For all of the mainlanders, what does Ikaika mean? Also, why did you choose it?
Ikaika in Olelo (Hawaiian language) stands for Strength & Resilience. I chose that name given the tragic context of how this project started. If it wasn’t for the Lahaina fires destroying my hometown back in 2023 (taking me out of a 15+ year retirement from fronting Hardcore bands) followed two months later by the unexpected passing of a dear friend (Josh Couture) and co-founding member of Ikaika, this band wouldn’t exist! At its core, Ikaika represents the inner-strength to carry on in the face of life’s worst adversities! It’s a sentiment that runs through everything that this band visually and contextually stands for!
How does the band handle writing and practice, being in separate cities and states?
Ikaika was started as a digital project between myself (Maui, HI) and Josh Couture (Tampa, FL). When I left FL to come home to Maui (where I was born/raised in my youth) in 2014, Josh had periodically prospected me with the idea of starting something digital but knowing myself and how obsessed I’d be getting back into music (amongst a full-time job & family), I declined. It wasn’t until 8/8/23 (the Lahaina Fires) that this all changed. A few months later after months of despair and hopelessness and needing an old familiar outlet (Hardcore) of release (15+ years after last picking up a microphone), I hit Josh up saying “I have something to say now and I NEED to do this project, will you help me?”
Right after that conversation we began writing our first track yet two weeks into Ikaika, Josh unexpectedly passed away adding another blow to my already fragile mental state. Shortly after his passing I flew to Tampa for his celebration of life and it was there that I would learn that our mutual friends would hep me complete what me and Josh had started. Taking over the writing from the Demo was Marco Santos, an extremely talented Tampa based Engineer/ musician that Josh’s bands of past would work with. Without Marco, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now (love you homie)! Working on these songs as a two-piece has actually been very seemless as he’ll literally write parts of each song and then we ping pong back & fourth to alter/ hammer out each track. But, that’s just the production route and when it comes to performing, that was always an issue until recently. Ikaika played our first official show on 11/8/24 in Tampa for a 2-day fest called “Hammer & Nail,” which was a benefit fest for Josh’s family. Our live-band was pieced together of Josh’s former members making it a very special show, not too mention opening up for two of my favorite influential bands Death Before Dishonor & Madball was just eclectic, cathartic & unforgettable!
After that show me and Marco spent all of 2025 writing “Of War & Mana,” our follow-up E.P which just dropped on 4/10/26. Thereafter, it was time for me to FINALLY piece together my band within Hawaii, where Ikaika has always belonged so that we could start playing not only consistent shows within Hawaii, but whatever else (possibly Westcoast & abroad) may pop up down the line. When I got offered to play our first Hawaii show, my homie Nick’s band on Oahu (Honolulu) Weight of Sin had just ended, so it worked out perfectly taking in 3/5 of their members to make that EPIC show happen!
How was it opening for Speed, your first hometown Hawaii show?
It’s hard to find the words to explain that night and tbh, I’m still processing it (over a month later)! Keep in mind that since Ikaika is a Hawaiian (themed) Hardcore band, my local people (all throughout Hawaii) have literally messaged me since our Demo dropped in 2024 asking for this show & I had been anticipating it for even longer! It’s a night I will never forget, from the war-like crowd participation (hard mosh & sing-alongs) to all the kind words said, one thing I remember thinking right after our set was:
Ikaika’s finally fucking home & it’s time to put Hawaii-Hardcore on the global map!
Your first EP dropped in 2024 A Demonstration of Pacific Fury, was there a different writing process between that and the latest ep Of War & Mana you just dropped in 2026?
For this one, seeing as the homie Marco took over the writing from Josh I’ll briefly tag in Marco:
MARCO: It was a similar process but with a different goal.
During the writing of the demo in 2024 we were aiming for a faster and more chaotic metallic hardcore vibe then the new EP but that being said the actual process was similar as Gavin and I were doing zoom calls and going over every riff, it was a very collaborative process.
