of 2016.

“We ended up doing the video for ‘Bleed Out’ last summer. We shot the video in our old house in Clintonville, in the basement over two days. Our friend, Tiffany Detzel, she’s who shot it, edited it and all that good stuff.”

With the completed video ready to be shown, they wanted to do something a bit different for its release. It turned out to be a larger than life experience for the band.

“We had a premiere for it at Gateway Film Center here in Columbus. We knew how DIY it was and we knew how cheap it was, but to sit and actually watch it on a giant movie screen was pretty ridiculous. But, it was awesome to see it that way.”

They released a three song (almost) acoustic EP titled “Kill Me” on Dec. 23, 2016, just in time for the holiday.

“It was a ‘Hey, Merry Christmas. Here’s three new songs’ that were somewhat acoustic-ish.” He paused and asked, “Is that a word? But, it worked out pretty well.”

Their plan for 2017 is to release their first full-length album, knowing that their fans want more of that DAYMARE sound permeating their bodies.

“A lot of material for it has already come together,” Rinehart said, “although we haven’t decided where we’ll record it, yet. It not something we’re sitting on. It will be coming this year.”

We’re looking forward to new music from this Columbus band that’s on the rise and destined to reach new heights.

Their next show is at the Rumba Café on Saturday, Feb. 18 with Cadaver Dogs, The Filthy Lowdown and INBOKEH.