Artist: “Penetralia”
Album: With Brave Wings
Genre: Alternative Rock, Post-Hardcore, Metalcore
Label: Liberation/Nomad Records
Length: 43:14
Released: ?? May, 2014
Recorded: January – February 2014, Rever Studios, London, UK
Lyrics: Koda Espinosa
Production: Bill Owens, Penetralia

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Background;

“With Brave Wings” is the debut studio album from American post-hardcore quartet ‘Penetralia’. The band recently made their first steps and quickly made their mark on the music industry at the beginning of the year. Starting off the year listed as the number one alternative act to watch out for in the new year by ‘Alternative Press’ magazine, they followed that up with signing a recording contract to well-known indie/rock label ‘Liberation/Nomad’ which helped launch the careers of ‘Riot! In The Boulevard’ and also helped establish ‘Reported Failure’ within the music industry. Since signing to the label, the band have been on a wave of momentum, their fanbase continually growing over the first three months of 2014, helped by the release of three singles which all managed to break into the top ten of the singles charts, ‘Cupid’s Scythe’, ‘Keep Your Demons’ and most recently ‘March On’ have all played a major part in the bands rapid rise within the Alternative Rock scene, a supporting slot at the Roundhouse in London helped add to their fanbase and they were recently announced as one of the acts set to take part at Warped Tour 2014, this summer. From the very beginning, this is a band that has their eyes firmly fixated on their dreams and the evidence suggests they’re working towards them.

The band assembled into Rever Studios in London and made that place their home between January and February 2014 while they worked on the songs that would form their debut album, there were fourteen songs that were completed with eleven of them making the final cut for the debut album. All final decisions were made from the four members of the band, with producer ‘Bill Owens’ offering his expert opinion from time to time, but the band made it clear early on that if they’re to sign for a record label and work with producers that it would be the four members of the band that would get final say in any decisions that would affect them now or in the future.
So while the band were continuing to work on their album, they took the risky move to release singles prior to the albums completion, one of those singles ‘March On’ almost never made the final cut for the album despite being released as the third single, but eventually ‘Penetralia’ settled on an eleven song track list for their debut album and in the second week of March it was confirmed that the record was completed. A delay in the release of the record was due to the fact that lead singer and primary songwriter ‘Koda Espinosa’ couldn’t make a decision on the album’s title and subsequent artwork, initially it looked like the album was going to be titled ‘Carry These Wounds’ but after receiving an initial print of the completed album, including artwork and lyric booklet the lead singer changed his mind and another week passed before he decided on the title of their debut record being called ‘With Brave Wings’.

The band have had success with the first three singles ‘Cupid’s Scythe’ surprised many as it peaked at number five on the singles charts, an impressive feat from a debut single by an unknown rock band, but they followed this up with ‘Keep Your Demons’ which peaked at number two, narrowly missing out on the number one spot, by this time the band had now built a very passionate and dedicated fanbase which consisted of teenagers and young adults, a large portion of which being female, with the passionate lyrics and beautifully emotive vocals of lead singer ‘Koda Espinosa’ likely the primary cause. More recently they released their third single ‘March On’, with slightly less fanfare, it peaked at number nine as it appeared that the focus for the band and their fans were mostly directed towards the release of their debut album and the announcement for the debut album.
The record will be released in May, 2014 through ‘Liberation/Nomad’ records.

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Lyrical Themes;

Alternative music publications have listed the lyrical style of ‘Penetralia’ as the main reason for their surprising success in the music industry so far, the words mostly written by ‘Koda Espinosa’ are drenched in romance and passion, both positively and negatively. Songs like ‘Keep Your Demons’ and ‘March On’ find themselves placing emphasis on the fact that all of us have our own issues but it’s what makes us who we are and we should embrace our own issues and stand tall and be proud of the people that we are. Other songs like ‘This Is A Battlefield’ tells specific stories, in this case of a broken home and the emotional scars that watching things fall apart leave on those in the middle of it all. The album as a whole finds positivity running through it, despite the darker nature of the songs, ‘Dreamless’ and ‘With Brave Wings, She Flies’ find moments of beauty and serenity amidst the chaos of darker thoughts.
It’s already been noted by ‘Alternative Press’ magazine that ‘Penetralia’ have embraced their teenage/young adult fans and that a string of sound bite lyrics throughout the album that you’re likely to see posted all over peoples Instagram, lyrical phrases like (“Put down your shields/Just let me inside/I’ll be the one to break down these walls/And watch our fractured little hearts as they collide.”), (“You are not a burden/I do the things I do because I love you/Not because I have to.”) but in reality the entire album is made up of lyrics that you feel are aimed at a specific audience.

