CONQUER DIVIDE — the international five-piece band hailing from the U.S., U.K., and Canada who have generated accolades from Octane, Revolver, Alternative Press, Modern Drummer, Loudwire, and more — recently announced their new album. “Slow Burn” will arrive September 8 via Mascot Records. Pre-order it HERE.
The band — vocalist Kiarely Taylor, bassist/vocalist Janel Duarte, guitarist Isabel Johnson, drummer Samantha Landa, and guitarist Kristen Sturgis — has today shared the new single for the album. The visual for “N E W H E A V E N” is rife with religious imagery but it’s hardly about religion.
“‘N E W H E A V E N’ was born out of the idea that you’ll never be satisfied with what you have if you don’t define your expectations,” the band offers. “We got together in Atlanta with Johnny Andrews for this one, and he’s a musical mad scientist. We played with religious metaphors, although the song is not about religion. You throw your whole life into something, and then you finally reach the pinnacle and get to pull the proverbial curtain back, but it’s not what you expected at all. So now you need a new high to chase. We did crowd-sourced gang vocals on this one, and it was fun to make that come together.”
As for the accompanying video, the band shares, “This video was sort of a continuation from our last music video where in the opening scene you see the Grim Reaper take his hood off to reveal he is now the priest overseeing the funeral. Kia figuratively ‘went to heaven’ and came back after realizing heaven wasn’t what it was cracked up to be.”
The five-piece band hailing from the U.S., U.K. and Canada have made a steady progression from their melodic metalcore inspired roots, maturing into a formidable hard rock act, nearing the end of their first decade together. In 2020, featuring a re-tooled all female lineup consisting of Kiarely Castillo (vocals) Janel Duarte (vocals, bass) Kristen Sturgis (guitar), Izzy Johnson (guitar) and Sam Landa (drums), they returned to the studio with 2x Grammy nominated producer Tyler Smyth (Falling in Reverse, I Prevail) and 4x RIAA certified gold record producer Joey Sturgis (Asking Alexandria, The Devil Wears Prada, Of Mice & Men).
Landing on the Billboard charts, the band’s 2015 self-titled debut racked up more than 30 million streams, driven by powerful tracks like the Kerrang! Awards Best Song nominee “At War.” After a hiatus, CONQUER DIVIDE reemerged on the scene with the heavy and anthemic “Chemicals” in 2020, which Alternative Press called a “contender for best hard rock/metalcore crossover of the year.”
By the spring of 2021, their next effort marked a stark departure from the sound they honed on their debut, showing their softer side with the mainstream and surprisingly poppy single “Messy.” The track exhibits a maturation of their songwriting ability, with clever wordplay and instantly memorable pop tendencies. It was added into regular rotation on Sirius XM Octane, reached #6 on the Foundations Chart, and became number one most added to the Billboard Hard Rock Indicator Chart. Guitarist Izzy shares, “Our music over the years has become so versatile. Our next album stays true to our metalcore roots but branches out to softer songs, heavy songs and everything in the middle. We understand that people can have a variety of music tastes (like we do) from pop to metal, why not have it all in one place? There really is something for everyone.”
The band’s emerging global fan base emanates from their power as a band. It is not defined by gender, but a body of work that is connecting with males and females alike. It’s this groundswell that led to Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group aligning with CONQUER DIVIDE. An affirmation that this collective is on the verge of prominence, standing shoulder to shoulder with like-minded musicians redefining the rock space. They honor the legacy of those who came prior, while also making an emphatic statement to all they encounter that rock truly does live circa 2022.
“Caught my reflection in the rearview mirror / my demons are closer than they appear,” Taylor sings on their new album, “Slow Burn”, a fitting declaration and visceral response to the state of the world.
“Slow Burn” ushers in a new era for CONQUER DIVIDE, one defined by breathtaking sonic refinement, intensely personal lyrical storytelling, and a seamless balance between hard-hitting modern metal and irresistible melody. “Slow Burn” is stacked with confessional expressions of vulnerability, frustration, and, ultimately, hope. Each song on “Slow Burn” summons forth brand new levels of catharsis. There are anthemic hooks throughout the energized songs, addressing social unrest (“system_failure”) and environmental destruction (“welcome2paradise”), with Biblical references (“N E W H E A V E N”), and intensely personal revelations of abuse (“The Invisible,” “Playing w/ Fire”)
“Slow Burn’ Artwork
“Slow Burn” Track-list:
1. Atonement
2. N E W H E A V E N
3. Paralyzed
4. welcome2paradise
5. PRESSURE
6. system_failure
7. playing w/ fire
8. Over It.
9. Afterthought.wav
10. the INVISIBLE
11. wide awake
12. OnlyGirl
12. gAtEkEePeR
