Post Profit defy categorization and convention, churning their alternative, rock, post-hardcore and metal influences into a unique style and blend all their own. They stretch sonic and emotional boundaries, almost to the breaking point, only to control fits of chaos with the kind of choruses you can’t get out of your head. The Longview, Texas trio – Matt Jackson [vocals, guitar], Nick Hawner [guitar, vocals], and Zach Hicks [drums, vocals]—triumphantly bring it all home on their SharpTone Records debut EP, Self Defeater.

“The music is very raw and emotional,” observes Matt. “There are heavy and angsty moments, but it’s also chill and reflective at points. We blur as many lines as we can.” Zach adds, “When we’re writing, we don’t harp on genre. We do our own thing.”

Some would say Post Profit have been waiting for this moment since the cradle, with each member being introduced to musical instruments between the ages of 2 to 6. Zach and Matt forged a friendship as toddlers ever since their moms became best friends from church in Longview. Nick would later learn of Matt’s vocal prowess through the high school intercom. “Matt’s father was the high school principal,” explains Nick, “and he’d have Matt on there in the mornings singing about refraining from drugs and alcohol and striving for good school attendance.” Over the next few years the trio would really get to know each other from attending and performing at local shows. Nick and Zach especially hit it off and quickly became inseparable, spending much of their time listening to music, eager to put their own band together. Meanwhile Matt was sinking his teeth into a Dallas based metalcore band called Far From Earth.

During early 2017, Matt started hosting open jams every Sunday at a smoky East Texas dive bar and one night asked Zach to join on drums. Zach dragged his new friend Nick along on guitar and the trio quickly formed a strong musical bond. They would soon start slipping originals into their covers sets and after months of unrelenting practices and bar jams they booked their first show at a Halloween party in Tyler, TX.

With the experience of countless gigs across the South, Post Profit soon gained a reputation for their commanding and impactful live performance, including powerful 2021 and 2022 performances at Welcome To Rockville in Daytona, FL. Rallying around influences such as Deftones, Incubus, Failure & Quicksand, the band refined their original songs and sound into what would become their 2022 debut self-produced album When You Think It’s Right It’s Always Wrong. The release garnered over 1 million cumulative streams independently, and the success of their single “Smother” grabbed the attention of SharpTone Records, eventually landing them a deal.

To bring Self Defeater to life, they hit the studio with producer Machine [Lamb Of God, Fall Out Boy, Clutch]. “It was our first time recording with a producer,” explains Nick, “and Machine really knew how to get the best takes out of us and harness our live sound.” Additionally, Zach adds, “He also brought this hip-hop mentality to the drums and beats. Every little change was for the better. He definitely elevated the Post Profit sound in such a masterful way.”

The band introduced us to Self Defeater with the lead single “Cancer Culture”, illuminating the unpredictable and undeniable dynamics of Post Profit, encompassing all of their influences and proudly displaying where they are as a band sonically. Dark brooding verses contrast with a monumental sing-along style chorus, creating a beautifully haunting Jekyll and Hyde effect. It all culminates in an unrelenting bridge that will be sure to entrench itself in your skull. Its distinct bounce teeters on an axis of punchy heaviness and saccharine melodies as Matt urges, “Bring it up, cancel me out. Did you gain anything from this?”

“It’s all about cancel culture,” Matt reveals. “People watch you and wait for you to make the wrong step so they can cross you out. This song was born from our frustration with the feeling of being overlooked and pushed aside, and us trying to overcome that and stay determined in our path.”

The new single, “Drug Emporium” offers infectiously-crunchy riffs and disarmingly catchy melodies to tackle the themes of distancing yourself and moving on. “Two Toxic” brings a vibey ethereal change of pace to Self Defeater, with Matt’s lyrics cutting deep, “Gravitate and keep pulling me under. I’m addicted to the pain when you take it too far.”

“When it comes to the lyrics, it’s always more open-ended,” explains Matt. “We’re asking questions and the music should encourage you to be present, see what’s going on around you, and think about it. We were trying to make a statement with the EP and write in a way where every song stands out. We’re giving you a window into who we are individually and as a group. It basically says, ‘We are here’.”

With the release of Self Defeater, Post Profit have you right where they want you, existing in a constant state of evolution while ushering hard rock forward with them. Masterfully crafted to leave the listener wanting more, this is Post Profit letting the world know who they are.