In 2003, the year of the launch of TEXTURES’ debut album Polars, the first reactions start to stream in: “This is the best metal album that’s ever come out of the Netherlands” according to the Dutch music magazine Oor. The standard is set. TEXTURES, once just a promising up-and-coming band from the South of the Netherlands, has now emerged, 3 albums later, as an established name in the worldwide metal scene. 

The band’s fourth album Dualism -- on the band’s new home Nuclear Blast -- is groovier, catchier, and the production even grander than its 2008 predecessor Silhouettes. The band’s trademark mix of expertly crafted brutality, melody, freaky, innovative rhythms and catchy vocals is still intact, with Bart Hennephof and Jochem Jacobs’s expertly crafted sonic… um… textures and the unruly heavy-hitting of drummer Stef Broks creating the perfect metal cocktail. The climaxes of the songs on Dualism have been elevated to a higher level, partially due to the contribution of their new keyboard player, Uri Dijk and new frontman Daniel de Jongh (ex-Cilice) who, as far as his sound goes, is every bit the talent as his predecessor Eric Kalsbeek. 

Once again, the band took total control of every facet of the album. Everything was recorded at Split Second Sound, the new Amsterdam-based studio belonging to Jacobs, who produced the album. The band also handled all their own artwork and merchandising, which was designed by bassist Remko Tielemans.

The last album, Silhouettes, received worldwide acclaim from the international press. Everybody from Europe to the U.S. to India could sing along to the song “Awake,” which received strong support from online metal communities and got prime time airplay on Radio 3 fm (NL), Radio 1 (UK) and Triple J (AU). The video clip got airplay on MTV in Europe and Russia, and VH1 in India. In the Netherlands TEXTURES reached the Album Top 100 for the very first time. The band played at Graspop in Belgium, the Great Escape in the UK, Tuska in Finland, Hellfest in France and Lowlands in their home country the Netherlands and also toured with Arch Enemy and All That Remains, among others.   

In 2009 the band flew to Bangalore to play India for the first time -- where they’d just been featured on the cover of India’s most prestigious rock magazine The Rock Street Journal – and delivered an explosive headline performance for over 5,000 fans. Exactly a year later they return for another festival, dazzling the University of New Delhi where the band was welcomed by throngs of thousands once again.

With two new band members, a new record label and a new album TEXTURES will be hitting the road once again, touring all over the world in support of the album and going places where they’ve never been before, both literally and metaphorically.

MEMBERS:
Daniel de Jongh - vocals
Jochem Jacobs - guitars
Bart Hennephof - guitars
Stef Broks - drums
Remko Tielemans - bass
Uri Dijk – synths


Starting out as a simple bedroom studio project, guitarist Keshav Dhar has seen Skyharbor quickly evolve into one of India’s hottest metal prospects, with huge admiration coming in from some of the biggest names in metal worldwide.

An astonishing amount of buzz also surrounded the band's first ever performance at the Bacardi NH7 Festival in Pune, India earlier this month, where they played to over 1,000 people and were one of the weekend’s highlights.

The long awaited debut album from Skyharbor promises to be a landmark release for the Indian independent music scene, in no small part thanks to the incredible number of international guest appearances it will see, including the likes of Marty Friedman (ex Megadeth), Daniel Tompkins (ex TesseracT), Vishal J. Singh (Amogh Symphony) and Sunneith Revankar (Bhayanak Maut).

Skyharbor will release the debut album ‘Blinding White Noise: Illusion & Chaos’ worldwide via Basick Records in early 2012.


QUOTES:

“I think you do some amazing work. Would love to hear more – it’s awesome.” – Marty Friedman (Megadeth, Cacophony)

“The stuff Keshav plays will blow your mind; not merely because it’s super complex in the patented “djent” stylee, but because of the number of ideas he inserts into the music. The fact that Keshav manages to record – and perform – the music as a solo artist is mindblowing. He must have four hands and three brains, and the thought of him joining a band of likeminded musicians is rather frightening. Remember Hammer’s recent trip to India to check out the local metal scene? Well, with artists like this, it won’t stay local for long.” – Joel McIver 

“With its fast-growing metal scene, is it any wonder that India has its foot in the door with this nascent scene? Skyharbor is, incredibly, just one guy.” – Metal Hammer (UK) Magazine (www.metalhammer.co.uk)

“If you’re looking to get into your first Indian band, I’d recommend (Keshav’s) stuff, Skyharbor!” – Jamie Postones (TesseracT, Heights)

“Our friend Keshav Dhar from India is doing some cool stuff with his band Skyharbor” – Bart Hennephof (Textures)

"Skyharbor should destroy all preconceived notions about the Indian scene. The music is just that damn good." - Andrew Lu, Rock Street Journal Magazine

“Keshav’s riffs scare the crap out of me” – Vishal J. Singh (Amogh Symphony)

“Brainchild of Indian guitar ace Keshav Dhar, this musical powerhouse is a heart pounding contribution to the poly-rhythmic low-end sub-genre of metal (known by name as ‘Djent’) rising in popularity over recent years. […] With a CD release set for this coming June, 2011 may hopefully be the year that this musically stunning brand name finally takes form.” – Ashley Jacob, Suite 101 (www.suite101.com)

“Underground act from India! Can't tell you much but they do an awesome job!” – Chronix Radio (www.chronixradio.com)

"Skyharbor’s second single “Catharsis” was released and features Tesseract‘s Daniel Tompkins on vocals and Ex-Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman playing a killer solo. This isn’t your standard djent affair either, despite the old project name; while some of the elements are there, there’s so much more going on. Everything about this song is astounding, and with guests like these on the track, you know for damn sure it’s worth your time. Skyharbor’s debut album will see the light of day this June, and I can’t wait to see what else Keshav has up his sleeve." - Heavy Blog Is Heavy (www.heavyblogisheavy.com)

“Orchestrated swirling genius with a thumping heartbeat” – from the Harmony Central Online Community


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