Killswitch Engage
Even after 25 years they aren't slowing down! This week's guest on Discover New Music is Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage. Their latest album "This Consequence"Consequence, comes at what the band considers the perfect time. Jesse reflected on the challenges of creating music during the pandemic, admitting that it was a difficult and uncreative period. The creative process for Consequence became a means of processing emotions, filtering out frustration, and rediscovering their voice. Now, 25 years into their career, Killswitch Engage has returned with a renewed sense of purpose, delivering an album that embodies the raw, therapeutic power of metal music. Plus, a quick round of Rapid Fire is played where Jesse gets serious about bigfoot!
Three-time Grammy-nominated hard rock heavyweights and platinum-selling band Killswitch Engage — Jesse Leach, vocals; Adam Dutkiewicz, guitar; Joel Stroetzel, guitar; Mike D'Antonio, bass; and Justin Foley, drums — are gearing up for the release of their new album THIS CONSEQUENCE out February 21 via Metal Blade.
Today, they have shared the video for the new single "I Believe."
"'I Believe' is about undying hope," shares Leach. "During difficult times perspective is everything. Knowing deep down that 'this too shall pass' has been a beacon of light for me. I do believe there is meaning behind suffering. If we are able to push through difficult times and come out the other side, there is a renewed sense of purpose."
He continues, "I know there are much more commonalities between all of us as humans than there are differences. The good far outweighs the bad. This is my message to anyone who's listening — things will get better! However, you have to believe that they will!. There is power in faith, there is power in manifestation and prayer! Keep the faith and push forward with the confidence of better days ahead. Do not let this world pull you down into despair. Tomorrow is a new day and a new possibility for change!"
Architects
Creating an album can sometimes feel like life or death, especially for a band as creative as
British metalcore legends Architects. But this time, the creation process necessitated that they
go through the ultimate rebirth. “It wasn’t about just putting out another Architects record. It
had to be the record—the one people talk about when they talk about our band,” says frontman
Sam Carter. Bandmate Dan Searle echoes this sentiment about their new work, The Sky, The
Earth & All Between: “What we’re trying to say is that we had to make the quintessential
Architects album—bringing together all our best qualities and everything we excel at.”
Few bands make it to their 11th album and deliver their best music, but Architects have done
just that. Touring stadiums with Metallica for two years gave them clarity: they could
legitimately do this forever, something that hadn’t felt possible when they began the band as
scrappy teenagers. In fact, they realised they were only halfway through their career, provided
they stayed passionate and kept their creative edge. “Maybe we’re not rich enough to be
lacklustre yet,” Searle jokes, “but there’s always that fear you’ll be seen as your powers
dwindling album by album. I think some people felt that way after our last couple of records
because we experimented with our identity. But we’re growing in a way that’s unique—you
don’t see it often.”
The last couple of albums For Those That Wish To Exist and The Classic Symptoms of a Broken
Spirit had been about attempting the new. When those records performed well critically and
commercially, that was their green light to pursue whatever they wanted to. So, they resolved
to channel the lessons learned from innovation into making something that felt like the pinnacle
of what Architects have long been evolving towards.
One of the band’s most beloved songs, “Doomsday,” was a tribute to Tom Searle, Dan’s brother
and fellow Architects member who passed away in 2016. Written with Bring Me The Horizon’s
Jordan Fish, it left them curious if they’d ever collaborate again. When Fish left Bring Me in
2023, Architects were the first artist or band to bring him on board to produce, freeing Dan
Searle from his usual production duties to focus entirely on creativity. Fish’s involvement
brought fresh energy. “It didn’t hurt working with him when he was extremely hungry and had
a point to prove,” says Searle.
Three weeks of work began in a private Brighton studio. The pressure was intense, but the
process was—ironically considering how seriously they were taking this—more fun than
they’d had in years. The shared British sense of humour in the room lightened the mood,
leading to funny samples and moments of silliness amongst some of their heaviest music yet.
“If we made something and the three of us all laughed it almost always stayed on the record. I think we often found ourselves making the tasteless tasteful which was a lot of fun,” says
Searle.