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Band Message;

“Finally our debut album is almost here, it feels like we’ve been waiting for its release for so long. The fact that we finished recording it back in February and it’s been completed since early March shows you just how frustrating it has been in order to actually get the record out. The main sticking point in the end was something so very simple, giving it a title, but we wanted to get it right, we wanted to make sure that we gave our debut album the best possible chance because we believe so very strongly in the songs that we have written and we feel we now finally have the record that we set out to make back in January and the title, well in the end we decided to go with the shortened version of the title of a track that we recorded with Lily Abbot called ‘With Brave Wings, She Flies’. The phrase is one that we thought fit in perfectly with the songs that we have on the album, the darker tones mixed with the romantic (however flawed) notions and some would say adolescent views on love and beauty and life and death seemed like the perfect fit.
All four of us are very much similar to our audience, life frightens us at times, there’s days when anxiety and fear makes it difficult for us to even get out of bed or leave the house, there’s days when all we feel is lost and lonely and afraid, but we try to carry on and for us the phrase ‘With Brave Wings, We Fly’ is one that encapsulates these moments and it’s weird to say, because it’s just words but it gives us inspiration and hope and it encourages us to venture on, no matter what we’re going through at whatever time and we hope that this record, is able to help drive you on when you feel like you can’t venture no further, we believe music has the power to do that and hopefully this record can.

The music comes from the heart, that’s where music has to come from. I encourage everybody to find it, because one day you will stumble upon a song or a record that speaks to you in a way that nothing else can. The combination of lyrics and instrumental sound is the most emotionally overpowering thing if they go well enough together, if you get that right then I believe you have hit gold. Those are the thoughts that go through our minds as we’re writing music and recording music, I’m not saying we have achieved that, it’s difficult to think of your own songs in that way of course, but we feel proud of the music that we have created and we hope that these songs speak to our audience in a way that songs from bands gone by spoke to us when we needed it the most.
It’s a long shot, of course … but in the end, that’s all we can hope for.”
- Penetralia

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Tracklisting;

1. I Still Hear Your Voice In The Night (1:26)
2. Dreamless (5:07)
3. March On (5:22)
4. Cupid’s Scythe (4:47)
5. This Is A Battlefield (4:12)
6. Exploding Hearts (4:03)
7. Keep Your Demons (3:54)
8. I’ll Forever Believe In You (3:12)
9. Suburbia (4:07)
10. Dare To Dream (2:57)
11. With Brave Wings, She Flies (feat. Lily Abbot) (5:27)

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Personnel;

Koda Espinosa – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano, lyrics, composition, production
Beau Nero – lead guitar, composition, production
Gunner Lee – bass guitar, backing vocals, composition, production
Jonah Espinosa – drums, percussion, composition, production
Bill Owens – production, engineering, mixing
Lily Abbot – vocals on (“With Brave Wings, She Flies”)

1.) – I STILL HEAR YOUR VOICE IN THE NIGHT (1:26)

‘Penetralia’ open their debut record with an introductory song of sorts, coming in at just over one minute in length, it serves as a preview to what is to come throughout the record and is also used as a lead-in to the second track from the album. The opener ‘I Still Hear Your Voice In The Night’ begins with a crackling static noise as a lead guitar starts up, the guitar dominates the majority of the opener, starting off rather slow paced and melodic as it accentuates the vocal tone of lead singer ‘Koda Espinosa’, but the guitar builds quickly and the addition of drums add to the urgency which then takes off completely as the second verse arrives and Koda screams down the microphone with a passionate vocal delivery, the third verse arrives and the instrumental backdrop is just as urgent sounding and it’s pace is a lot more rapid but the vocal delivery is back to a more familiar range for Koda as he sings about his inability to let go of the memories, albeit tainted, of a former love and how those memories still continue to haunt him.

Bold = Scream

“If you really wanted me to feel this way
You could have just done it and left me alone
Why the f*ck didn’t you just say?
That you wanted me to pay?

