Phoenix's SNAILMATE offer antidote to a pressurized year: treat yourself to a 'Stress Sandwich'

January 6, 2024

"Ferocious and evocative... an intense sonic fusion of thrash rock, hip hop and punk complete with an infectious layered screamo chorus and daring synths. Fuzzy basslines glide over intense drumming full of emotion for an enthralling must listen"~ Earmilk

“This homage to being chronically, unwaveringly lazy is another standout hybrid gem from the pair, and proves as eccentric as it is downright catchy” ~ Phoenix New Times

“A genre-bending rollercoaster ride that defies convention and categorization. This album seamlessly weaves together elements of synth music, punk and metal while drawing inspiration from an eclectic mix of artists ranging from Daft Punk and Public Enemy to Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park... unique and electrifying” ~ Skylight Webzine

"How this isn’t pouring from every MF-ers lips in time of need is a mystery" ~ Global Texan Chronicles

Phoenix-based Snailmate crowned 2023 by releasing their album 'Stress Sandwich' and relentlessly touring. Rleased via Toronto's Indiestructable Records, they offer a twisted humorous take on existential anxiety, delivering funky, poppy, screamy fun through alternative raps. The duo's also presents the video for 'Trash, Baby', created by Chase A Warren.

Alternatively described as synthpunk grindcore pop nerd rap, this has practically become a way of life for the duo, reinforced by their earlier albums 'Live In Japan' (2019) and 'Love in the Microwave' (2017), plus a myriad of EPs and singles. Known for their frenetic and impressive shows (numbering over a thousand now), 2023 saw the ban

Snailmate is lyricist-vocalist and synth wizard Kalen Lander and drummer-backup vocalist Bentley Monet, whose music fuses synthpunk, grindcore, pop and nerd rap for an unpredictable and explosive sound. Together they craft music that is cathartic and relatable yet unique and genre-defying, using humor and wit to tackle topics from isolation and queer identity to bangers about hot sauce and nostalgia.

Produced by Ari Leopold at Lava Lake Studio in Phoenix, 'Stress Sandwich' is about growth, exploring themes such as vulnerability, disappointment, and art-making as a beautiful yet imperfect process. They go head to head with depression, anxiety, imposter syndrome, anger, hunger, laziness... but also fun things! These 10 tracks - laced with sarcasm, breathless lyricism and unpredictable genre-bending energy - will leave you satisfied and wanting more.

"This album has been in the works for so long. It took years to process all these feelings and experiences and distill them into just ten short songs, but I’m really glad we didn’t try and finish this thing any sooner. It would have tasted so much different. The flavors needed time to develop. I couldn’t have written 'Toll Road' until that bastard stole our money. 'The Snailmate Show' wasn’t a thing before we were forced to quarantine and couldn’t play live. And until we had to go through some intense physical changes, 'My Weird Gross Body' just wouldn’t have been the same," says Kalen Lander.

"I beat myself up a lot during this whole process. I felt like I was taking too long to write the lyrics, and that meant that I was bad at writing. I had lost my touch. But then I really started to understand how, when I FINALLY finished the words for a song, it was perfect. It couldn’t have been perfect if I’d forced it out any sooner. And I think 'The Laziest Man in the World' encapsulates that sentiment better than anything."

As part of the LGBTQ community and with Bentley being a transgender artist, Snailmate inspires their listeners to be unapologetic and unashamed of who they are, cultivating a fervent fanbase based on inclusivity and shows as a safe space for all genders and people of all sexualities.

'Stress Sandwich' is out now, available digitally from fine music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. It can also be ordered on vinyl and CD vinyl from the band's own store, where ample merch is also available, including their very own award-winning hot sauce!

