California-based progressive post-hardcore outfit,Hail The Sun, released their highly-anticipated new full-length,Mental Knife,today viaRude Records. Mental Knife is the closest the band has come to realizing the sound they’ve sought since forming in 2009. The band lived largely in the same creative space for this record as they did on its predecessors – Culture Scars (2016) and the Secret Wars EP (2017). However, all four members of the band have elevated their already impressive style of play on Mental Knife; pushing the limit of what is capable when walking the delicate line between intricate song arrangements and massive riffs and thundering rhythms. To realize their vision for Mental Knife, the band worked withBeau Burchell,best known for his role as a member of Saosin and producing that project’s iconic Translating The Name full length which was a major influence on the members of Hail The Sun.
Donovan Melero adds this regarding Mental Knife: “The four of us have never known each other, and our individual styles of writing, so well. This reflects in how quickly Mental Knife came together while still full encompassing everything we love to play as a unit“.
Since finding sobriety nine years ago, Donovan Melero, vocalist and drummer for Hail The Sun, has found himself constantly consumed with the idea of making the most of every day. Melero – along with bandmates Aric Garcia (guitar), John Stirrat (bass) and Shane Gann (guitar) – manage both the creative and business sides of Hail The Sun as they continue to grow into one of the most revered acts in their genre. Melero has also developed into one of the most respected booking agents in rock due to his incomparable work ethic. Somehow he even manages to find time to advance his side project, the progressive rock supergroup Sianvar, which has developed a sizeable cult following of its own.
On ‘Mental Knife‘, Melero tackles that constant need for self-improvement and his obsession with making up for lost time, in a way that is both unabashedly honest and artistically innovative. The title of the record stems from the idea of cutting out those aspects of your life that don’t contribute to a more fulfilling existence. The subject matter largely centers on trying to develop a genuine confidence that allows you to acknowledge your own imperfections and provides the strength necessary to work towards correcting them.
Mental Knife Artwork & Tracklist: 1. Gouge & Uproot 2. Mental Knife 3. Suffocating Syndrome 4. Devotion Cuts 5. The Stranger in Our Pictures 6. A Lesson in Lust 7. Risk/Reward 8. Feel It When Convenient 9. Arcane Justice 10. Glass: Half Empty 11. On Existence
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