Biography
The Stormalongs began like a mythical tale: they came from deep within the woods, and learned to forge their art from pure inspiration. Years later, these talented young men convened in the urban sprawl and laid their fire down. One can imagine waves through a forest of concrete upon hearing the Stormalongs for the first time; the sound of human thunder slamming against the walls of modern life.
After their thunderous first gig at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in 2007, Toronto had no choice but to sit up and take notice of THE STORMALONGS.
Their debut album, FELL LIKE BRICKS (2009), channelled the driving, hook-laden fuzz of their live set into a powerful 13-song suite that takes off like a rocket and never comes down. From the everyman fury of “Domicile”, “Kierkegaard” and the infectious “Weakness” through the burning understatement of “Days Alight” and “Elucidate”, FELL LIKE BRICKS proves THE STORMALONGS have come to play.
As expected for a band unafraid to count Sonic Youth and Queens of the Stone Age among their influences, rave reviews described the band as powerful, blistering, and high- energy. But they also said this:
…the whole thing is a dichotomy of the driving new-wave punk of Joy Division and the slow heavy rock of the early ’90s complete with the full nasal voice that rides the waves like Jon Auer. And then you conclude that it is something entirely its own **** (4 stars).
-VUE Weekly
The songs on THE STORMALONGS’ second album, RAISE UP YOUR HEAD (2010) embrace a different swath of the band’s rock-and-roll pedigree, including John Lennon, Neil Young and Smashing Pumpkins. It bridges the natural energy of the band members’ roots with the frenetic rush of their city, adding acoustic guitars, glockenspiel, harmonica and more. The buzz-saw guitars in “Beggars” give way to and vocal harmonies and virtuoso soloing on “Dark Blues” and “Cadence”, taking the band into uncharted, heavy mellow territory. Spacey, driving “Lay Your Fire Down” would not be out of place on The Wall or Who’s Next, and live favourites “Equinox” and “Iron Trees” keep this album in the red.
THE STORMALONGS are Colin James Gibson (guitar/vocals), Matthew Thompson (bass/vocals) and Nick Gaiser (drums).
FELL LIKE BRICKS and RAISE UP YOUR HEAD were recorded at Gas Station Studio on Toronto Island; produced and mixed by Dale Morningstar at the Gas Station Studio; mastered by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel Mastering, Toronto; and are AVAILABLE AT ITUNES AND CDBABY.COM.