GAVIN: As Marco said, the writing process was the same as the Demo but I don’t really remember us conversing at the start of writing the E.P saying “Let’s make a record that sounds like this” etc, it just naturally flowed track by track and that’s why I think it sounds so different & eclectic compared to the Demo. What I love about the EP is that it’s basically a trip through the different sub-genres of Hardcore (melodic hardcore, hardcore Punk etc) that we love, but it also retains the metallic roots that we established on our demo. Basically, there’s something on this EP for just about every Hardcore fan to resonate with.
Why is hard music so important across the Hawaiian Islands?
I never really thought about heavy music’s role or importance in the Islands until now, but given the context of my culture’s traumatic history, I actually think it’s VERY important! Amongst the beauty and infectious spirit of “Aloha,” there’s still a lot of generational resentment, aggression and anger present here and not enough positive outlets to release it. For those of us locals that have been fortunate enough to discover and embrace Hardcore (or heavy-music in general) though, we know how transformative & therapeutic it is.
It’s just a matter of time that more of my people discover our church of fists & kicks, and embrace this hidden gem for its best attribute: MENTAL-RELEASE aka “Positive Agression!”
Who are some of your inspirations for starting Ikaika?
I came up in Hardcore in the early 2000’s during the tough metallic era (Ala Hatebreed, Terror, Death Before Dishonor, Shattered Realm, Black My Heart, 100 Demons etc) but I also love fast Melodic Hardcore/ Hardcore Punk (i.e Comeback Kid, With Honor, Carry On, Have Heart etc) & judging by the responses/feedback over the years, we happened to unintentionally mesh those influence together.
I mean one reviewer even called us “The Hawaiian Hatebreed,” I can die happy with that!
Can you breakdown the song ‘American By Force’? Cuz that joint goes hard.
Mahalo for the kind words!
ABF is a near and dear track to me bc as someone with native Hawaiian (Kanaka Maoli) blood that’s aware of Hawaii’s dark history, it’s always pissed me off that the greater world is still very much ignorant to not only how we were forced to became a U.S state, but also the horrid degrading injustices inflicted on my people and Aina (land) pre and post!
I wrote this song to clear up the “white-washed” narrative and give the real historical & present day context from someone of the culture. It doesn’t stop there though bc if you read the last lyrics at the ending breakdown, it was important to reference “Kanaka Maoli” in a Hardcore song bc to my knowledge those words have never been recorded (in the hc medium) and I want my Hawaiian hardcore Ohana to be PROUD of not only who we are, but how far we’ve come!
Is there a city, state, or country you’d like to play the most?
Well to be honest, if you asked me about two months ago I would have said playing at home in Hawaii but since that show became a reality on 4/28 with SPEED, I’d say Japan is on my bucket-list! Reason being: I’m part Japanese (pops is half Hawaiian half Japanese), the scene there looks so dope, I NEED to go to NERDS RECORDS, I want to drown myself in a vat of Ramen & kick it with the homie Jared (our old bands used to jam together in FL, King Conquer), sahhp Ninja Militia?
What does the future for the band look like?
The future’s looking bright for IKAIKA. Like our Demo, the EP’s currently in the works to be pressed on insanely detailed & custom CD’s by our Paris homies Knives Out Records. After that, we’ll get some EP release shows hammered down then see where the island breeze takes us! Oh ya, and I’ve got a special E.P merch capsule in the works which will be out soon!
What is one message you would give to your fans & supporters?
Well, I’ve got a lot more than one:
- As P.O.C: BE FUCKING PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE & REPRESENT YOUR CULTURE in whatever unique medium you use to express yourself (Music, Art etc) because your ancestors didn’t survive through the worst of times for that flame to burn out!
- Find something in this existence that gives you PURPOSE because you weren’t put on this earth (with such a finite amount of time) to just be miserable, pay bills and DIE! And when you find that purpose, pour every ounce of yourself into it because no matter what horrible shit life throws at you next, you’ll still have that safe space to get you through!
- Lastly: THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for supporting this project as the listens & kind words NEVER go unnoticed! I put so much time & resources into this band because it’s been the saving grace in my darkest hours and to know that it resonates with at least someone out there, is what keeps this alive!
Mahalo for listening & please give that EP a stream!