CREDITS
Performed by Kalen Lander & Bentley Monet
Written by Kalen Lander & Bentley Monet
Produced by Kalen Lander & Ari Leopold
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Ari Leopold @ Lava Lake Studio in Phoenix, AZ
Music video by Chase A Warren

LIVE DATES
Jan. 12 Tempe, AZ @ The Beast
Jan. 14 Phoenix, AZ @ Last Exit Live
Mar. 23 Phoenix, AZ @ Gracie's Tax Bar
Apr 19 Los Angeles, CA @ The Offbeat

Stress Sandwich' album https://snailmate.bandcamp.com/album/stress-sandwich
CD, vinyl & merch https://snailmateband.storenvy.com
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/4Hw9gzWkUvZ2tLNCKjTU7S

Powerhouse 'Break You' single from Toronto's ON heralds U.S. West Coast and South-West tour dates

February 2, 2023

"Sitting pretty at the heavier end of the College Rock sound, the band has managed to pull off a clever blend of pop melody with raw rock abrasiveness in quite a potent sonic sucker punch. Their very tight weave of classic and alt rock coated grunge works fabulously" ~ The Spill Magazine

"A cool album. A smart album. A deftly crafted album. A rock album? Yes…but much more. So much more" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Its DNA intwértwined with sounds once pounded out by the likes of the Pumpkins, Hole and L7... one of the most exciting outfits to emerge post-pandemic" ~ Global Texan Chronicles

Indie rock / power trio ON present 'Break You', a potent prism of the 90s-flavoured indie rock vibes offered on their latest eponymous 'ON' album, recently released via Toronto-based indie imprint Indiestructable Records.

The band will be embarking on a West Coast tour that will bring them to dozens of U.S. cities on the West Coast, Rockies and South-West, kicking off in San Diego on February 14 through to Seattle on April 2.

ON is a power trio made up of Lucy Di Santo (vocals, bass), Dan Cornelius(drums) and Steve Fall (guitars) - carrying on the legacy of their former 90's band - the Sire Records-signed Acid Test - with members also having been in other popular Toronto bands Danko Jones and Deliuss.

Always pushing forward with their trademark sound while also paying homage to their post-punk, grunge, old-school funk and 90s college rock roots, they dish out infectious guitar riffs with a dash of p-funk groove to create positive heavy music recalling the golden days of American college radio.

"'Break You' soars like a goodbye love letter to a toxic person, place or substance; it’s a decree of emancipation - and breaking away from what dictates and captures the human soul. It is an outcry, a battle cry, and finally a freedom cry of intention - all wrapped up in a hardcore punk-metal riff that end with Sabbath-esque overtones," says Lucy Di Santo.

Earlier, ON released the singles 'Blackmail' with video directed and edited by Michael Gucciardi and 'Underdog' with lively video filmed by Lindi Gordon and edited by Gucciardi. With these singles and focus track 'Hereafter', the band has been charting in the Radio Indie Alliance charts consecutively over the past half year.

Written in Toronto and New York, ON guitarist Steve Fall says the 'ON' album is "a document of friendship navigating explores in pain, and hope. Looking at the world with a collaborative effort to document what we see, witness and feel through songwriting and chemistry as a band." Following pre-production recording with Drew Howard at Star Sound Studios in Cape Coral, the band worked with sound engineer Darius Szczepaniak (Sum 41, Black Crowes, Big Sugar, Bare Naked Ladies, Jann Arden) out of Phase One Studios.

In April, ON return to the studio to work on their next album with legendary producer Martin Bisi, famed for his groundbreaking work with Sonic Youth, Swans, Brian Eno, John Zorn, Herbie Hancock, Iggy Pop, Helmet, Africa Bambaataa, Dresden Dolls, Unsane, Cop Shoot Cop and many other notable artists, at his BC Studio in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

The full 'ON' album is out now and available everywhere online, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. It can also be ordered at https://indiestructablerecords.com.