It’s part and parcel of the British sensibility to be able to laugh at yourself, which contributed
to the choice of the brutal and humorous “Seeing Red” as the first single from this record.
Against the semi-ironic use of Carter’s trademark “blegh”s, the frontman lyrically outlines how
the band can feel stuck in the box of genre, patrolled by fans who want them to repeat the angry
songs they love. “I think a lot of people felt like ‘Seeing Red’ was us taking the piss out of
people that like our band, but I think it was just the same amount of us sort of being able to
have fun with ourselves and taking the piss out of ourselves,” explains Carter.
Searle reflects on the balance they struck across the creation of the album: “You have to take
it so seriously because it’s precious to us, but you also have to not take it too seriously. If you
cling too tightly or impose too many boundaries, which we’ve perhaps done in the past, it kills
the music.”
The resulting The Sky, The Earth & All Between is a masterful rock album, forever shifting
between aggressive, melodic, and experimental sounds while maintaining a cohesive vision.
The grandiosity of the title reflects its ambition, but the music feels effortless—an elemental
summation of everything Architects have been and could become. From the ferocious single
“Blackhole” to the pop-metal brilliance of “Everything Ends,” every track demonstrates an
instinctive hand at blending sounds.
The camaraderie and push for freedom in the recording studio encouraged Searle to embrace
further vulnerability in his lyrics. “Some songs are tongue-in-cheek and came more naturally
to me, like ‘Whiplash’, ‘Braindead’ and ‘Judgement Day’ because they’re writing about what
most of us can plainly see—but others are so sincere and full of pain,” Searle admits. “I don't
tend to share how I feel with those around me so to do so in the songs is always uncomfortable
for me. There were times I questioned if I really meant what I was saying. Then I’d listen while
in pain, and it all made sense.”
The album closes on a poignant note with the atmospheric ballad “Chandelier.” Initially, Searle
saw the lyrics—“No more lies when I disappear / One less light on the chandelier”—as bleak,
hinting at being better off dead. But over time, he reinterpreted them as a celebration of life’s
fragility. “The chandelier is life, and that’s worth celebrating while we’re here,” he says.
This perspective shift reflects Searle’s personal journey of existentialism during the album’s
creation. “I started in a strange, difficult place, but turning 37 made me realize I have an
opportunity to find peace,” he shares. The album, fittingly, ends on a hopeful note. “I don’t
want to be the band constantly preaching how terrible life is, but I also won’t shy away from
that experience because so many of us relate to it.”
Carter, who often gravitates toward darker themes, adds, “There are days I’m a complete mess
and tell the boys I can’t do it, and better days when I find the drive to keep going. It’s never
finite, but it’s always moving forward.”
The band has moved beyond the raw loss of losing Tom Searle, which eventually made their
performances feel like “grief tourism,” as Dan puts it. Carter felt he had to access that pain and
next level of vulnerability each night in order to provide catharsis, until Searle eventually
stepped in and told him he didn’t have to do it anymore, since it was clearly negatively
impacting him. “Some people sort of froze us in time there and wanted us to be this pool of
tears every time we rocked up at a venue,” says Searle, explaining that their following two
albums felt like a reaction to that. After moving through their own backlash to that complex
emotional odyssey as musicians, they’re ready to embrace a clean slate.
Now, with a sharp innovation and renewed hunger, Architects are that longstanding band at the
height of their powers. “We’ve created The Architects record,” Carter declares, “and we’re
going to push it up a hill, even if it fucking kills us.”
Eric Bass Presents
“I wanted to create something different and I hope listeners hear that. Lyrically and emotionally I hope it empowers them and they can see themselves in the characters and stories I sing about. We all go through dark times and hardships, but there's always a way out. I think that's what being a human being is about.I feel like Earth is a test and we’re here to prove ourselves, go through things and come out better on the other side. “’Mind Control’is part of a larger story than I’m telling on this record and in the graphic novel that goes along with it. We’re following this character Devaren as he’s talking about his disdain for the population and how he can’t stand them, but at the end of the song he has this reflective moment where he actually regrets everything he’s been doing. The interesting thing about the characters in this story is that they represent a different part of my neurodivergence and mental health journey. In ‘Mind Control’ Devaren represents the depression that has crept into my life over the years that I didn’t see coming. I just had to personify that in a character so in‘Mind Control’ it has taken over, but ultimately in our story it will be defeated.”
