Title: “March On”
By: Penetralia
From: TBA Debut Album
Release Date: 30 March, 2014
Length: 5:22
Format: CD Single, Digital Download, 7” Single, Weekly Airplay
Recorded: January 2014 – Rever Studios, London, England
Genre: Post-Hardcore, Alternative Rock
Label: Liberation/Nomad
Writer(s): Koda Espinosa
Producer(s): Penetralia, Bill Owens

“March On” is the third single to be released by the relatively new American post-hardcore quartet ‘Penetralia’, set to appear on their upcoming debut album in the coming months, it follows two previous singles ‘Cupid’s Scythe’ and ‘Keep Your Demons’, both of which achieved relative Airplay success, peaking in the top five of the singles chart, an unexpected achievement for such a new band. The bands rise has gathered some pace since their signing to indie rock label ‘Liberation/Nomad’ at the beginning of the year, an article in Alternative Press magazine coupled with a supporting slot at Smash-Ups recent live return at The Roundhouse in London as well as their announcement as one of the acts on this summers Warped Tour has helped the band’s name become one on the lips of Alternative rock fans mouths throughout the early stages of the new year and one that appears unlikely to fade away into obscurity any time soon, what with a debut album expected almost imminently it seems as well as more singles expected in the future, they as many successful young bands tend to do, are growing a fanbase rather rapidly, being supported and praised for the right reasons.
They recorded their debut album throughout January and February at ‘Rever Studios’ in London, England, the sessions were helmed by Bill Owens, a producer who is gaining his own reputation within the metal scene and with the support of record label ‘Liberation/Nomad’ who have helped acts like ‘Riot! In The Boulevard’, ‘TopLads’ and ‘Clara Thompson’ make an almost instant impact on the industry, it would appear that things are looking rosy for these four Californians.

When describing the songs meaning and inspiration, Koda Espinosa said the following; “When I’m writing songs, I tend to pick apart specific feelings that I’ve gone through, or felt in some way. Often those feelings are buried in the past, but I like to relive them because it takes me to a more vulnerable place and I can write with a little more clarity than I could if I was still feeling those particular emotions. Every song I’ve written has an aftermath and a growth of strength song to back it up, I just haven’t written them yet because I’m still sort of covering the first layer. ‘March On’ in particular is a song that I feel is anthemic and that’s something I love, it encourages you to face your emotions and your problems, from my own point of view, it’s essentially a younger version of me saying ‘I’m so f*cking afraid right now, what if we destroy everything we’ve known between one another? What if our secrets and deepest darkest fears shared with one another fade in the bitterness of a break-up? It’s about losing someone that you need, someone that helps you get through each day. But there’s a positive message that runs through the song, it’s a message that encourages those that have felt in a similar to carry on and fight just as viciously and passionately as ever before, at it’s core, it’s a song that encourages you to be strong. It’s a common theme with a lot of post-hardcore, Metal-core, alt-rock and emo genre’s that their lyrics get labelled as depressing or whiney but those that come to those assumptions aren’t listening properly, I believe those labelled in that way have the most real positivity running through their songs, we all believe in music and we’ve been the kids that have needed the music to save our lives at times and we may be facing the crowds now but we’re all still very much part of the crowd.”

The track clocks in at 5:22 and features heavy drum and guitar work throughout. It will be released on Sunday, 30th March, 2014 and will be available as a CD Single, Digital Download and 7” Single as well as being made available for airplay. The tracks lyrics were written by lead vocalist ‘Koda Espinosa’ with the composition coming in the form of a collaborative effort from the entire band ensemble, like all tracks set to appear on the band’s debut album, the single was produced by the entirety of ‘Penetralia’ alongside ‘Bill Owens’ and will be released through ‘Liberation/Nomad’.

Alternative Press Review



“We’ve charted the rise of this new band for the past few months now and we’re just as invested as any of their fans right now because at our heart we are music fans, we aren’t rock fans, we aren’t post-hardcore fans, we aren’t pop fans nor country fans, we are just fans of good music. The combination of sounds and lyrics interspersed with one another in a way that energises, moves and inspires us. Of course we have an affinity to rock bands and an overwhelming bias you might say, we aren’t going to hide the fact that this is a new band that we have quickly come to adore very passionately, like an ex-lover that you never truly got over coming back into your life.
Penetralia, those four guys from California have frustrated us because we want nothing more than to hear this debut album which we have been told has been completed for a couple of weeks, the delay is primarily due to the fact that they are yet to come up with a title for the album thus far and we’ve been promised that we will see the album before June, which just frustrates our tiny little fangirl minds all the more, because two months in band years feels like two years.

