A young Andrew Watson sits at his laptop, fingertips dancing over the keys. His older brother, Mike, drifts into the next room, his fingers finding fierce guitar riffs as a torrent of metalcore music fills the space between them.
Music runs in their blood. Stephanie Casey, their mother, is a renowned keyboardist and vocalist best known for the classic rock group Honeypump. She filled the house with rhythm, melody and a living heartbeat that has threaded through most of their young adult lives.
Andrew was drawn to metalcore from the first moment he heard the genre’s hardcore intensity. He felt such a connection with this style of music that he eventually stepped into the spotlight as the lead singer and front man of his own project, guided by a desire to fuse heart-pounding energy with intricate, evolving arrangements. Destiny took hold, and What Lies Below was born.
The metalcore movement traces its roots to the late 1980s into the early 1990s, with the eastern U.S. – especially New York and Ohio – driving much of the momentum. Metalcore fused extreme metal with hardcore punk, evolving from crossover and metallic hardcore. Early pioneers like Integrity, Earth Crisis and Converge laid the groundwork.
The sound gained attention in the 1990s and exploded in the 2000s with bands like Agnostic Front, Suicide Silence, Killswitch Engage and As I Lay Dying leading the way. It is defined by high-energy, technical playing, rapid palm-muting and emotionally intense or socially conscious lyrics.
A metalcore gig is characterized by controlled chaos, where crowd surfing, intense moshing and hardcore dancing take place in the center, while the outskirts are filled with flashing lights and passionate fans shouting lyrics.
When Andrew’s brother returned from college, the timing was perfect. Joined by Mike on guitar and vocals, the pair formed What Lies Below.
According to Andrew, “The name came from a game I was playing called ‘Runescape.’”
Pioneering the progressive metalcore subgenre now recognized as a staple of the Harrisburg metal scene, What Lies Below’s sound is distinguished by elaborate finger work, dramatic texture changes and high energy.
“With strong breakdowns for moshing, anchored by dense synth bass, I add aggressive, pitched screaming, layering with occasional clean singing, adding and providing dynamic contrasts with melodic sounds. … You have to be vocally assertive in metalcore; it’s high-intense energy and very aggressive as a playing style, and people expect it,” says Andrew.
One question came to mind that needed to be asked.
I asked Andrew how he keeps his voice in top shape when he sings, shouts or screams.
“Well, it’s definitely something you have to be aware of so you don’t burn out your voice,” he says. “Projecting just takes time, honestly. … (It’s) one of those things you can’t really learn unless you keep doing it.”
Proper screaming often involves holding the mic close to your mouth and using lower-volume growls to reduce stress on the vocal cords. The sound should come from your diaphragm, not from your throat.
“In the studio when we do takes, it helps to have vocal layering already recorded, so I’m just adding a vocal on top. … Vocal rest as well as proper warm-ups and cool downs are key so I’m not burning out quickly,” says Andrew.
To fill out the band’s roster, Andrew and Mike each posted a Facebook ad searching for a lead guitarist and drummer. This brought guitarist Sam Hart and drummer Jonah Luteman on board, solidifying a lineup primed to push bold, forward-thinking music.
As the band grew and began performing, both Hart and Luteman became more deeply involved in the writing, shaping the songs from the ground up and adding powerful hardcore-driven content.
“We keep everything authentic, and our songs are about emotion and life experiences created with a story line. Each of our songs and albums are all connected to give the listener a unique experience,” Andrew says.
This young group – ages 27 to 30 – began paving their way in preparation for live shows in 2021. It was a very tough time for music and playing venues. Around this time, the group teamed up with a well-known hard metal producer Jonathan Dolese at Konkrete Studios in Memphis and released their debut EP, “Destinations.”
“It was a time of focus. … We really are honored to work with him and feel Jonathan Dolese understands what we want and how we want to be received,” says Andrew.
Emerging from the studio in 2022 more powerful and ready, the group played their first gig at J.B. Lovedrafts in Mechanicsburg, quickly winning fans and gaining momentum. An album, “Darker Colors,” followed in 2025 on Theoria Records, an indie label that helped broaden their reach.
Spring 2025 brought a major opportunity: a U.S. tour run with Ashes To New, Lancaster’s renowned alternative metal, electronicore, and rap metal outfit, who just reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart with their song “Drag Me.” The tour featured stops along the East Coast, Midwest and parts of Florida.
Reflecting on this experience, Andrew says, “After the tour, every show feels different. I learn something new and try something new that makes me more comfortable on stage and more comfortable being myself.”
As they hit the road and the stage, new singles keep fans buzzing: “Silence We Keep,” “Ether,” and “Pale Shadow” (all released in 2025), followed by their upcoming single “Leach” in early 2026, fuel a continuing surge of excitement. The band’s new album, “I Let It Consume Me,” featuring 11 tracks, is slated for release on July 10. The group is booked at the new Capital City Music Hall in downtown Harrisburg for their album release party with guests Glasswaves and Wither Away. Tickets are available now at whatliesbelow.band.
Looking ahead, the rest of 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year of growth for What Lies Below, as the band has another U.S. tour planned for July with a European run poised for October.
“We enjoy what we do and play for ourselves mostly, and our audience is very receptive to us,” Andrew says. “People kind of know who we are, and it’s been in a short amount of time. … I project that in the near future, the group will be on tour performing larger venues.”
The trajectory is unmistakable: a band that swings from thunder to melody with astonishing conviction, turning every barrier into a stepping stone. If courage, craft and an unshakable vision are the engines, they’re steering toward a horizon where mountains bow and the world takes notice. A bright future isn’t merely possible; it’s inevitable.
Contact the band at Whatliesbelowpa@gmail.com, whatliesbelow.band or wlbshop.com, or on Facebook.