Daughtry
“This EP in many ways is a documentation of my catharsis – a peek behind the curtain into the healing of my inner self, if you will,” frontman Chris Daughtry explains. “Every day in the studio writing and recording these songs felt like therapy. It wasn’t part of some agenda or conscious effort, it just happened in very organic way. I hope everyone who listens finds comfort in the fact that they are not alone in their struggles and finds the courage the say it out loud.” In equal parts strength and vulnerability, the Daughtry’s new single, “The Dam,” sees their powerhouse lead vocalist at the top of his game. Atypically raw, yet still pristine vocals are set apart in cinematic, synth-drenched verses and high-octane choruses, laying the groundwork for what’s to come with the Nashville-based group.
Skillet
Myles Kennedy
How about a nice veggie platter? This week's guest on Discover New Music is the incomparable Myles Kennedy. His latest solo album "The Art of Letting Go" was a great way to challenge the seasoned Kennedy in all aspects of the creative process. Plus, it's very apparent that he's having a hell of a lot of fun making music right now! Myles also talks jazz music and gets deep on aliens and Mike Tyson during a quick round of Rapid Fire.
As a prolific songwriter, powerhouse vocalist, and a skilled guitar player, Myles Kennedy tunes into the rhythm
of his surroundings and goes with the flow. Fron?ng Alter Bridge, his soaring vocals, open-hearted lyrics, and
air?ght riffs have fueled the group’s global impact as a cri?cally acclaimed, arena-filling force of nature over
two decades-plus. On the microphone for Slash and The Conspirators, his towering range and magne?c stage
presence has consistently stunned audiences since 2010. Becoming a celebrated collaborator, he’s the rare
presence just as comfortable on a track with Disturbed, Halestorm, and Sevendust as he is with Gov’t Mule and
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. It’s why he’s generated over 2 billion cumulative streams, earned gold and platinum
certifications worldwide, uplifted countless fans, and KERRANG! christened him “one of rock’s finest vocalists.”
It’s also why he’s carved out his own lane.
With two solo efforts under his belt and sold out headline tours in the rearview, a sense of keenly honed
intuition guides his third full-length LP, The Art of Letting Go [Napalm Records].
“I’ve been going through a massive Bruce Lee kick, no pun intended,” he smiles. “His quote, ‘Be water, my
friend’, always stuck with me. On a grander scale, it represents the record. It’s an exercise in removing prior
restrictions and shattering the parameters I set up for myself as a solo artist. This is a rock record. In the past, I
thought rock might be a li]le too close to the other projects. Instead, I just let go and embraced my essence as
a singer, guitar player, and writer. This is who I am. This is my DNA. Instead of being apologetic and shying away
from it, I’m letting go and being myself.”
This move is a natural step for Myles…
2021 saw him deliver his acclaimed sophomore opus, The Ides of March. It impressively notched a total of four
#1 debuts across three countries, toppling the Billboard US Top Current Hard Music Chart, the UK Official Rock
& Metal Chart and Official Independent Album Chart, and Canada’s Hard Music Albums Chart. Beyond
genera?ng 10 million-plus streams, it incited unanimous critical applause. RIFF hailed it as “a fantastic and
must-listen record,” while Classic Rock Magazine awarded it “4.5-out-of-5 stars,” going on to attest, “The Ides
of March confirms Myles Kennedy as a musical powerhouse.” In addi?on to praise from American Songwriter,
Guitar.com, Loudwire, and more, Guitar World spotlighted the title track and lauded how “Kennedy nods to the
titans of classic rock, with Led Zep-style acoustic lines, Rolling Stone-esque cleans and an overall composition
reminiscent of A Night at the Opera-era Queen.”
In 2023, he returned to Studio Barbarosa in Florida to record what would become The Art of Letting Go with
longtime producer and creative confidant Michael “Elvis” Baskette. Joined by bandmates Zia Uddin [drums] and
Tim Tournier [bass], he approached the sessions with a clear and cohesive intent.
