26 July 2024 - 0 Comments

Today sees Otago based rock band Powder Chutes release Merchants, an unapologetic balls-to-the-wall rock anthem, combining huge riffs, snarling punk, and a massive vocal hook, that showcases everything great about heavy rock, whilst retaining a personality and sound unique to the band.

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The lyrical theme delves into social anxiety and self-reflection, yet delivers a no-holds-barred hook that channels societal frustration into a rage-filled vocal challenge that pulls no punches. Merchants promises to connect with fans across the wider spectrum of rock, alternative rock, grunge and beyond.

The track has already attracted the attention of visionary Cinematographer Joe Murdie from Bunker Street Film Co. who features Merchants as the end credit theme to his forthcoming motion picture Planet 13, currently entering the international film festival circuit and due for public release in 2025. Planet 13 features a film score from multi-genre electronic musician Danny Fairley, with Merchants as the only non-score song on the soundtrack.

Powder Chutes are a rock band from Wanaka, New Zealand, producing fiercely original music described by NZ Musician Magazine as having “a modern grunge feel, mixed with punk angst and hard rock" who are turning heads both nationally and internationally. Compared to everyone from Silverchair and Tool to Highly Suspect, the band is made up of Archie Orbell (drums), Clarke West (guitar), Henry McConnell (vocals), and Otis Murphy (bass), and are described by Radio One 91FM as “already punching well above their weight in the Aotearoa music scene… with chunky riffs, and BIG fills, they have every head turning”.

Powder Chutes previous single Moths To The Flame entered at #9 on the Official NZ Hot 20 NZ Singles Charts, debuted on The Rock FM 2000 at #1730, and was described by Classic Rock Magazine as “a powerful mix of styles that kicks off in the vicinity of early Pearl Jam, but by the time the vocal arrives it’s taken a left turn into Tool-adjacent territory”.

Since the release of Moths in May 2023 the band have seen a groundswell of both national and international interest, and their reputation as an unmissable live act has seen them open for The Feelers, Dolphin Friendly, Big Sima, East York, Pull Down The Sun, Pieces Of Molly, and The Jordan Luck Band, as well as notably opening for ZZ Top, Pat Benatar, Stone Temple Pilots and The Angels in front of 18,000 people at the 2023 Gibbston Summer Concert.

Whilst recording their debut album Powder Chutes were chosen by international metal sensation Alien Weaponry as winners of the first AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand (AJHBNZ) ‘Thrash More’ contest, receiving a well-timed prize of $7000 towards the studio recording time, and a further $3000 community prize with which they donated a stunning Gibson Les Paul guitar to Mount Aspiring College.

Merchants was recorded and mixed at North Otago’s Studio Sublime with Steve Harrop and Tom Havard and mastered by Chris Chetland of KOG Studios.

Merchants is available now on all major streaming platforms worldwide.

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