Interview: Bayway Talks Upcoming Album ‘The Recipe’ and New Jersey Hardcore
Photo courtesy of Rock N Load Magazine
After tearing up the underground scene with a series of pummeling EPs, New Jersey hardcore mainstays, Bayway, emerge full-force with an LP set to be released in early July via the newly revived Trustkill Records. Welcomed into the Trustkill family, added to their deep rooted legacy in hardcore and heavy music, Bayway is highly anticipating fans hearing their debut full length, The Recipe–a hard hitting, ferocious and deeply personal record full of identity, defiance, and Jersey pride.
The record was written and tracked in just three weeks, but there’s no sense of haste, only urgency. The Recipe doesn’t waste time. Its ten tracks stomp through themes of survival, legacy and resistance with the kind of sharp immediacy that defines the genre’s best work.
For vocalist and producer Jayway, the record was born from both pressure and purpose. “We had three songs written for what was supposed to be another EP and when Josh asked us for the full length we got to work right away so we could get new music out as fast as possible,” he says. The band leaned into the moment and channeled that momentum into something that didn’t just extend their discography but firmly redefined it.
As Jayway relays that the album is more than just a collection of songs, he says, “The Recipe has many meanings, but the recipe for this record is me. It’s my life experiences. The struggle of growing up the way I did. If you changed any part of my story, the record wouldn’t be what it is.”
Opening single “Malocchio” boldly sets the tone: aggressive, spiritual, and uncompromising. With lyrics drawing from his ancestry, Jayway explains, “The evil eye if you will [is] sometimes put on you by others who can’t stand to see you win.” He says, “Having this opportunity with a huge label, coming from nothing, I just felt like fuck anyone who has that evil eye on me. I never asked for this. I didn’t beg people to like me. I put out music that I loved and people decided they also enjoyed it.”
That sense of purpose is present across the entire LP, from the bounce-heavy breakdowns to the rapid vocal delivery. The album’s title draws from a family recipe passed down from Jayway’s grandmother, with the original recipe included in the center of the insert. The name functions as both a literal nod to tradition and a metaphor for the identity the band weaves throughout their music.
Recorded and mixed entirely by Jayway himself, The Recipe sounds raw but focused, like it was built in one shot. “Most of this record was written and recorded within a three week time period and the energy we captured of being so excited to be signed with Trustkill and just ready to really take this thing to the next level really shows!” he says. “I recorded and produced the record which I have done with all the Bayway stuff but this one just felt special. The way the songs came together it felt like we really found our sound.”
Live, those instincts have already proven effective. From small clubs to cross country touring, Bayway’s name is building fast, with crowds shouting “New Jersey” back at them in cities far from home. It’s become less of a chant and more of a mission statement. This record makes that clear.
Out July 4, the album is a clear reflection of the band’s evolution. Loud, fast, and built on real roots, The Recipe is a full-bodied introduction to Bayway’s world, both unfiltered and sharpened for impact.
Signing out, Jayway says, “We are about to do a ton of touring on this album. We will be traveling the earth spreading the gospel of New Jersey. Believe in Bayway.”