Hath No Fury has a foot in two worlds.
The band often plays shows with metal bands, sharing the stage with Dead Horse Trauma, Destrophy, Index Case and others. Band founder and guitarist Jen Allen was a finalist in this year’s Lazer Rock Girl contest and rhythm guitarist Jayson Kempf also plays in the metal band Mindrite.
But they’re not a metal band. Allen and Kristin Sauvago sing dual vocal harmonies, and Hath No Fury’s songs have a quality closer to Joan Jett. But with Kempf and bassist Jeff Stone’s metal connections (Stone was in Cruciful and Divided We Stand), the scene has embraced the softer (than metal) sounding band.
Saturday night Hath No Fury performs at the seventh annual Gross Domestic Product, the Des Moines Music Coalition’s showcase of local rock, hip-hop, punk and electronic acts.
“The songs are all stories that we’re telling, but in a more indie way. Metal bands tell stories too, but no one understands what you’re saying,” Allen said. “Playing metal shows, we were really nervous, wondering if people would get bored and walk away. But they’ve come forward and loved it.”
Allen said her original plan for her music was more of an acoustic singer-songwriter approach, but that she was lucky enough to have a group of talented musicians like her songs. Instead of one woman and a guitar, Hath No Fury’s sound has evolved to what they describe as “death polka.”
A second vocalist wasn’t something Allen had considered until meeting Sauvago at a Mindrite show at People’s. They got to talking about music, and around closing time Sauvago belted out some Evanescence in the bar.
“I had just made the decision to follow my dreams no matter what,” Sauvago said.
“It took me two weeks to get over my ego and ask her to come do some songs,” Allen added.
Hath No Fury has recorded an album, which Stone is in the process of mixing. The process has been a slow one, but the band felt it was more important to get things right than to rush.
Kempf sees the Des Moines music scene as divided between the metal and indie scenes, with not a lot of overlap. Hath No Fury’s style can cater to each.
“I think we draw people in because we are kind of heavy, but with pop sensibilities,” Kempf said. “We’re fresh and independent and can play with both kids on the playground.”
SCHEDULE
State Stage
6 p.m.: Unknown Component
7 p.m.: The White Elephant
8 p.m.: The Beatnicks
9:15 p.m.: Hath No Fury
10:45 p.m.: Mumford’s
Grand Stage
6:30 p.m.: Trouble Lights
7:30 p.m.: Tires
8:30 p.m.: Love Songs for Lonely Monsters
10 p.m.: The River Monks
11:30 p.m.: Christopher the Conquered
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Hotel Fort Des Moines, 1000 Walnut St.
Cost: $10 in advance through tikly.co, $15 at the door.
Info: desmoinesmc.com
