25 March 2024 - 0 Comments

Achilles Complex are excited to announce the release of their fourth single, Rising.

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Rising tells the story of a man with a troubled childhood as he faces fatherhood, exploring the trepidation he feels about passing on that trauma while resolving to shield his son from that burden.

The textures used in Rising are derived from their 2023 synth-rock EP Brand New World while returning to their roots with a hard rock groove reminiscent of their debut single Shut It. The initial demo was built upon Brand New World-style synths, digital drums, and tuned vocals - taking on a more analogue “live” feeling once the band hit The Wardrobe to record with up-and-coming recording engineer Casey Messent. Modular synths (courtesy of Caleb Bird) stand alongside ambient guitars and vocals, while sampled percussion gives way to a Pearl Crystal Beat full of analogue mojo and warmth.

“I enjoyed experimenting with the new guitar tones - it was really fun running the guitar verbs through the modular synths.” - Casey Messent - Recording Engineer at The Wardrobe

Karl Apao, recording and mix engineer for Achilles Complex’s second single Vice returned to deliver a powerful mix tying this sound in with previous releases.

“I think that because Vice got a bit of traction, I ended up challenging myself to take Rising to the next level. It was interesting this time around because there were more synth parts, and the addition of their new guitarist/songwriter (Reece Gielen) meant I got to experiment with synth sounds to give the song more movement.” - Karl Apao - Mix Engineer

After exploring macro-societal issues and concerns with their prior work, Achilles Complex decided to “zoom back in” and focus on the more visceral feelings and experiences of everyday people. Rising is, at its heart, an optimistic story about overcoming the trauma of one's upbringing and taking it as a chance to do better for the next generation.

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