“On previous records, there were more acoustic and roots elements, which required a lot of multi-tracking,” he
says. “They were almost impossible to pull off as a three-piece, so we’d dramatically alter the arrangements.
This time around, we made a record that could be played as a trio without having to reimagine the
arrangements. Elvis and I kept saying, ‘Less is more’. When you’re trying to stay within a certain context, it
inspires you to be creative. We also made sure the riffs would stand up. I got to play a lot of guitar!”
At the same time, he nodded to no-nonsense blues rock, channeling favorites such as Cry of Love and more.
“I love how the vocals are bone dry and right in your face,” he goes on. “Instead of ambience, we have my voice
right up front, so it sounds like I’m singing to you in your living room.”
Speaking of, he introduces the album with the hypnotic lead single “Say What You Will.” Right out of the gate,
the track’s hummable guitar lead snakes around a thick distorted groove. The punchy stomp gives way to a
hard-hitting hook as he warns, “You can say what you will to me. StilI dare to be, more than what you are. I
will not concede to my destiny.”
“Lyrically, it’s a proclamation to cut through the din of criticism,” he reveals. “It dares you to not only ignore,
but also be more than what those external or internal voices tell you that you’re going to be.”
Elsewhere, drums crash through a storm of swinging riffage on “Nothing More To Gain” as he locks into a
swaggering cadence on the verses. During the bridge, he wonders, “When will you learn?”
“It falls in line with the Art of Letting Go,” he goes on. “As humans, we’re on the quest for the next dopamine
rush. No ma]er how many things you acquire, they will never make you happy. Instead, happiness has been
there all along. Its silence within yourself, tranquility, and this intrinsic freedom. ‘Nothing More To Gain’ is about
getting out of your own way and living from a conscious perspective. It serves as a constant reminder.”
Then, there’s the driving “Saving Face.” A bluesy six-string lick sets the tone, giving way to a momentous beat.
It turns on a dime towards a chantable refrain offset by high register harmonies.
“I don’t think I could’ve written it in my twenties,” he says. “I’ve learned the next generation is always barking
at your heels and relevance can be fleeting. You have to ask, ‘Are you going to continue to fight for your place
in the world?’ The wisdom you gain after being on the planet for a while is every bit as important as youthful
exuberance is.”
Clean guitar echoes over a percussive march on “Miss You When You’re Gone.” As the energy ramps up, he
warns, “This is gonna hurt like hell, so save yourself. This is the time, move on, it cannot last.”
“It’s lamenting impermanence and accepting all things must pass,” he continues. “I wanted it to be ambiguous
enough to apply to different scenarios. As I get older, living in this unattached state is so important to me. You
have to accept the transitory nature of life.”
The finale “How The Story Ends” tempers moody orchestration with one last soul-stirring solo and a cathartic
chorus. “The lyric was inspired by this foreign film from 2022 called Speak No Evil,” he reveals. ““One of the
things I’d like to change about myself is to stop being so passive in certain situations. I’m learning to be more
assertive as life goes on. This movie resonated with me for that reason. It reminded me that sometimes the
need to make other people happy can result in dire outcomes for yourself. Ultimately, you need to stand up for
what you want or you’ll end up in the quarry.”
By going with the flow, Myles is living up to his potential as loudly as ever.
