Delivering powerful riffage and remarkable vocal performances, there is no strain too much to push through for Saint John, N.B. alt-metal rockers Sonic Detour. And nowhere is this made more abundantly clear than in their new single and video, “Dolls.”
A power-metal ballad filled with introspective lyrics masked by the gritty chugs and vocal performance accommodating them, there’s an intentional attempt to redirect the listener’s interpretations of the lyrics, creating an air of mystery, while also encouraging a replay.
“I don’t like to say what any of the songs are specifically about,” lead singer Goose shares. “I want the work to stand on its own. I want to leave it open to both interpretation and misinterpretation.
“I’m just trying to make the listener feel something.
“The band writes the music, and I use that as a springboard to write the lyrics,” Goose continues. “Each piece of music has a mood, and I try to mine that for emotion. I think something that makes Sonic Detour unique is that our influences vary so widely that the music we make as a group doesn’t sound all that much like the music we listen to individually.”
With that, it’s no mystery as to how this powerhouse alt-metal band has acquired its massive, critically-acclaimed, and multi-award nominated and winning following. The only wonder here is how far high they’ll go.
Just wait until they can play live again…
Consisting of Goose (lead singer), Jason Crowley (Bass/backup vocals), Marcus Marcial (Guitar/backup vocals), Jeff Andrusyk (Drums), and Nikki Cook (Guitar/backup vocals), Sonic Detour started playing live shows in late 2019 and early 2020 which, as we know, was a terrible time to start performing live.
The waves that rocked the world didn’t stop this up-and-coming alt-metal band from rocking Canada — and the rest of the world — online, however; as such, Sonic Detour is a product of Covid-19.
Squeezing what good they could out of the situation, the band took the mandated down-time to head into the studio to produce their self-titled seven-song debut EP — and it was a good thing they did.
Sonic Detour sounds like a rusty transmission kicking into high gear. Between their latest single, “Dolls,” and their self-titled debut EP, their music is full of jagged riffs and infectious hooks — all while stretching the limits of the metal genre. Their music is unapologetically ferocious, brazenly provocative, and sometimes, even heartfelt.
With instant acclaim, Sonic Detour was nominated for a 2021 ECMA award in the Loud Recording of the Year. The band was also nominated for three Best of Saint John Music Awards: Best New Artist, Best Song for “Breathe Out,” and Best Music Video for “Rise Up” – which they won.
“Breathe Out” also went on to spend several weeks on Sackville, Nova Scotia’s CIOE 97.5 Community Radio’s Top 30 chart, and were featured on several metal shows across the country.
