Los Angeles rock quartet, The Bites, have today released their long awaited, sophomore record, "The Bites" via Earache Records. Pulling grit from garage rock, energy from pop punk, and swagger from blues, the record finds The Bites looking back at how far they've come while barreling straight into what's next. Listen to the full record HERE.
Alongside today's album release, The Bites take us on a chaotic ride with a brand new video for standout track, "Hold On", chronicling one disastrous day where seemingly nothing goes right. The Bites also celebrated the release of their new record with a premiere of the music video for "Hold On" at Universal Studios Hollywood: Citywalk last night, giving fans the first look ahead of the official release. The band will also be performing at Universal Studios Hollywood: Citywalk as a part of their Halloween Horror Nights entertainment series on Saturday, October 24th. In the meantime, watch the new video for "Hold On" below.
The Bites have also just been announced as part of the upcoming video game Stage Tour's setlist - seeing “Do Me a Favor,” their fan-favorite track from debut album "Squeeze", appear alongside the likes of Metallica, Motley Crue and ZZ Top in the game.
Breaking down the chaos of a day-gone-wrong on "Hold On", The Bites share:
"We wanted the ‘Hold On’ video to take the idea of having a really bad day and push it to ridiculous extremes. Just about everything that could go wrong does, and we had a lot of fun with that. But underneath all the chaos, there's a real story about holding on to hope, even as it starts to slip away. The rose starts looking a little worse for wear as the day goes on, too. We took that same approach across this album, getting more honest and personal without losing the fun and energy that's always been part of The Bites. Sometimes you've just gotta laugh at how bad things get, pick yourself up, and keep going.”
On the sound and the story behind their sophomore album, The Bites share:
"We tried several other album titles, but none of them felt right. Squeeze captured a band that was still figuring itself out. By album two, we'd toured together, lived together, written together, and developed a much clearer understanding of who we were.
We got more honest with the lyrics, experimented with new sounds, and pushed ourselves further than ever before. Some songs are more personal, some are louder and more reckless, but they all feel like us.
The self-title wasn't about declaring we'd reached our final form. It was about finally understanding the foundation of the band well enough to put our name on it. The name feels earned, but we're nowhere near done. Now we get to see how far we can take it.”
The Bites first ignited this new era with "Aftertaste", a high-voltage comeback that hinted at what was to come on the new record. Hailed by Classic Rock (UK) as "zingy, catchy rock'n'roll with dirt on its boots and sunny pop rock harmonies fresh off the beach," the track took The Bites to new heights at radio, peaking at #32 on the Mediabase Activator and #33 on the SMR chart, and highlighted their ability to fuse road-worn edge with a breezy, West Coast melodic shine. Watch the official video for "Aftertaste" HERE.
Their debut record, "Squeeze", made an immediate impression, cracking the Top 40 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart on the strength of its raw, high-energy rock and roll. Between extended worldwide runs including Sebastian Bach and 69 Eyes and their stretch in the Caribbean for the Monsters of Rock Cruise, their time spent away from home changed them in ways that couldn't help but surface throughout "The Bites".
What's new for The Bites is their willingness to let their walls down while writing about real experiences, wrestle with the state of the world, and trust that the honesty makes for the most powerful rock and roll that they've ever put to tape. The record doesn't abandon what made The Bites compelling across their debut release, it only sharpens it.
Recorded across multiple locations with producer Keith Armstrong (Green Day, Bon Jovi) at the helm, The Bites self-titled new release was partially tracked at the iconic East West Studioin Los Angeles, in the same room where Red Hot Chili Peppers cut some of their greatest work. For a band quickly on the rise, there's something fitting about The Bites laying down tracks in a space steeped in rock and roll history. Adding their own chapter to a legacy that runs deep in those walls, "The Bites" arrives as a record that honors that history while allowing The Bites to carve out a story of their own.
Check out the band’s pre-sale bundles and vinyl variants HERE and be sure to stay tuned for more news from The Bites coming very soon.