04 - Exchanging Hunting Tips With The Devil

It's been two years since London based independent post-hardcore band Radio Alcatraz exploded into life with their debut album ‘Populous: In The Belly Of The Beast', and the upcoming release of their stunning new album, 'It's All Coming Up Roses' is set to see them go from the underground music scenes best kept secret to its new secret weapon. In this time of political ambivalence and cynically marketed reality television stooges, it could never be more relevant for this quartet to be on the rise, reminding us all how honest and engaging british music really can be. 

Singer Simon Griffiths writes emotive, socially politically charged anthems from the basement floor of a country in unrest, juxtaposed brilliantly with darkly cinematic short stories telling tales of small town woes and big city shortcomings. Guitarist Andy Eales creates glorious, layered symphonies of furious power and melody, breathing vital new life into the post-hardcore sound with a clear and exciting vision for the future of the genre. All of this is tied together seamlessly by drummer Dan Wheeldon, a veritable powerhouse of a player whose energy and inventive rhythms, combined with his remarkable technical skill, provide the heart and backbone to this formidable operation. Bassist Tim Hughes brings a solid, aggressive groove and injects his integral punk rock passion and energy to complete an unbeatable line up. 

And the secret is out. As well as an XFM Live Session under their belts, over the last year they've played explosive live shows with the likes of US punk rock legends Anti-Flag and A Wilhelm Scream, as well as british post-hardcore veterans Hell Is For Heroes and UK punk rock veterans Capdown, plus regular support slots with UK scene favourites such as Freeze The Atlantic, The Computers, Polar and Palm Reader. This has garnered them formidable attention, not only from the fans but also from their contemporaries. Their upcoming album, 'It's All Coming Up Roses', features guest vocal performances from the critically acclaimed ex-Reuben frontman Jamie Lenman, Hell Is For Heroes singer Justin Schlosberg, and Cancer Bats vocalist Liam Cormier, as well as a rare and exciting contribution from Anti-Flags Justin Sane, performing lyrics that he wrote exclusively for the album. The weight of their forthcoming album’s importance is compounded by the fact that the band has recorded alongside not only upcoming UK producer Chris Coulter (Arcane Roots), but legendary Swedish producer Pelle Henricsson (Refused, Poison The Well, Hell Is For Heroes) who has chosen to master the record at the famous Tonteknik studio in Umea.

Simply put, 'It's All Coming Up Roses' is ten tracks of genre defining brilliance.