ALBUM CREDITS
Written, arranged by ON (Di Santo, Fall, Cornelius)
Lucy Di Santo - vocals, bass
Dan Cornelius - drums
Steve Fall - guitars
Produced by ON and Darius Szczepaniak
Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Darius Szczepaniak at Phase One Studios, Toronto
Preproduction & original engineering by Drew Howard at The Star Sound Studios, Cape Coral, FL
Additional drum programming (FLA) by Jay Aitch / The Star Sound Studios
‘Break You’ single cover by Michael Gucciardi
Single cover photography by Gord Hawkins

TOUR DATES
02/14 San Diego, CA @ the Bancroft Bar
02/15 Los Angeles @ The Offbeat Bar
02/16 Santa Barbara, CA @ Soul Bites
02/18 San Francisco, CA @ Hotel Utah
02/19 Reno, NV @ Alturas Bar
02/23 Eugene, OR @ Sam Bond's Garage
02/24 Portland, OR @ Starday Tavern
02/25 Olympia, WA @ Le Voyeur
02/26 Salem @Graveyard Bar
03/01 Yakima, WA @ Punk's Bar
03/02 Boise, ID @ the Lounge at the End of the Universe
03/03 Murray, UT @ the Ice Haus
03/05 Durango, CO @ the Hive
03/08 Phoenix, AZ @ the Rhythm Room
03/09 Bisbee, AZ @ the Bisbee
03/11 Tuscan, AZ @ the Screening Room
03/13 Houston, TX @1810 Ojeman
03/15 Arlington, TX @ GROWL
03/17 Loreda, TX @ Wonder Lounge
03/18 Austin, TX @ Cherrywood Coffeehouse
03/20 Albuquerque, NM @ Juno Pub
03/21 Denver, CO @ D3 Arts
03/23 Fort Collins, CO @ Surside Seven
03/29 Butte, MT @ Carpenters Union Hall
03/31 Stateline, ID @ Cruisers Bar & Grill
04/01 Tacoma, WA @ the Valley
04/02 Seattle, WA @ Funhouse

Keep up with ON
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Power trio ON presents 'Break You' from eponymous album, announces West Coast tour

January 24, 2023

"Sitting pretty at the heavier end of the College Rock sound, the band has managed to pull off a clever blend of pop melody with raw rock abrasiveness in quite a potent sonic sucker punch. Their very tight weave of classic and alt rock coated grunge works fabulously" ~ The Spill Magazine

"A cool album. A smart album. A deftly crafted album. A rock album? Yes…but much more. So much more" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"Its DNA intwértwined with sounds once pounded out by the likes of the Pumpkins, Hole and L7... one of the most exciting outfits to emerge post-pandemic" ~ Global Texan Chronicles

College rock / power trio ON present 'Break You', a potent prism of the 90s-flavoured indie rock vibes offered on their latest eponymous 'ON' album, recently released via Toronto-based indie imprint Indiestructable Records.

ON is a power trio made up of Lucy Di Santo (vocals, bass), Dan Cornelius(drums) and Steve Fall (guitars) - carrying on the legacy of their former 90's band - the Sire Records-signed Acid Test - with members also having been in other popular Toronto bands Danko Jones and Deliuss.

Always pushing forward with their trademark sound while also paying homage to their post-punk, grunge, old-school funk and 90s college rock roots, they dish out infectious guitar riffs with a dash of p-funk groove to create positive heavy music recalling the golden days of American college radio.

Lucy Di Santo says, "The song 'Break You' soars like a goodbye love letter to a toxic person, place or substance; it’s a decree of emancipation - and breaking away from what dictates and captures the human soul. It is an outcry, a battle cry, and finally a freedom cry of intention - all wrapped up in a hardcore punk-metal riff that end with Sabbath-esque overtones."

Toronto indie grunge-rock trio ON present hard-hitting 'Underdog' single

July 20, 2022

Alternative / indie rockers ON - a trio comprised of Toronto music scene veterans, formerly of popular 90’s outfits Acid Test, Danko Jones and Rocket Science - present their brazen new single 'Underdog'. This is the first taste of their forthcoming 'ON' album to be released on September 20 via Indiestructable Records.

