CONQUER DIVIDE — the international five-piece band hailing from the U.S., U.K., and Canada who have generated accolades from SXM Octane, Revolver, Alternative Press, Loudwire, and more — have just 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 also shared the video for new single “welcome2paradise.” And it lets out a thunderous roar. Watch it HERE.
“This song is special to all of us for a lot of reasons,” says Sturgis. “We really wanted to stretch our musical muscles and play around with time signatures. We recorded some of the production ourselves, including drilling sounds you’ll hear sprinkled throughout the song. Artistically, we really stepped out of our comfort zone, and we ended up with something really special.”
The song also takes a close look at a very important topical issue.
“It’s sad that humans don’t care about our environment,” Sturgis continues. “I was especially inspired by a situation close to my heart. I live on the Great Lakes, which contain 20% of the earth’s freshwater. There is a 70-year-old pipeline called Line 5 that is in very rough shape and runs through the water where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet. The current is especially turbulent there. The pipeline keeps getting hit by boat anchors. I am not here to preach anti-fossil fuels, as electric vehicles come with their own environmental tolls, and touring bands have to drive gas-guzzling vehicles to play for our fans. But if a spill happened in that spot, it’s in the worst possible place, due to the strong currents. A Great Lakes spill could affect major cities like Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Windsor, Toronto, and Rochester, NY. Tourism, fishing industries, and boating would all be affected. And with all of the droughts happening around the U.S., it’s going to be everyone’s problem soon. Right now, there’s just one small local organization trying to draw attention to it, but If I can do anything with this song release, it would be to shine a spotlight on something I care so much about.”
They’ve previously revealed the videos for Paralyzed and Atonement taken from the new record. 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”).
They’ve highlighted frustrations and struggles they’ve come across in the music industry on the album closer “gAtEkEePer.” “It’s a giant F U to all the industry gatekeepers who minimize women’s participation in rock and metal spaces,” they say. “Keep your damn gate. We’ll take the throne.”
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.”
The following year, “Messy” became the No. 1 Most Added on Billboard’s Hard Rock Indicator Chart. Described by Rock Sound as a “monster” track “designed for arenas,” “Paralyzed” offered the first taste of CONQUER DIVIDE’s long-awaited sophomore album. Inspired by guitarist Kristen Sturgis’ “harrowing experiences as a nurse amid the pandemic” (Revolver Magazine), the emotional and vulnerable “Paralyzed” was nominated by Metal Hammer for Best Metal Song of 2022. “FCKBOI,” a collaboration with Electric Callboy, has been streamed over 13 million times on Spotify alone. They’ve had multiple singles on SXM Octane and were featured in the Next Wave Concert Series.