Sins catch up to you
But here I am bleeding to the core
While you’re out there still living your life
Like a f*cked up street youth whore

I’m just watching from the side-lines
Hoping someday you’ll get what you deserve
But life doesn’t go my own way
I can’t run from the demons that you littered in my life
The heart that you burnt is still alight
And I still hear your voice in the …”

NOTE: *The end of this track, leads instantly into the second track, hence why the final word is missing from this track.*

3.) – MARCH ON (5:22)

“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’.

Bold = Scream

“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”

5.) – THIS IS A BATTLEFIELD (4:12)

The fifth track from Penetralia’s debut album see’s the band following two of their singles, they do so with by slowing the pace down a little. The emphasis comes down to melody as their lead singer provides a piano backdrop to a song that feels like it hits close to home for the growingly popular frontman. Throughout the four minute song, there is also a drum beat that accompanies the piano, with the exception of that a brief guitar riff during the songs mid-section are all that are offered instrumentally as the focus shifts rather surprisingly. The vocals delivered by Koda are sung softly and emotionally, at times sounding like he could very well be choking back the tears as he sings about living in a broken home. Lyrically although unconfirmed, it feels like the song could be somewhat biographical for Koda, little is known about his personal life but the words along with the delivery of them could very well lead you to believe that he’s reliving previous pain.

“Don’t think I can take one more argument
Peering from the stairwell of my father’s home
Another night watching this torment
Watching it all unfold
And I’m thinking
Maybe love isn’t worth it
The scars seem to run pretty deep for them both
Maybe it’s just better to close off my heart
Live forever alone

I can’t remain in this home
I’m leaving now to find a place on my own
Tired of treading over broken glass
I’m breaking out of these shackles at last
Because this is a battlefield
How can you even call this a home
This is a battlefield
Destroying everything I’ve ever known

Oh, Mother, oh, father
You’ve broken me beyond repair
I’ve had to see you fight way too many times
And I can’t see a light shining out there
Inside there is screaming
Glass smashing and voices breaking
Father, if you lay a hand on her
Then I’m forsaken

I’m just a boy at seventeen
With a naïve heart that was built to dream
But along the way
You’ve both beaten me down
Replaced my smile with a permanent frown
And I’m done
No more silence
I’m standing my ground
I’m breaking out
Away from that familiar sound

I can’t remain in this home
I’m leaving now to find a place on my own
Tired of treading over broken glass
I’m breaking out of these shackles at last
Because this is a battlefield
How can you even call this a home
This is a battlefield
Destroying everything I’ve ever known”

7.) – KEEP YOUR DEMONS (3:54)

“Keep Your Demons” is the second single released from American post-hardcore band ‘Penetralia’, set to feature on the band’s upcoming debut album it will serve as a taster for the still as yet untitled record from the Californian four-piece rock outfit. This track follows on from their debut single which was released a little over a month ago, it serves as an introduction to the still relatively unknown rock band, but within the last month following the release of the debut single “Cupid’s Scythe” which was generally well received around the industry and peaking in the top five of the singles chart it appears that the band have already started on a rather promising climb within the industry, they supported ‘Smash-Up’ at a comeback show at the Roundhouse in London and with the backing of their record label ‘Liberation/Nomad’ the band have been hard at work at Rever Studios, writing and recording much of their debut album. In addition within the last week it has also been confirmed that ‘Penetralia’ will be part of the 2014 Warped Tour across the U.S, they were one of the first acts confirmed alongside James Urie and Pretty Little Freaks and are set to find themselves on the iconic tour boot-camp that is the Warped Tour. This all comes after the band were named as one of the hotly anticipated newcomers for 2014 in Alternative Press magazine and it would appear that the publication could very well have been on to a winner with ‘Penetralia’.

The band recently performed “Keep Your Demons” during their appearance supporting ‘Smash-Up’ at the Roundhouse, the song was used as their final number during a five song set which included material expected to be included on their debut album. But according to the review of the show, the final song although never before heard, managed to get quite the positive reaction, writer Jonny Halliday stated in his review, “for the final song, ‘Penetralia’ manage to get the audience in a state of complete enthusiasm, surely the main goal of a support act as they fire into a song called ‘Keep Your Demons’, it’s lyrics have a darkness to them, but the music is fast-paced and energetic which gets the crowd moving, Koda erupts into full voice as he fires out the songs main refrain, “I say, keep your f*cking demons/And I’ll keep mine/Keep your f*cking demons/I’ll keep mine/Just keep your f*cking demons/And I’ll keep mine/Perfectly flawed/Until the end of time”