'Underdog' is a song about hope, love, angst and dreams. It's about the temptation to get back in the ring once more when the world no longer makes any sense and you have nothing to lose. The accompanying video was filmed by Lindi Gordonand edited by Michael Gucciardi.

Formed in Toronto, ON is a sonic guitar-based landscape centered around the undeniable chemistry of its core members Lucy Di Santo (vocals, bass), Dan Cornelius (drums) and Steve Fall (guitars). While ON was active through the 1990’s and 2000s as the members’ side project, it has since taken on greater meaning at the forefront of the members' musical plans.

"This record deals with where we are today and what we’ve overcome, persevering as a society and as individuals. I found myself as part of a genuinely authentic creative, human experience with Steve and Dan in various geographical locations including NYC, Florida and Toronto and felt the need to document it melodically. It’s about pain, hope, reframing and overcoming. It’s about survival. The songs are an authentic and complete collaboration of the triad and soul connection that is ON," says frontwoman Lucy Di Santo.

Always pushing forward with an eye on the rear-view mirror, ON pays homage to
its roots in timeless classics, post-punk, grunge, old-school funk and 90s college rock. Well-crafted songs with an attention to arrangement, groove and performance a la carte, ON's music connects with an audience seeking out impactful and genre-defying music.

With infectious guitar riffs with a dash of p-funk groove, ON's music recalls a listening journey of classic albums on vinyl. While some songs are carried by emotional weight, some are ripping mini-audio trips with invigorating twists and turns. Lucy’s signature vocal phrasings, infectious ear-candy melodies and harmonies meet with a driving rhythm section and powerful poignant guitar artistry.

"This record is a document of friendship navigating explores in pain, and hope. Looking at the world with a collaborative effort to document what we see, witness and feel through songwriting and chemistry as band," says ON guitarist Steve Fall.

"The three of us have been great friends for years and we have deep respect for each other‘s talents and songwriting abilities. We all decided to make some music in a rehearsal space in Manhattan when Steve n Lu were visiting Manhattan a couple years back. Instead of making it a one time thing, we had such a blast that we continued writing music online via video calls. As soon as there were opportunities to get together, we met up and, one by one, we started to chip away at the songs until we were happy," says ON drummer Dan Cornelius.

ON has previously toured across the USA, as well as playing various pockets of Mexico and Canada. Their recordings are found on various CFNY and CMW New Music Compilations, as well as a limited cassette tape releases via the Opcion Sonica label with sales at over 6,000 in just one weekend at an open-air market in Mexico City.

While Toronto is still home for Di Santo and Fall, Cornelius currently resides in NYC. The trio collaborated and wrote the material for this album in Toronto and New York City, their work culminating with pre-production recording in Fort Meyers during the winter of 2021 with Drew Howard at Star Sound Studios. The band has since been working out of Phase One Studios with sound engineer Darius Szczepaniak (Sum 41, Black Crowes, Big Sugar, Bare Naked Ladies, Jann Arden, Moxy Früvous).

As of July 20, 'Underdog' can be found everywhere online, including Bandcamp. The full 'ON' album will be released on September 16 via Indiestructable Records and can be pre-orders at https://indiestructablerecords.com. The band will kick off their 'Underdog' Tour on August 18, hitting venues in Kingston, Ottawa, Baldwin, Toronto, Barrie, Paris, Niagara Falls, Cambridge, Hamilton and London.

ALBUM CREDITS
All songs written, arranged by ON (Di Santo, Fall, Cornelius)
Lucy Di Santo - vocals, bass
Dan Cornelius - drums
Steve Fall - guitars
Produced by ON and Darius Szczepaniak
Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Darius Szczepaniak at Phase One Studios, Toronto
Preproduction & original engineering by Drew Howard at The Star Sound Studios, Cape Coral, FL
Additional drum programming (FLA) by Jay Aitch / The Star Sound Studios
Video for 'Underdog' filmed by Lindi Gordon and edited by Michael Gucciardi