Interview / Fermented Mess

Grindcore 3-piece Fermented Mess from Long Island, NY recently released their self titled debut EP, for which you can find my review of here. I quickly chatted with Kenny Lopez, the bands proclaimed Strings of Lucifer, to pick his gross brain about the project.

Did you guys have anything specific in mind, or a goal when starting this project and writing the music for it?

I actually started this project in late 2023 with my boy Nick who drums for a few other Long Island bands (Raid, Fear Made Flesh). I wanted to write straight-up grindcore to show love for bands like Regurgitate, Terrorizer, Internal Rot, and Liquid Viscera to name a few, just real evil whirlwind shit. We got some songs together, dropped a demo, played some shows, then we got busy with other projects and it kinda fell off from there. In early 2025, I met our current drummer Cameron at a show Fermented Mess played. We jammed and kept Fermented Mess going. Jamming with Cameron’s been sick—he’s a real grindhead too, so we clicked fast and just started chopping it up, no explanations needed.

Grindcore is often nasty and ridiculous. Is there a specific feeling you want to invoke from the listener and/or audience member through the music and lyrics?

Insanity. I was always drawn to the aspect of the genre where it’s just this constant build up of intensity and it never stops. When i analyze Grindcore bands i’m always thinking like, how are they playing that so fast but so accurately? It’s like shredding but with power chords. I felt that way watching Mike play in Moisturizer and seeing Fake Dust in Cali. Like damn you guys are next level insane.

It seems a common thread for anyone in a band from Long Island, it’s not just one band, it’s several. How do you balance all and prioritize all the different projects and ideas?

As of right now, this project has been my main focus. My other bands are mostly in cruise mode—just recording, gigging, and  already having music written for them—so it’s worked out well for me because I’ve been able to put all my creative energy into Fermented Mess, especially since this style of music comes most naturally to me.

You said this style of music comes most naturally to you. Does playing shows with Fermented Mess feel any different to when you play with your other bands because of this? 

It actually ends up having the opposite effect where I feel more pressure performance-wise than i usually do. I always shoot for perfection with anything i do but with other bands if i fuck up theres another guitarist to fall back on haha. Playing the music i wrote and with only one guitar, the vision for the music only comes across as good as I’m able to play it.

Right now as this seems to be your most consistent project, with your creative focus able to be put fully into Fermented Mess, and this release being met with nothing but love, where does your mind go when you look to the future with the project?

I just want to be able to keep doing cool stuff. I’m trying to hit the road as much as we can, play with sick bands, drop some more music, and we’ve got a few fest offers lined up that I can’t share just yet. Really, I’m just trying to connect with anyone and everything that shows love for fast music as much as we do.

What are your top 3 grindcore records?

Kenny: Top three I’m gonna have to go with Grieving Birth by Internal Rot, Hatefilled Vengeance by Regurgitate, and this last one is actually more mathgrind / core but it was basically my introduction to the genre and they’re awesome so It’s a Shame by Ed Gein.”

Cameron: Dahmer - Dahmerized, Flesh Parade - Kill Whitey, and Anal Cunt - I like it when you die

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Go listen to the self titled debut EP from Fermented Mess and go check them out live at a show as soon as you get the chance!