Since the beginning of January, the band have been recording their debut album at Rever Studios in London which is reportedly almost finished, although no details on the album have been revealed as yet. It’s known that debut single ‘Cupid’s Scythe’ and this latest single ‘Keep Your Demons’ will be on the full-length debut release from the American post-hardcore group when it’s finally released. This track follows along similar lines as the debut single in so much that it’s lyrics bare resemblance to the darker romanticism that the band appear to be heavily influenced by. Surprisingly the band managed to break into the top five of the singles chart with their previous effort, proving that alternative music is still very much alive in the music industry. The music was composed by the entire band, with lyrics later being penned by lead singer ‘Koda Espinosa’ during studio sessions. The song was once again recorded at ‘Rever Studios’ in London and again produced by the band alongside ‘Bill Owens’. The single will be released in various formats including, CD Single and Digital Download, it will also be made available for streaming via the bands official website, Spotify and Soundcloud. It will be released and distributed through ‘Liberation/Nomad Records’ on February 23, 2014.

Bold = Scream

“She fell into my teenage arms
The most beautiful creature that I’d ever seen
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
What will it take?
What will it take to make you happy?
Tell me, what will it take to make you need me?

They say that she’s a drama queen
Runnin’ around like she’s part of the newest scene
Only happy when she’s fighting
And I just think f*ck it, this time I ain’t biting
But I do and she drags me down with her
I keep thinkin’ I can save her
I look in her eyes and I love her
I watch her crash
And I hate her

What is it about her that keeps bringing me back?
Knowin’ she’ll screw up again
And I’m left picking up the broken glass
Tryin’ to catch her every fall
But I’m losing my strength and belief in it all
And I’m starting to find myself teetering on the brink
I’m falling and she won’t catch me
She’ll just join me

So if I bring the knife then you bring the drugs
We’ll run this town
Like motherf*ckin’ thugs
Leading our followers out astray
I much preferred chaos and panic anyway

So we’ll get high
Then we’ll both get low
Go to places we’ve never been before
You know I’ve always wondered what’s waiting for us
What’s waiting for us when we go
And darlin’ I’m crashing
Hold my hand and we’ll go down as one
Where’s the fun in holding on?

I say, keep your f*cking demons
And I’ll keep mine
Keep your f*cking demons
I’ll keep mine
Just keep your f*cking demons
And I’ll keep mine
Perfectly flawed
Until the end of time”

9.) – SUBURBIA (4:07)

The ninth track from ‘Penetralia’s’ debut album sees the four-piece California natives really let loose and show their true rock credentials. The song hits the listener from the first moment with a huge opening guitar riff provided by lead guitarist ‘Beau Nero’, who for the first time on the record shines just as brightly as lead singer ‘Koda Espinosa’. The lead guitar dominates the song and gives it a much needed power and aggression, throw in the incessant pounding of the drums from ‘Jonah Espinosa’ and the rhythmic tones of ‘Gunner Lee’ and here you have one of the meatier songs from the record. Lyrically it’s a song about standing tall and fighting against negativity, the song is based around escaping the trappings of the town that you grew up in and finding your own way in life. The band have already shown a passion, particularly their lead singer and this just continues with the latest track as he sings with vigour and determination.

Bold = Scream

“Don’t look back
Because this picture is not how you’d like to remember this by
So just don’t look up
To face the image of such a blood stained sky
Let the view from your memory be the view that remains
Rather than the torture you felt
Shackled to their chains
And if breaking out means moving on
Then those f*ckers can watch as we grow strong
And we fight!
Fight!
Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight!

We’ll start a war
We’ll start a f*cking riot tonight
We’ll plant our flag
In this town of nightmares
If that’s what it takes
To break out
Then we’ll break free
We’ll scream and shout
Just you and me!

Here we are we’re escaping suburbia
Judgemental eyes can look in another direction
As we’re their antithesis of perfection
Let them throw stones
Stare and talk
F*ck em’ all
We will walk
Shoulders raised
Heads held high
Spread our wings and learn to fly

If you’re ever feeling out of place
Remember the struggle that we need to face
Because we can grow stronger
Than those that have it oh so easy
We’ll remain strong
When they’re all gone

Here we are we’re escaping suburbia
Judgemental eyes can look in another direction
As we’re their antithesis of perfection
Let them throw stones
Stare and talk
F*ck em’ all
We will walk
Shoulders raised
Heads held high
Spread our wings and learn to fly”