03 February 2023 - 0 Comments

Set to light up rock radio airwaves, Aotearoa’s newest heavy-rock collaboration and best-kept secret, 3-piece band Beckoned, deliver a blistering debut single with Luminous, a monstrous, radio-friendly tune of epic proportions destined for heavy rotation.

YOU HAVE BEEN BECKONED – LISTEN TO LUMINOUS HERE

Beckoned is comprised of talented musicians from beloved Kiwi heavy-rock and metal bands 8 Foot Sativa, City of Souls, Devilskin, Chuganaut, Fornax Chemica and Bitumus, but in this incarnation they have resoundingly established a separate identity by featuring the wide-ranging vocal prowess of ascending singer-songwriter Sam Bartells.

A beast of a song written by mega-talented guitarist Nail Vincent that kicks into play with a unique intro, Luminous is soundly underpinned by the groove of Munro Goodwin’s driving bass and solidly backed by Corey Friedlander’s powerful drumming. Sam Bartells seals the deal with an edgy, spine-breaking vocal performance, while Vincent steals the show with a wild, searing lead break that explodes with sonic power.

Accompanied by a vividly lucent video, Luminous was filmed by award-winning music producer and good friend Adam Jones, who on hearing the scorching track was immediately keen to try some ideas out.

Shot entirely in a storage container with a ton of fluorescent paint and black lights, another friend Ellie May Marshall gamely agreed to be the illuminated dancer. The end result is a stunningly iridescent visual that complements the song perfectly.

Born out of lockdown, Beckoned came together thanks to Nail being unable to tour and having plenty of time on his hands to write new music.

Says Nail: “The whole lockdown process gave me the opportunity to write for myself. I didn’t have any plans to do anything with it; I wasn’t going to start this star-studded line-up. I was just writing music for myself at the time. But of course, all of that changes once other people get in the mix.”

After playing a couple of tracks to good friend and former band mate Munro, the duo decided to join forces on this new musical project, swiftly enlisting Corey and newcomer to Nail’s ears, Sam. It quickly morphed through several incarnations to finally become what Nail fondly refers to as the ‘beast’, with Luminous coming about during one of their first song writing sessions.

All four artists are firmly established in their own right, and have evolved into accomplished and successful musicians who have grown their own fan bases over the years. With each bringing their influences to this combination, Beckoned are a certified behemoth of musicianship encapsulating a palpable and dynamic musical chemistry at their core.

Ready to start carving a high-voltage path through the digital musical landscape, Beckoned deserve to be firmly on your radar - watch out for this electrifying new powerhouse rock act.

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