New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Brighton/London-based alt rock quartet Quiet Lions have revealed the video for their new single 'Wasteland' which is streaming now on all good digital service providers.
The track is the latest to be taken from their forthcoming debut album, Absenteeism, which will be released on 14th June 2019 via Lonely
Voyage Records (Poly-Math / Lost In The Riots).
Released in the week of the upcoming European Parliamentary elections, 'Wasteland' is indicative of the album's strong political overtones - a song about growing up, finding a voice, and making sure it's heard through the right to vote.
With the video directed by Dave Neale (Wild Stag Studio), front man Michael Williams says of the track and visuals: "Wild Stag are almost like our creative partners at this point. We've worked together on pretty much all of our video content. We wanted it to be performance based and in a controlled environment; they came up with the idea of creating 'duplicates' of ourselves, which I think mirrors the artwork and narrative themes present on the record very nicely."
"This track is all about having a voice, and using it for the greater good. We felt it right to release this ahead of the upcoming European elections—another very important day for the future of this country and Europe."
Formed from the remaining members of Alcopop! Records perennial favourites Jumping Ships, Quiet Lions have gradually been taking larger and larger strides since the release of their EPs, so far securing key live shows with Rival Schools,
Black Peaks, Fatherson, Lonely The Brave, Press To Meco and Big Spring.
The video for the album's lead single 'Echo Chamber' has racked up over 20k views on YouTube to date, and received support from Kerrang! Radio,
Total Rock, Amazing Radio, LOUDER, New Noise Magazine, Discovered Magazine, Alt Corner, Already Heard, Dead Press!, Spectral Nights, Altprogcore, Distrolution and many more.
Absenteeism is released 14th June 2019 on Lonely
Voyage Records
QUIET LIONS live:
15th June - The
Prince Albert, Brighton (Album Launch)
22nd June - Creative Assembly, Crawley
05th July - The
Boston Music Room, London (w/ 22 & The Intersphere)
19th July - Westival, Aldershot
Watch the video for 'Echo Chamber' here: https://youtu.be/wAa3DXVRyL8
Quiet Lions are:
Michael Williams - Guitar / Lead Vocals
Lukus Holmes - Guitar / Vocals
Rich Thorp - Bass / Vocals
Oli Austen -
Drums / Vocals
Quiet Lions online:
https://www.quietlions.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/QuietLions
https://www.twitter.com/QuietLions
https://www.instagram.com/quietlions
https://www.youtube.com/quietlionsband
https://www.soundcloud.com/quietlions
https://www.quietlions.bandcamp.com
Recorded at Brighton Electric and Small Pond Studios with Mark Roberts (Delta Sleep, Toska), the overriding theme that threads through Absenteeism is dissociation, with particular focus on the role of social media and a loss of self—something that front man Michael Williams holds close to his heart through his difficult relationship with professional experiences away from band life.
The album's narrative focuses on how social media affects three different characters: a careerist politician, a social media influencer, and people that are emotionally vulnerable. 'Echo Chamber' and 'Epitaph'—both of which depict a monstrous demagogue—loosely touch on the influence digital media had on the Vote Leave and Trump presidential campaigns, with the character also reappearing in 'Chancer' as someone who is willing to put personal gain ahead of everything.
Released during the week of key European Parliamentary elections, the record's strong political voice chimes through again on second single 'Wasteland'—a song about growing up, finding a voice and making sure it's heard through the right to vote.
'Lighthouse' and 'Youth In Question' touch more on the effect that our digital lives can have on the vulnerable, as Williams explains: "Lighthouse was written about a housemate of mine who lost their way, and YIQ is based on a true story about someone in the throes of a suicide attempt who is goaded by the audience below."
Both 'Field of Influence' and 'Powerless at Sea' centre around the role of social media, the influencer trend, and our need to let go of its power over our lives. "All that you need, is in the repeat of the machine," intones Williams on the latter, referencing something chillingly known as the "machine zone"—a state of mind similar to gambling machines, in which triggers are used to get the user hooked.
