Photo by Joe Calixto
Today, Heavenward has released its debut album Pyrophonics, out now through Fever Ltd. The record is packed with noise, feeling, and aggression built through bright melodies and hooky vocals. Kamtin Mohager (The Chain Gang of 1974, ex-Teenage Wrist) wrote and performed nearly the entirety of the album himself, recruiting Marshall Gallagher (Teenage Wrist), Austin Hayman (Dear Boy) and Mike Robinson (Blame My Youth) for writing collaborations and additional guitar/drum work. It was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Zach Tuch (Zulu, Dare, Initiate) at the beginning of this year.
The tens song on Pyrophonics evoke an emotional journey through alternative rock, swirled with moments of shoegaze and dark pop. Pulling from influences like Catherine Wheel, Year Of The Rabbit, and My Vitriol, Mohager takes that early ‘00s style and bring his own modern flair to create a sound that is lustrous and precise. Mohager leads the listener through waves of guitars and soaring vocals that captivate, met with instances of distortion and spacier resonance.
The writing process was extremely cathartic, as Mohager notes on the themes of the record: “The album is about my personal acknowledgement of my personal struggles, and for lack of a better term, my ‘demons.’ In a not so healthy way, accepting the darkness within and continuing to live your life. Possibly even embracing them. This is why I decided to call the album ‘Pyrophonics’. Simply put, it’s a destructive language for yourself. The album artwork (which I designed) shows empty, bleak hospital beds which presents this idea in a visual form.”
Pyrophonics is available across streaming services and on vinyl through Fever Ltd. Heavenward’s first live performance will take place June 22nd in Los Angeles and Moroccan Lounge and tickets can be purchased here.
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