Cory Marks
In 2019, Billboard deemed Cory Marks’ top 10 Rock Radio single “Outlaws and Outsiders” (which features country music icon Travis Tritt, Ivan Moody of Five Finger DeathPunch, and Mick Mars of Motley Crue) the “hit that couldn’t be confined”. The same statement could be said about Cory himself, who has exploded onto airwaves and tour stages over the past few years, establishing himself as a forefather of the popular Country Rock Fusion sound that has become so popular with artists like Hardy, Bailey Zimmerman and Brantley Gilbert storming the charts in 2022 and 2023. Mixing the storytelling tradition of country music and the loud, unapologetic sounds of heavy rock; Cory’s music blasts with an aggressive, soulful edge. 2020 saw the release of his critically acclaimed debut album WHO I AM – spawning fan favorites like “Devil’s Grin” and “Blame It On The Double”. In 2021 Cory released his complimentary EPs “Nashville Nights” and “Nashville Mornings” and in 2022 Cory released his rock-focused “I Rise” EP on the heels of his feature-film debut in “The Retaliators” with Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach, and labelmates Five Finger Death Punch, The HU, and Eva Under Fire. Despite his recent achievement of eclipsing 188 million career streams and a Platinum certification in his home country of Canada for “Outlaws & Outsiders”, Cory remains grounded and grateful. Rooted in the influence of his hometown in North Bay, Ontario, where he grew up surrounded by its salt-of-the-earth residents, Cory is undoubtedly himself, not just as a musician, but as a person. He continues to be influenced by the acts that drew him to writing and performing in the first place: Bryan Adams, The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Rush, Ozzy Osbourne, Brad Paisley and most notably Merle Haggard, who Cory embodies in his own 21st century way.
Jerry Cantrell
He’s a modern troubadour with an Old West gunslinger’s swagger and the knowing grin of a recovering antihero. Jerry Cantrell makes music as diverse as the multigenerational hellraisers who love it. Equal parts trailblazer and traditional old-school rocker, Cantrell creates compositions that deeply connect with outsiders and outlaws, whether in the throes of sorrow or the triumph of victory
His vocals, melodies, and riffs are as instantly recognizable as they are powerful, nuanced, and eclectic. Both a disciple of the hard rock tradition and a massive influence on subsequent generations of artists, Cantrell straddles the line between earnest salt-of-the-earth songwriter and beloved living legend.
I Want Blood arrives with all the aggression and heavy, inexhaustible stomp its title suggests. The follow-up to the best-reviewed solo album of Cantrell’s career (2021’s Brighten) further expands his musical palette without sacrificing any of his inescapably infectious melodic hooks.
“This record is a serious piece of work. It’s a motherfucker,” he says. “It’s hard, no doubt, and completely unlike the last one. And that’s what you want, to end up in a different place.
“It’s a fresh piece of turf.”
I Want Blood is intense from the get-go, crackling to life with the barn-burning first single, “Vilified,” which opens the album. It’s an anthem, a mission statement, kicking off I Want Blood with attitude.
“It travels a lot of places in just four and a half minutes,” Jerry says. “It’s got a ferocity and really aggressive vibe to it.”
His fourth solo album is a wild ride with many delicious twists and turns. I Want Blood boasts the powerful “Off the Rails,” atmospheric “Afterglow,” gorgeous “Echoes Of Laughter,” hypnotic “Throw Me A Line,” doomy “Let It Lie,” slithering “Held Your Tongue,” eerie “It Comes,” and groovy title track.
Cantrell’s trademark honesty, vulnerability, and confrontation persist throughout the songs, looking both outward and inward. “There’s a confidence to this album,” he explains. “I think it’s some of my best writing and playing and certainly some of my best singing. There are large chunks of this record where I felt like my face was pressed to the ceiling of my abilities, operating at the top of my capacity.”
Rolling Stone named the multiplatinum Tacoma, Washington native one of the greatest guitar players of all time. His catalog mines the best of metal, rock, blues, and Americana.
Cantrell’s mountain of work as a solo artist and chief songwriter, guitarist, and co-vocalist in Alice In Chains stands tall in influence and respect. He’s collaborated with Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Danzig, and Deftones (among others). He’s contributed to music heard in films by Academy Award-winner Cameron Crowe and Judd Apatow and entries in the John Wick and Spider-Man franchises.
“I don’t really know where I’m going or where it’s going to end up,” Jerry says of the process that’s resulted in so much killer music. “I just have the intention to take the trip, hacking through the brambles, cutting a new path that I haven’t been down, to be surprised where I arrive ultimately.”
His debut solo effort, 1998’s Boggy Depot, featured the Billboard Award-nominated “Cut You In.” He composed most of the follow-up, 2002’s Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2, isolated in the Cascade Mountains with a four-track recorder, and recruited Ozzy Osbourne’s then-rhythm section of bassist Robert Trujillo (now in Metallica) and drummer Mike Bordin (Faith No More) in the studio.
