New York, NY (Top40 Charts) London-based electro-rock hybrid outfit MODESTEP celebrate the release of their new album LONDON ROAD yesterday (5/26) on Max Records/INgrooves. For their second studio album, the band have re-crafted their sound, sculpting a record that strikes a strong balance between their urban, electronic and metal influences.LONDON ROAD is available now on iTunes, Amazon,Spotify, SoundCloud and on the band's website.
Modestep is brothers Josh (vocals, keyboards) and Tony Friend (DJ, guitar), Pat Lundy (drums) and Kyle Deek (lead guitar) and their albumLondon Road-the follow up to their debut album Evolution Theory-comes complete with 12 intense, bass-laden tracks. The new album demonstrates strong ties to urban London with U.K. MCs such as Big Narstie, Discarda, Dialect, Flowdan, Frisco and LayZand producers Funtcase and Trolley Snatcha contributing.
London Road is a striking record from the start. Opening with dramatic strings, the aggressive cockney spoken word of "Damien" paints an intense image of the album, before joining forces with pummelling guitar riffs and throbbing sub-bass. Modestep's now-signature marriage of guitar based and electronic music is prevalent throughout, with the soaring vocal of "Make You Mine" and mechanized samples that perforate album single "Machines," showing them as a band not content with staying within the fold. On the flip side, Modestep and The Partysquade dive into a true dub jam with"Rainbow" and hit a softer side with a more traditional leaning atmospheric drum and bass track "Nightbus Home."
With elements transcending dubstep and rock clichés into electro, breaks, classical and traditional dub & grime, the result is sure to be heard resonating around stages at many of 2015′s major international festivals. They have slots confirmed on Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park in Germany, Download, Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds in the U.K. and Summer Sonic in Japan just to name a few. Look for MODESTEP to return to North America this September after a two year hiatus. The band toured the States in 2013 which included appearances in many major markets and a slot on Coachella.
Check out their mini-London Road Film below:
Catch MODESTEP on the road this year in the following cities:
Tue 5/26 HMV Instore (Bond Street) London, United Kingdom
Sat 5/30 Camden Rocks (Live and DJ Set) London, United Kingdom
Fri 6/5 Rock Im Park Festival Wershofen, Germany
Sun 6/7 Rock Am Ring Festival Wershofen, Germany
Fri 6/12 Download Festival Derby, United Kingdom
Sat 6/20 We Are Electric Festival Eersel, Netherlands
Wed 6/26 Glastonbury Somerset, United Kingdom
Fri 7/3 Rock For People Europe Plzen, Czech Republic
Sat 7/4 Festival Couleur Cafe Brussels, Belgium
Fri 7/10 NASS Festival Somerset, United Kingdom
Fri 7/24 Campus Festival Drebrecen, Hungary
Fri 7/31 Woodstock Festival Kostrzyn Nad Odra, Poland
Sat 8/1 Creamfields Ibiza (DJ Set) Ibiza, Spain
Sat 8/8 Dreambeach Almeria, Spain
Sat 8/15 Summer Sonic Festival Tokyo, Japan
Sun 8/16 Summer Sonic Festival Osaka, Japan
Fri 8/21 Open Air Gampel Turtmann, Switzerland
Sat 8/22 Frequency Festival Sankt Pölten, Austria
Sat 8/29 Reading Festival Reading, United Kingdom
Sun 8/30 Leeds Festival Leeds, United Kingdom
For tickets and the most up to date list of tour dates, visit: modestep.com/tour-dates
Sample of the praise LONDON ROAD has received thus far:
"Take your typical dubstep track out of the club environment and you'll likely be left with little more than a way "Take your typical dubstep track out of the club environment and you'll likely be left with little more than a way to annoy the neighbors. Thankfully, Modestep deftly avoid that pitfall by crafting songs that capture listeners' attention on their sophomore effort. The band know full well winning fans takes more that just a heavy beat to cudgel you over the head, like on the blistering opener 'Damien,' which sets an unyielding pace for the duration of the record. Modestep spare no expense in mining their influences from the U.K. underground, be it the dancehall-inspired 'Rainbow' or the relentless electro-rock of 'Make You Mine.' Taken as a whole, London Road would fit just as well as a soundtrack to a British gangster caper as it would during a club night. Like the crime lords of said films, Modestep definitely mean business." - Norm Narvaja, ALTERNATIVE PRESS, June 2015 (4 out of 5 stars)
"For nearly two years, Modestep was silent on the production front until this past January when they suddenly released their single "Snake", followed soon by "Machines"….This was gritty, punk-infused rock music with a twinge of electronic and it was awesome. The crossover lover in me was weak in the knees." - Matthew Meadow, YOUREDM.com, May 21, 2015
About MODESTEP:
London Road, the new album from Modestep due out May 26, say brothers Josh and Tony Friend, is the real deal, an accurate representation of the four-piece they've become, and a passionate tribute to their home city. The success of Modstep's debut album 'Evolution Theory' launched them into the A League after dabbling in music their whole lives. Tony came more from the DJ side of things, getting his first decks aged 13, while Josh was into practicing the musical aspect, learning piano from age ten and in bands forever. Just before things kicked off Josh worked in the Apple Store and Tony was at university. Indeed their debut show was at the Download Festival. They've developed a fierce live reputation since evolving into an four -piece outfit who punch hard but also have versatility. They can fit on a bill at Reading, Ultra, Download or Coachella but are equally at home beside electronic names they were listening to in the run-up to the album - Noisia, Squarepusher, Black Sun Empire, Neosignal, Nero, Justice, Amon Tobin and the like. And they can't wait to take it back onto the stage, to globally show off an album they're immensely proud of. Modestep are back, they're loud and they're filled with fire. Watch out, world.
