Warning: The video contains explicit language
Larger-than-life and embodying the untamed spirit, Fort Worth band Dispositions is taking the local music scene by storm.
The “rock n’ rollcore” band just released their new EP South of Saints – along with a music video (above) for “Half Empty (Black Sun)” – which has gotten over 41,000 views in just 13 days.
The band’s EP release party took place last Friday at The Rail Club in Fort Worth, which included performances by Killhouse, Threnody, Memories of Dying Days and Saints Can Lie.
Dispositions’ fearless leader Zalen Cigainero on stage at The Rail Club for their South of Saints EP release. Photo: A Shot of Bailey’s
Although the band has been releasing music since 2016, their new band frontman Zalen Cigainero has been with the group since 2021, and has created a significant impact on not only on their sound, but their creative direction as well.
“I’ve always been able to hear the production on records and sus out what makes a song good,” Cigainero said in a phone interview. “Eventually, I ended up in Dallas [from Texarkana] and ended up playing in a band with some friends. Then Dispositions asked me to join their band. They had a very clear thing, not just death core or just metal core. We decided that genre was ultimately not important to the process – we were going to write good music. We call it danger pop sometimes. We throw names on it and give it an identity because it’s what we choose to do.”
The energy remained high throughout the Dispositions set at The Rail Club. Photo: A Shot of Bailey’s
The band’s impressive 10,000 monthly listeners on Spotify can expect something a little new and different from Dispositions with the new EP – merging death core, tidbits of country, a little 80’s rock and more. And when it comes to the live show, they can expect an engaging time.
At the EP release show last Friday, on-stage antics included throwing out a dozen black pool noodles to mosh (safely) with, throwing a twister game out on the floor of the crowd and yelling “RIGHT HAND RED!!!” and Cigainero jumping off the side stairs of the venue onto the crowd in lieu of a wall of death.
“We know that we’re still ‘local,'” Cigainero said. “So if someone’s gonna pay five, ten, fifteen dollars – we want to give them something. We’re not really wanting to be a prop band like Gwar or something, but we want to entertain. One time we had sock’em boppers at a show, and [the crowd] beat the hell out of each other. It helps people get their frustrations out in a less harmful way.”
Jameson White is the lead guitarist / vocals in the epic rock n’ rollcore band Dispositions. Photo: A Shot of Bailey’s
“The EP itself is kind of a hodgepodge,” Cigainero said. “The song ‘Yonshakudama’ was the first thing we wrote together. We wanted to release it at the right time. For ‘Half Empty (Black Sun), I wrote all the rhythm and the vocals for that, Jameson added some flavor to that, ‘Riverspeak’ was a random guitar riff Ethan had, and I took it and made a full song out of it. ‘Death Rattle’ was a full song Jameson had written, and I cut it up while mostly retaining the same vision.”
The EP was produced by Cigainero at his home studio and was mastered by Rogue Planet Mastering.
The new EP South of Saints features a new sound for the band that mixes sounds from death core, country, 80’s rock and more. Photo: A Shot of Bailey’s
Outside of the venue at the show, the Dispositions band van brandished a set of longhorns on the front, exuding quintessential Texas energy.
“I don’t know how it became such an identity, but being from here has this weird pride associated with it,” Cigainero said. “It’s like we embody the wild things about Texas. Everything we do is over the top; we built our own light rig. Anything we can do to be larger-than-life, by our own hands we do it. There’s only one state that can handle that big mess, and it’s here,” he laughed. “I know they say George Straight is the king of Texas, but I’m coming for that title.”
Zalen Cigainero on stage is a sight to behold, as he carries the crowd in the palm of his hand. Photo: A Shot of Bailey’s
The band has a lot of new music in the works, focusing on single releases to put an emphasis on the music and give them the attention they deserve.
When asked if he wanted to say anything else to readers, Cigainero said: “You’re gonna die someday, do something about it.”
At the end of the set, Cigainero ran to the stairs on the side of the venue and jumped off into the crowd to surf back to the stage. Photo: A Shot of Bailey’s
Note: The writer’s SD card with photos from the show was corrupted, and photos in this article were provided by Dispositions courtesy of A Shot of Bailey’s Photo.
A successful EP release with Dispositions at The Rail Club. Dispositions is (left to right) Ethan Massey, Jameson White, Zalen Cigainero, AJ Tate, Dally Powell. Photo: A Shot of Bailey’s
Jessica Waffles is a freelance photographer/videographer and regular contributor to KXT.
Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