But we have heard two songs, scratch that now, three songs from the band. Their first, ‘Cupid’s Scythe’ came with little expectation but it’s lyrics spoke of a love so beautifully tragic that we couldn’t help but view lead singer ‘Koda Espinosa’ as some sort of gothic Romeo, he then let us know that he’s just as f*cked up as all of us with ‘Keep Your Demons’ but once again proved his romantic nature, “I vowed to carry her and her problems/Wiped away her tears/Promised her nothin’ would ever come between/I Fought the demons that tried to take her away from me/But nothin’ in this life comes easy.” … anyone? And now we not only see these flawed scene girls starting to circle around him like vultures but we see young men wiping tears from their eyes at the trueness of his love, of course we hope that every song he’s singing is about just one girl, the likelihood is that he is not, but he’s fast becoming a beautiful hero to us all.

Let’s move on to the brand new song and firstly let’s just say that this band are destined to be together, they play perfectly with one another, it’s like they weave in and out of each other through their instruments, their new single ‘March On’ in particular sees moments of instrumental beauty when lead guitarist ‘Beau Nero’ passes the baton to bassist ‘Gunner Lee’ who gives an energetic rhythmic piece of magic to the song during it’s post-chorus breakdown. How drummer ‘Jonah Espinosa’ is gonna find the energy to drum during two hour shows in the future we have no idea, this one song is enough to give us crippling shoulder cramp and have you seen their drummers biceps? Randy Orton he is not, but somehow he manages to kill it almost non-stop throughout the song.
But as ever, let’s just move back to ‘Koda’ and that beautiful voice, you can feel every slight twinge of pain as he sings words of a beautifully sharp heartbreak, maybe it’s the production that makes his voice sound so perfectly clear to the point where you can hear a sigh as he erupts in voice “When the person you hate the most is you?”. Again lyrically the song has a beauty, he’s saying we all feel pain but just listen to mine and maybe yours won’t seem as bad anymore and we love him for that because he’s reliving past pain just to make us realise that we aren’t alone in our own pain. So in case you haven’t realised yet, ‘Penetralia’ and ‘Koda Espinosa’ in particular is our MVP for this year.”
– Caitlynn Westbrook

Lyrics

“Feels like we’re living a nightmare, a never ending sleep
Can’t force a smile, when the pain runs so deep
Can’t keep pretending that we’re stronger than we are
Just look at our hearts, look beyond the scars
And maybe someday they’ll see us pull through
But what can you really do, when the person you hate the most is you?

Tired! Of living this way
Rejected! No words I could say
Broken! A cluster of mess
Haunted! From the memory you left
Neglected! You just don’t care
Empty! Nobody’s there
Abandoned! Now that you’ve gone
Learning! To grow strong
F*ck you! I’ll march on

In the wake of the tornado that you call love
I found myself calling to the gods above
Asking if they can give me inspiration from the sky
With each star that glitters
Is a heart still alive
And I found a reason to carry on
I found a new way to learn to grow strong

March on, March on, March on
Just march on, March on, March on
When it feels like there’s nothing left to live for
March on, March on, March on
When it feels like you’re ready to let go
March on, March on, March on
When it feels like you can’t take anymore
March on, March on

Staring at your mirror
You’re reflection staring back at you
The rings around your eyes
Caused by a lifetime of heartbreak and lies
Darlin’ what can you really do?
When the person you hate the most is you?

Fight! You’ve got more to give
Love! Is the reason we live
Loss! It tears us apart
Only you! Can fix your heart

So when life gets you down
Stand the f*ck back up
Roll up your sleeves
You gotta be tough
You gotta be willing to fight to be strong
Just say f*ck you all, I’ll carry on

March on, March on, March on
Just march on, March on, March on
When it feels like there’s nothing left to live for
March on, March on, March on
When it feels like you’re ready to let go
March on, March on, March on
When it feels like you can’t take anymore
March on, March on”

Personnel

Koda Espinosa – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, lyrics, composition, production
Beau Nero – lead guitar, composition, production
Gunner Lee – bass guitar, composition, production
Jonah Espinosa – drums, percussion, composition, production
Bill Owens – production, engineering, mixing