Kerrang! hailed Brighten as a “vivid self-portrait of one of the most distinctive voices in hard rock.” In a 10/10 review, Wall Of Sound called Cantrell’s first solo record in 19 years “an exceptionally crafted album, done so by one of the finest songwriters and musicians to grace any genre over the last 30+ years. A true icon, he’s enlisted the finest talent to accompany him, and the outcome is sublime.”
That talent included coproducer Tyler Bates (an acclaimed composer whose longtime collaborators include James Gunn, Zack Snyder, and David Leitch), mixer Joe Barresi (Tool, Melvins, Kyuss), bassist Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), drummer Gil Sharone (Marilyn Manson, Stolen Babies), background vocalists Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (Better Lovers, ex-Dillinger Escape Plan), and Emmy-nominated piano/keyboard/strings player Vincent Jones (Dave Gahan, Morrissey).
“My good friend Tyler Bates was my partner on Brighten, but he wasn’t as involved in I Want Blood as he’s busy with TV, movie, and musical projects all the time,” Cantrell explains. “He still helped me wrangle a bunch of stuff on this record. We did a co-write on ‘Echoes Of Laughter,’ which is a beautiful song.”
I Want Blood reunites Cantrell with many of his favorite players: Sharone, McKagan, Jones, Puciato, Colette, Trujillo, and Bordin. Barresi came on board as coproducer, creative partner, and mixer.
“Joe mixed Brighten as well as [Alice in Chains’] Rainier Fog, but we’d never done a record soup-to-nuts from the beginning,” notes Jerry. “It was great working with him on a full project.”
Maxwell Urasky, who provides backing vocals and sound FX, joined the demo process at Bates’ recommendation. “He’s a talented guy, and he sat there with me for hours and hours. Max rode the hard miles with me. And Joe and Tyler were instrumental in helping me sculpt the record.”
The trip from the proverbial marble slab to the finished sculpture is perhaps his favorite part.
“There are times of self-doubt, but that’s part of the creative process. I push through it and come out with something I’m proud of. It’s about the desire to do it and the belief that you can.”
Some 30 million+ albums sold and 11 Grammy Award nominations later, Cantrell remains careful to ensure the music he creates would make his younger self proud. He’s never forgotten the teenager enthralled by his heroes in Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, and AC/DC.
“You start out emulating music that excites you. I still hear tons of elements of all those people I’ve been inspired by coming out of my music. Like every record I make, this record is full of them. It might not be readily apparent to everyone. I’ve always approached music as if I was still that kid who loved music enough to want to make it. ‘Would this have been one of my favorite records?’”
So, does I Want Blood pass that test?
“The answer is, ‘Yes,’” Jerry says, without hesitation. “And I don’t say this to be morbid, but the other criteria, on the other end of the spectrum of life, is this: ‘If this is my last record, is this a good one to go out on?’ And the answer to that is also an emphatic, absolute, ‘Yes.’”
Poppy
Today, singer, songwriter, subversive performance artist, video director, and purveyor of surrealist chaos, Poppy announces on her upcoming record Negative Spaces out November 15th via Sumerian records. The album is set to reveal a new glimpse of the true visionary unconcerned with genre. The announce comes on the heels of last week’s release, the genre-defying banger and first taste of Negative Spaces, “they’re all around us.”
Negative Spaces follows Poppy's recent successful collaborations: Bad Omens' "V.A.N," which climbed the Active Rock Radio charts and has entered the top 15 at the format, and Knocked Loose's "Suffocate," which broke into the top 10 on Spotify's Viral 50 USA playlist. Her solo track “New Way Out,” released this summer, is currently #30 on the Active Rock Radio charts and climbing.
In addition to the esteemed collaborations, 2024 has been a monumental year for Poppy's live performances. In January, she kicked things off by joining Bad Omens on the Concrete Forever Tour across Europe, followed by her headlining her own Zig Tour throughout the region. In March, Poppy came back stateside and supported Avenged Sevenfold on their month-long North American tour. This summer, she opened for Thirty Seconds To Mars on their North American run.
