Emerging Brisbane progressive rock/metal outfit Gladiolus have thought long and hard about introducing their music to the world.
Earlier this year the band released Chrysalis, a more accessible take on the prog genre that showcased the more up-tempo style of the band, while for their second single The Wanderer – to be released on December 2 – Gladiolus selected a more stripped-back and open side of their musical psyche.
Both songs are strong representations of Gladiolus’ musical DNA, acting as a gateway into their sonic universe that promises to continue with more plans laid out for the not-too-distant future.
Vocalist/guitarist Dan Hendrex and bass player Anson sat down with HEAVY to talk more about The Wanderer which will be premiered via HEAVY at 2.30 AEDT on December 2.
“Compared to the first thing we put out, Chrysalis – which was mid this year – this is more of a calmer, stripped-back thing,” Hendrex explained. “I guess, the material we’ve been working on spans from very heavy stuff to very light stuff, and this is kind of the lighter side. It’s also a bit more of a deeper cut. It’s less accessible in a way; it’s not traditional song structure, it’s got a lot of messing around in it, but it also flows nicely.”
“That’s not to say that it doesn’t have its hard-hitting bits,” Anson added. “A lot of thought and effort and time went into its composition and recording. It’s been quite a journey getting to where we are now where we can actually show people our art and what we’ve spent so much time creating and really trying to curate to our target audience.”
In the full interview, the boys run us through The Wanderer in greater detail, the thought process behind releasing early singles to best represent the band, the history of Gladiolus, whether these two songs are stand-alone tracks or part of a bigger picture, what that picture is, choosing to release an album as a first major release rather than an EP, building interest through music, music as an artform, future plans and more.
Check out the sneak preview of The Wanderer below.
