About this Event

Black Peaks

plus Toska



http://www.theboileroom.net/listings/events/17-jul-16-black-peaks-the-boileroom/



In 2015 there are those bands who are content to fit neatly into pre-ordained boxes set for them, and then there

are bands who take one look at those boxes, chuckle to themselves, and proceed to throw every preconception

and narrow-minded assumption straight out of the window. Brighton’s Black Peaks are firmly and unapologetically the latter.



Founded initially by guitarist Joe Gosney, bassist Andrew Gosden and drummer Liam Kearley, the original

blueprint for the band was one of knotty instrumentalism and expansive, cinematic structure well-suited to the

band’s astonishing musical skill set. However, the introduction of maniacal frontman Will Gardner on vocals

served as a powerful lightening rod for the band, offering their exceptional technical ability a formidable

emotional focus.



“I remember stepping into the room with the other three guys for the first time and thinking ‘Oh my God, this is

fucking it’” enthuses Gardner. “As a band we all have very diverse tastes but when we get in a room together

we seem to be able to turn all of those things into something wonderfully potent. It feels like the band I’ve been

wanting to listen to my entire life!”



Those influences are drawn from the most broad and varied wells imaginable: from the sprawling, wide-eyed

prog-isms of The Mars Volta to the lead-fingered riffing of Mastodon to the deft melodicism of City And Colour

and plenty more besides there are touches from almost every edge of the musical palette in Black Peaks’

remarkable offering. This is spasmodic, esoteric, heart-shaking stuff that pitches and rolls, rises and falls in turn

with both delicate grace and thunderous power.



“We have never thought of ourselves as just a metal band or just a hardcore band or just a math rock band,”

explains Gardner. “Yes, there are really hard, heavy, sludgy parts to what we do but we have also played at prog

festivals and with pop punk and straight up hardcore bands. We really love the idea of not fitting into something

straightforward and easy. We like confusing people a bit, making them work for it!”



That penchant for leaving heads spinning and jaws on the floor though is perhaps most ably demonstrated

through a live show best described as frenetic to the point of exorcistic. In Gardner especially, Black Peaks have

one of the most eccentric, confrontational and vocally gifted frontmen in Britain; one part screaming banshee to

two parts mesmerising crooner utterly unafraid to get his point across in the most direct, highly-strung manner

imaginable and backed up by a unit of ferociously tight and completely compelling musicians.



“It’s a cliché to say but we just love playing shows,” confesses Gosney. “Everything we do as a band is geared

up to that 30, 40 or 50 minutes. We’ll play anywhere, to anyone, anytime and give it everything we have. It’s in

our DNA.”



That unswerving dedication to carving out the most exquisitely euphoric onstage displays possible has led to

high profile support slots with the likes of Pelican, Deafheaven and Jamie Lenman as well as appearances at

virtually every festival the UK has to offer. From there, support from Radio 1’s Annie Mac and Daniel P Carter

has followed alongside the enthusiastic patronage from Zane Lowe who described the band as “Exceptional”.

And with a landmark record deal to Easy Life Records / Sony RED now signed, the band are gearing up to

unveil their first LP, Statues, in early 2016.



“It’s an album which takes on the full spectrum of everything we’ve worked towards as a band so far,” says

Gardner. “We’ve looked to really push ourselves to the furthest edges of our ability. This is the longest any of us

have ever dedicated to one body of work and I think that attention to detail really shows. These songs are

stories, journeys, things that have happened to me or people I know and reflect something truthful and pure. It’s

multi-faceted, multi-layered, I hope it’s an album that people will still be getting new things from on the 20th

and 30th and 50th listen.”



Indeed, from the discordant, drawn out sludge of Hang ‘Em High, to the schizophrenic groove and antagonism

of Set In Stone and beyond, Statues shows one of Britain’s most creatively dextrous propositions flexing their

muscles without constraint. From breath-taking pop nous to crushing riffola and back again, these are ten tracks

which should appeal to any brain-in rock fan. That it is a debut album only serves to make its confidence and

brilliance all the more remarkable.



“For us, the most exciting part of this band is about to come,” concludes Gardner. “We are on the cusp of

showing everyone exactly what we are capable of. I feel like there is a demand for intelligent, well thought out,

complex music still and we want to be that band who can give people something with a bit more depth

emotionally and creatively. We’re all incredibly excited, mainly because we understand that this is only the

beginning of where this band can go.”



http://www.blackpeaks.com/