New Band of the Week: KNIFE BRIDE

Exciting Brighton newcomers KNIFE BRIDE have honed a punchy and intense but deeply alluring self-monikered Nu-Gothika sound that they describe as “inky, sensual, and immersive.”

KNIFE BRIDE is formed of cousins Mollie Buckley (lead vox) and Lauren Wise (backing vocals and synth) alongside Sean Windle (guitar and backing vocals), Sean Millsopp (drums) and Craig Glynn (bass). The quintet all moved to Brighton for university around six years ago via various parts of Kent, Coventry and Essex and quickly became best friends. As Mollie puts it: “We’re all die-hard Kerrang! kids and after being in previous bands that didn’t quite cut the mustard, we decided to start playing music we enjoyed together and thus KNIFE BRIDE was born.”

And on the feaisty but engaging nu-metallish sound they’ve honed since, Mollie explains: “So we’ve coined the phrase ‘Nu-Gothika’ and I think that really lends to the dark blanket of sound we’re attempting to create. Dramatic, visceral, occasionally gory, sometimes romantic, and always packing a punch.”

Our first taste of this is quite the impressive one courtesy of their latest single sacrifice/surrender, which was released last month. It opens up with a stabbing little synth but quickly explodes into a huge guitar riff with atmospheric synths and big rolling drums. It drops into Mollie’s laid-back vocals over an atmospheric instrumental background, then the pace drops right down before blasting into a huge chorus. It drops into a mellow section of light vocals, before smashing into another vicious chorus. This time it ends with booming guitars, then cool synth sounds and a stabbing riff before a big scream feeds into crushing guitars and another heavy chorus sets up a lively conclusion of crushing riffs and haunting synths.

That’s the second track to be released from a “nightmarish triptych,” which began with the equally excellent smother (make me suffer), which you can watch below, and will be completed by don’t dream too much on Friday (25 August) and form the basis of their upcoming debut EP.

On the tracks, Mollie told us: “Firstly, thank you so much – huge is what we aim for! So, the entire ‘don’t dream too much’ EP is supposed to make you feel a bit fucky. As a collection it’s trying to replicate the stages of a sleep cycle and ‘sacrifice/surrender’ is symbolic of the most paralysing part of sleep.

“If you haven’t listened yet then get strapped in for a dutty breakdown and expect to be thrown around a little bit. For this particular single, we didn’t really know what to expect in terms of reception as we decided not to release a video, so we’re tremendously grateful for every set of ears that have listened to it. Support from Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube Music, and Tidal with playlisting has been an invaluable way to reach new fans.”

The upcoming EP follows three singles released last year, the last of which was the superb FANG DUMMY. It opens up with delicious vocals “I’ma do the dance like they all do, Shake it ’til I’m frothing from the mouth turning blue, Take it like a beggar from a rich dude, It’s something for nothing so keep it coming and coming, Watch me move my hips like I know you do, Speeding down a railroad real rude, Fuck it I’ma dance if I want to, You’re loving my loving, Pretend we’re living for something” over light guitars.

It explodes into a big catchy chorus led by Mollie’s engaging vocals and driving guitars and drums that ends on a final cry of “FANG DUMMY” and has a real Sumo Cyco feel to it. The second chorus ends on huge drum hits and light high-pitched vocals that build up to a heavier final blast of the chorus before concluding with screams and heavy guitars. What a banger! Check it out in the awesome video here:

That followed on from Grenade and their superbly named debut track Tits And Teeth, which builds up to a chunky guitar riff and stabbing synth sounds. Engaging vocals take over alongside a cool bouncy riff and you can check it out in the lyric video here:

The KNIFE BRIDE sound is influenced by the likes of Kate Bush, Evanescence, Flyleaf, Meshuggah, Gwen Stefani, Slipknot, plus newer bands like Heriot, Vukovi, Ithaca, Spiritbox and many, many more.

And on what inspires them to write music, Mollie tells us: “Our EP don’t dream too much is written about my often paralysing nightmares intertwined with topics that I’m passionate about exploring in (what I hope is) an innovative way. Generally, I write about things that make me emotional. I can’t seem to write about anything else. Naturally, this covers lots of topics and perspectives. I’ve recently written about an abusive partner from the perspective of someone I’m close with, and in the past, I’ve written about the nuances of my own libido and love life (FANG DUMMY), the male gaze (smother), fear of dying, misogynistic violence (Grenade), mental health struggles… All nice and light.”

KNIFE BRIDE’s debut EP don’t dream too much is released on Friday (25 August) and includes a track that Mollie is particularly excited about. She told us: “Our EP is out at the end of August with the release of one particular song we’ve been so excited for everyone to hear. She’s our most treasured baby and I can’t tell you how long we’ve waited to release this one.”

You can also see KNIFE BRIDE live with a headline EP release show at Blondies in London on 1 September, at Burn It Down Fest at The Foundry in Torquay on 8 September, and the Misery Loves Company Fest at The Lanes in Bristol on 30 September. And there’s plenty more to come from the band after this so , in Mollie’s words, “get hyped.”

You can follow KNIFE BRIDE on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and YouTube.