Delivering powerful riffage and remarkable vocal performances, there is no strain too much to push through for Sonic Detour; this is made abundantly clear in their new single, “Dolls.”
Sonic Detour is a product of Covid-19. While there are too many tragedies to count when it comes to the pandemic that shook the world, the bright side acts as the silver lining. One of those is the growing number of prominent independent musicians.
Sonic Detour sounds like a rusty transmission kicking into high gear. Their self-titled debut EP is full of jagged riffs and infectious hooks all while stretching the limits of the metal genre. Their music is unapologetically ferocious, brazenly provocative, and sometimes, even heartfelt. The band consists of Goose (lead singer), Jason Crowley (Bass/backup vocals), Marcus Marcial (Guitar/backup vocals), Jeff Andrusky (Drums), and Nikki Cook (Guitar/backup vocals).
Sonic Detour started playing live shows in late 2019 and early 2020, and as we know, this was a terrible time to start performing live. However, the waves that rocked the world didn’t stop this up-and-coming alt-metal band from rocking Canada – and the rest of the world online. Sonic Detour took the mandatory vacation time to head into the studio to produce their seven-song debut EP and amass their following.
It was a good thing they did.
The group went on to be nominated for a 2021 ECMA award in the Loud Recording of the Year. The band was also nominated for three Best of Saint John Music Awards: Best New Artist, Best Song for “Breath Out,” and Best Music Video for “Rise Up” – which they won. “Breath Out” also went on to spend several weeks on Sackville, Nova Scotia’s CIOE 97.5 Community Radio’s Top 30 chart, and were featured on several metal shows across the country.
And they are just getting started.
Sonic Detour’s newest single, “Dolls,” is a power-metal ballad filled with introspective lyrics masked by the gritty chugs and vocal performance accommodating them. With an intentional attempt to redirect the listener’s interpretations of the lyrics, Sonic Detour creates an air of mystery around their songs while also encouraging replay.
“I don’t like to say what any of the songs are specifically about. I want the work to stand on its own. I want to leave it open to both interpretation and misinterpretation. I’m just trying to make the listener feel something,” says Goose.
“The band writes the music and I use that as a springboard to write the lyrics. Each piece of music has a mood, and I try to mine that for emotion. I think something that makes Sonic Detour unique is that our influences vary so widely that the music we make as a group doesn’t sound all that much like the music we listen to individually. (Goose)”
It’s no mystery as to how this powerhouse alt-metal band has acquired their massive following. The only wonder here is how far high they’ll go. Just wait until they can play live.
“Dolls” is available now.
