Outlanders is a Milwaukee based hard rock band formed by Cody Dziuk and Zach Mayo in 2017. Musicians since high school, and friends for much longer, these two finally brought their musical talents together in their late twenties. Outlanders heart and soul is cemented in its rock/metal roots, but the songs also incorporate a wide variety of styles and influences.

Cody drives the band using a fierce fingerstyle bass attack with entrancing vocal melodies. Zach provides haunting guitar solos as well as groovy, but heavy, rhythm tracks. Drums and percussion are written by the duo and performed by studio drummers.

In this interview spotlight, I chat with Outlanders about the latest music, memories, motivations and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

***Personally, I’m a big fan of Ritual Observance!

What’s something you’d like readers to know about your latest project?

‘Ritual Observance’ is Outlanders first full-length album! It was released on 6/30/2022 and features 10 hard hitting tracks that are some of our best songs to date. The album is a culmination of a lot of hard work over the past few years. ‘Ritual Observance’ has something for everyone with streams in over 50 countries to date!

How does this project compare with your other release(s)? Was there anything specific you were trying to accomplish?

This album was a much greater undertaking than our previous releases as it is our first full-length, and almost an hour in runtime. We wanted to stay true to our rock roots while still showcasing our other influences/talents. ‘Ritual Observance’ is definitely something special to be jammed for years to come.

What motivates you to create music?

Anything and everything! Like many artists we draw from our life experiences, good or bad, and try to express the most gripping parts in our songs. We are both fans of music in general so you will hear many different genres on our playlists. Having fans that enjoy what we release is also an amazing feeling, and key motivator. We love our fans!

What’s one of your first or most powerful music memories? Did that play any role in driving you to create?

Cody – When I was young and living with my dad, he decided to show me GNR and Kiss one night. I had never heard this style of music, and was instantly hooked. It was the start of my exploration into rock/metal. I remember he would bring me home other CDs to check out from that point on. One I specifically remember is Alice in Chains ‘Dirt’, a classic album. Eventually, when I started playing bass guitar, I was able to revisit these albums that had shaped me as child and gain a new appreciation for them.

Zach – My first musical memory on the guitar was the first day I remember playing one. It was my parents wedding anniversary and I was about 13 years old if my memory serves me correctly. I was dropped off at my friend Rob’s house. He is a few years older than me so he has dabbled in guitar, and the music that started it all for me by this point in time. Rob is a drummer and guitarist so he had already let me play on the drums earlier that day, but then he finally showed me the guitar. It was a red Gremlin. Not much to it but it did the trick! Played some Deep Purple and AC/DC licks and was instantly hooked. I still have that guitar to this day!

If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.

Cody – For a jam session Billy Sheehan. That man is a beast on the bass and has some techniques that would be awesome to learn. As for collaboration I’m going to say Queens of the Stone Age. They have been a band that both Zach and I have jammed out on since high school, which is when we originally talked about having a band together one day. Fast forward to now, Outlanders has arrived, and we still jam QOTSA as well.

Zach – This list is never ending. To stay relevant with ‘Ritual Observance’ I would choose Chris Cornell. I love everything he has released Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden, Audioslave, and his solo albums. Chris is one of my favorite vocalists of all time. Just days after he died, I started writing riffs that became ‘Delusionist’ for him. It was my way of tributing him and I tried to implement all of the aforementioned bands into the song. As I was writing ‘Delusionist’ I tried to envision Chris singing over the top of it. It would be a dream come true to collaborate on a song with him.

What was the last song you listened to? And who is one of your favorite all-time bands/artists?

Cody – “Poplar Street” by Glass Animals. Was in the mood for a chill mix. I have so many favorites it’s impossible for me to pick just one. Besides those already mentioned my top 10 playlist currently includes Darkest Hour, Billy Joel, Incubus, Mudvayne, Atmosphere, etc.

Zach – The last song I listened to was “Tokyo Sunrise” by LP. I listen to music when I sleep and I usually start the playlist with that one then hit shuffle from there. It’s a song that takes me places and helps set my mind at ease. LP has an INCREDIBLE voice and the live versions of this song are unreal. Love all her music both studio and live. Gives me the chills in the best way.

As for my favorite all-time artists? Another never ending list… I am such a diverse musician and lover of ALL music. I have bands and artists from all genres that have had a significant moment in my life or move me in some way. A small list includes Dave Matthews Band, STYX, Third Eye Blind, Slipknot, A Day to Remember, AIC, etc… as for a favorite I have to go with All That Remains. This is the band that I have seen the most in concert being something close to fifteen times at this point since 2008 Warped Tour. They also happen to be the band that I have met the most!

Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?

Find Outlanders at any of the following:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/outlanders.mke

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwOG7DqIpRLI_dGShSg5SBw

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1OjWq69JbRc77K9jOKwV9O?si=gItd8EtESJy8Q0jYVwuFgg

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/outlanders/1545270375

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outlanders.mke/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/outlanders_mke

We also love to hear from fans so feel free to contact us!

I really appreciate Your time. Anything else before we sign off?

Thank you as well. Make sure to keep an eye on our socials for updates on music videos, merch, new songs, and more coming soon.