PRESENTED BY MOTION MUSIC MGMT
$15 ADV/$20 DOS
HAIL THE SUN + Local Support at The Rev Room, Little Rock, AR
Donovan Melero (Vocals, Drums) | Aric Garcia (Guitar) | John Stirrat (Bass) | Shane Gann (Guitar)
Donovan Melero can’t sit still. Since finding sobriety nine years ago, the vocalist and drummer
for California-based progressive-rock band, Hail The Sun, has found himself constantly
consumed with the idea of making the most of every day. Melero - along with bandmates Aric
Garcia (guitar), John Stirrat (bass) and Shane Gann (guitar) - manage both the creative and
business sides of Hail The Sun as they continue to grow into one of the most revered acts in
their genre. Melero has also developed into one of the most respected booking agents in rock
due to his incomparable work ethic. Somehow he even manages to find time to advance his
side project, the progressive rock supergroup Sianvar, which has developed a sizeable cult
following of its own. Still, he can’t seem to reach a level of success where he is satisfied with
what he’s accomplished enough to take his foot off the gas - even for a second.
On Hail The Sun’s latest full-length, Mental Knife, Melero tackles that constant need for self
improvement and his obsession with making up for lost time in a way that is both unabashedly
honest and artistically innovative. The title of the record stems from the idea of cutting out those
aspects of your life that don’t contribute to a more fulfilling existence. The subject matter largely
centers on trying to develop a genuine confidence that allows you to acknowledge your own
imperfections and provides the strength necessary to work towards correcting them.
Sonically, Mental Knife is the closest the band has come to realizing the sound they’ve sought
since forming in 2009. Melero, along with guitarists Aric Garcia and Shane Gann who share
songwriting duties, lived largely in the same creative space for this record as they did on its
predecessors - Culture Scars (2016, Equal Vision Records) and the Secret Wars EP (2017,
Equal Vision Records). However, all four members of the band have elevated their already
impressive style of play on Mental Knife; pushing the limit of what is capable when walking the
delicate line between intricate song arrangements and massive riffs and thundering rhythms.
The biggest difference between this record and the band’s previous releases is owed more to
that development in terms of technical prowess and collaborative chemistry than a conscious
shift in direction. To realize their vision, they worked with Beau Burchell, best known for his role
as a member of Saosin and producing that project’s iconic Translating The Name full length
which was a major influence on the members of Hail The Sun. Burchell served much in the way
an editor works with a novelist; advising the band on areas that needed a bit more work to
realize each song’s full potential. As Melero points out “it was the first time we ever left the
studio each day with homework”, which could be new guitar riffs in a certain spot or finding a
way to layer a bridge to really make it explode.
The result is an album that slams harder than Hail The Sun’s previous work. The performances
and recording quality on Mental Knife reach a level the band has never achieved before. These
upgrades allowed the band to construct the most “Hail The Sun” record possible. Mental Knife
doesn’t reinvent the band’s sound, but it does find a new and innovative way of delivering the
message. On the lead single and title track, Melero directly addresses the record’s mission
statement behind a wall of scorching guitars, visceral screams and driving percussion.
“Suffocating Syndrome”, which is included on this year’s official Warped Tour compilation,
imagines what a conversation with a god would be like over the sort of heavy ethereal
soundscape that one would expect from such a weighted question. “The Strangers in Our
Pictures” and “Glass Half Empty” explore elements of how Melero copes with the insatiable
desire to be better that he’s developed in sobriety. The former addresses the remorse he still
feels regarding how he treated himself and those people around him as an addict while the
latter speaks to the double-edged sword of having an addictive personality - meaning that the
same thing that brings you to your lowest points can also be responsible for your biggest
accomplishments. Both tracks also happen to be among the album’s most innovative attempts
at exploring alternative arrangements and stepping outside the band’s comfort zone.
As each day closes, Melero has gotten into the habit of asking himself “can I put my stamp on
this day?”. It’s a reminder that every day is an opportunity to get closer to achieving your
dreams. With their new record, Hail The Sun can proudly stamp their names on the album
knowing that it is a tremendous step forward for the band on their creative journey. Mental Knife
will be released September 28th on Equal Vision Records.