An insatiably inventive drive has fueled Poppy’s surrealistic rise through countless corners of the arts and music worlds, with each of her many projects so far revealing a different glimpse of a true visionary unconcerned with genre, unimpressed by convention, and forever defying expectations. It’s that eclecticism that has cemented Poppy’s reputation as a boundary-obliterating artist redefining culture as we know it, at every turn.
From performance art provocateur, to video director, to sci-fi graphic novel author, to a globe-traveling recording artist whose songbook encompasses anything from brutal metal breakdowns and snappy ‘60s bubblegum, to trap-pop and grunge-punk, absolutely nothing has been off-limits when it comes to Poppy masterfully executing her varied artistic vision. Her 2021 GRAMMY nod for Best Metal Performance (“BLOODMONEY”) marked the first time a solo female artist had ever been nominated in the category. Her staggeringly chameleon-like adaptability has kept fans guessing what’s next every step of the way. And yet, each impressive and feverishly ambitious pivot manages to sound uniquely, and singularly “Poppy”.
Negative Spaces continues the sonic adventurism of this spring’s diamond-radiant industrial anthem “New Way Out,” with Poppy and co-producer Jordan Fish (ex-Bring Me the Horizon) also mirror-balling through delicately-delivered pop, full bodied screams, synth-symbiotic ‘80s retro-futurism, and energy-jolted ‘00s pop-punk. It’s the thrilling sound of an ever-evolving artist redefining their legacy one song at a time, with a welcome understanding that there’s still so much inspiration to be found in the margins yet to be explored, deep within the negative spaces.
Rain City Drive
Rain City Drive is pushing their own musical boundaries. The Palm Coast band is building on
their post-hardcore roots while boldly breaking into the realm of contemporary pop rock. With
a mix of heavy riffs, soaring vocals, and poetic lyrics, Rain City Drive’s sound is a sonic blend
of raw power and intimate emotion.
Formed in 2020, the members of Rain City Drive first came together when lead singer Matt
McAndrew met guitarists Felipe Sanchez and Weston Richmond, bassist Colin Vieira, and
drummer Zach Baker in Manchester, England. Thrown together by a twist of touring fate, the
group of five immediately gelled into a cohesive band with a powerful sound. Far from their
base in Palm Coast, Florida, Manchester’s rainy backdrop would go on to inspire the band’s
name.
Rain City Drive, also known as RCD, has amassed over 100M streams in the US, 150M
streams worldwide and over 900K monthly listeners on Spotify. Their songs “Talk to a
Friend” and “Heavier,” from the 2020 album To Better Days, have garnered100 million
streams. With their 2022 self-titled album, Rain City Drive, the band pushed their sonic output
even further. “We wanted to expand the umbrella that we created within To Better
Days, whether it was to explore our poppier side or dive into different lyrical themes.”
Their self titled record garnered major recognition, with songs in rotation on Sirius XM
Octane. Their single, "Cutting It Close;" landed at #5 on Sirius Octane’s Big Uns. RCD racked
in playlist placements on New Noise, All New Rock, The Core, Hard Rock, Pop Punk’s Not
Dead, The Pit, Volume Maximo.
Rain City Drive backs up their electrifying live show with extensive touring experience. The
band has played alongside acts such as Set It Off, From Ashes To New, and Memphis May
Fire. They’ve been featured on festivals including Louder Than Life, Swan Fest and
Aftershock and have supported Our Last Night on The Welcome Back Tour. Overseas, RCD
went back to their Manchester meeting place while on a UK run accompanying Dance Gavin
Dance and Eidola. RCD has no intention of slowing down as they make their way through
2024 gearing up for highly-anticipated new releases.
Fans are now following the band into their next musical venture with “Medicate Me,” a track
that showcases RCD’s perfect blend of heavy-melodies and an electrifying pop sound. “With
each release, we like to stretch out a little bit, filling in more of our vision while staying true to
our roots… We’re always trying to go into uncharted territories, and our upcoming record is a
reflection of that,” says McAndrew of Rain City Drive's upcoming release.
Rain City Drive’s forthcoming album will be released in 2024 by Thriller
Records. Hear RCD’s new single, “Medicate Me,” out now.