New York, NY (Top40 Charts) 6'3", 260 pounds, former center for Purdue football... sounds like a likely candidate for a tender musician, no? Well, looks can be deceiving, and despite an eclectic background, Midnight Divide frontman Austen Moret has been obsessed with songwriting since the days his two-year-old self was smashing the keys of a Casio keyboard or his grandmother's piano. Weird right? He has... layers.
After brief stints in indie/alternative bands, Moret finally decided the only path forward was to forge his own. Thus, via the depths of Craigslist musician ads, Midnight Divide was born. With Jace McPartland on bass, Dan Beltran on lead guitar and Bryan King on drums, the Los Angeles based band deliver cinematic alt-rock with a magnetically fierce sound that's been electrifying audiences across the nation.
New EP Weapons Grade Amnesia covers themes such as self-destruction, self-awareness and yearning for a better future with hope in overcoming the odds. Moret confides, "I think I've found over the years that music is really the best way I'm able to cope and express myself in a way that feels honest and real. Somehow you always find the best things to say way after the fact..." The emotion driven EP features 'Who Do You Think That You Are?', a track which was deeply inspired by past poor decisions. Showcasing throbbing baselines, fiery vocals and determined melodies, the song radiates tenacity. Then there is 'Inherent Vice' an ethereal alt-rock anthem and 'Say You Believe' a confident single, oozing with bold instrumentation and impassioned lyrics. Both songs narrate the hope of overcoming faults and becoming the person you want to be.
Sonically Moret's music melds a variety of sounds, always real alt-rock drums and guitars on every record, layered with synths and pop production, topped with raw emotional vocals, heaped on a cinematic plate. The music is best consumed raw and loud, emitting an essence of Queens Of The Stone Age. Moret shares, "I hope this music inspires someone to feel ok about feeling conflicted. That emotions don't play by the rules and aren't limited to one at a time, and that's ok. You're able to work through that and be a little fed up about it".
Midnight Divide has seen solid success, with songs 'Fireline' and 'Let It Be Known' synced on Showtime's critically acclaimed Shameless, and 'Torn' and 'Animal Eyes' placed on TNT's Animal Kingdom. 'Inherent Vice' and 'Say You Believe' are out now.
