New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Nashville-based pop/rock/electronic band VERIDIA are thrilled to release their debut full-length album The Beast You Feed today. You might be familiar with the trio already - they've made quite some waves in the scene with two EPs hitting the top of the Billboard charts, a smash hit with Matty Mullens of
Memphis May Fire, and were handpicked by Amy Lee to jump on Evanescence's tour in 2016. Just yesterday, the band partnered with Live Nation's Ones To Watch to share the 10-track record, who called it 'powerful' and an 'emotional journey.' The Beast You Feed is available to stream / purchase now, here: https://onerpm.lnk.to/TheBeastYouFeed.
When asked about the album, vocalist Deena Jakoub said: 'This record is me vs. myself. It starts from a selfish, wounded, 'dark' perspective and gradually shifts as I tell stories of people that come in and out of my life, who teach me about the fragility of life itself and the truth about love - that it exists only out of a selfless, sympathetic heart and not without pain or hardship. The title was inspired by the Cherokee proverb, Two Wolves. There's a battle between two wolves raging inside all of us, and the one you feed is the one that wins. Essentially, 'The Beast You Feed' is the one that will survive. We've all been through a lot the last couple of years, as a band and as individuals, and this album became a narrative of some very personal stories. Those stories reveal that the good and the bad co-exist, in me and around me. In each moment, I have to choose what to dwell on, how to react, and how I let it shape who I become. I can't change the past and I can't see what is in my future, but I can choose how I respond in this moment.'
Tracklisting:
1. Numb
2. Cheshire Smile
3. Feed the Animal
4. Savage
5. Ghosts
6. I Won't Stay Down
7. Reckless
8. Dopamine
9. Perfume
10. I'll Never Be Ready ft. Amy Lee of Evanescence
A derivative of the Latin word veritas, meaning truth; VERIDIA was founded in 2014, after years of musical experimentation from the interconnecting paths of Deena Jakoub and
Brandon Brown. Within the same year, they debuted a #1 radio song 'We Are The Brave' and top hit 'Furious Love,' from their Inseparable EP. Their next release hit the Top 20 iTunes Alternative Albums Chart, with track 'Pretty Lies (feat. Matty Mullins of
Memphis May Fire)' in the top spot for six straight weeks. Their success on the charts was supported by hundreds of tour dates and festival performances, including an electrifying experience in 2016, when VERIDIA joined
Evanescence for their US tour.
The Beast You Feed, produced by Matt Squire (Ariana Grande, Bea Miller, Plain White T's, Underoath), is their first full-length album. It manifested itself as the band plunged into vulnerabilities, professing delicate realities. 'I want the audience to start feeling the emotion before hearing the music or engaging with the lyrics,' Deena says. She's intentional with her writing, and she wants each song to live and serve a purpose. Take a collaborative piece with musician Amy Lee of Evanescence, 'I'll Never Be Ready,' for example. Heart-wrenching but beautiful, the words spilled onto paper as Deena emotionally processed the illness of her father, a year before his passing. Originally recorded with Kyle Levy laying a soft percussion foundation and a cellist bringing a somber but sweet component to the track, Deena knew it was missing something the raw and intense piano style of Amy Lee. The two faced a divine reunion in the studio, as they exchanged stories of recent losses, intrinsically mixing their sounds, cultivating both the healing and intimate elements the album calls upon. The song 'exists as a reminder to live solely in our gifted moment,' and it was before missing from our world.
The Beast You Feed is both a sonic and artistic breakthrough for the band. Symbolically, themed in black and white, it's broken up into two parts: the first is a confessional, while the second is a declaration. It's a journey of realizations, filled with multiple metaphoric expressions. VERIDIA's music is masterful and a byproduct of exactly that - tracks giving us light in darkness; a place to feel less lonely.
VERIDIA believes in endlessly telling our stories to save lives. 'I can't write a superficial song to just nod your head to, I've tried that and it felt meaningless,' Deena reiterates, overflowing with her own recounts of personal hardships while fighting an adrenal disorder, dealing with grief and wearing something she calls a 'Cheshire Smile' the title of another universally relatable song on the album. She's cognizant of her platform, and she doesn't take it for granted. 'I Won't Stay Down' is an incarnation of extreme vulnerabilities, encompassed in a strong melody, intended to influence change as it reveals lines relevant to mental illness awareness and suicide prevention. The song is a turning point on the album, shifting gears to evoke hope. Subsequent pleasures follow, as the track 'Dopamine' urges us to declare love, and the lead single 'Numb' grips the coexistence of good and bad. VERIDIA offers their hand, straight from playlists, inspiring groundbreaking strengths.
As an activist, Deena beats to the rhythm of staying true to yourself.' Of Egyptian descent, she's got the hypnotizing look and art pieces to honor her roots. 'I want to write about the hard places because they exist, and these are our stories.' VERIDIA strives to be interactive, providing visual and explanatory components to accompany the release of each new song. The band is prepared to go the hard ways with us and push through adversities, providing braveness in melodies that we can sing along to. 'It still isn't enough, but if it can inspire a change of heart, mind, or empower someone to walk into their next moment with a sense of confidence and less fear, then it's a good start.'
VERIDIA is Deena Jakoub (vocalist),
Brandon Brown (guitarist), and Kyle Levy (drums).
For updates on Veridia, please visit:
Website: https://veridiamusic.com
Facebook: https://twitter.com/VERIDIA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VERIDIA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veridia
Apple: https://apple.co/2D7z9y6
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2D64Ckc
