Watford’s Gold Key kickstart a new chapter today, unveiling new single Creep In Slowly following its worldwide premiere on BBC Radio 1 Rock Show at the weekend. Showcasing dark, ethereal soundscapes, haunting vocals and hammering pulse, the track is telling of things to come from from forthcoming debut album Hello Phantom due 6th October on Venn Records, which the band also announce.
“‘Creep In Slowly’ is about worries that you can’t escape from. Sometimes they haunt you like a ghost and it seems like there is no escape. I try not to be one to dwell on negatives but I think that anyone with half a brain suffers from anxiety to some extent. It is a running theme throughout the album, feeling like bad news is just following you around like a phantom hiding in the shadows.”
– Steve Sears, Vocals
Creep In Slowly follows previous singles Mess and Sneaker, which garnered support from BBC Radio 1, Kerrang! Radio, Amazing Radio, Metal Hammer, Rock Sound and Upset.
In the Summer of 2016, school friends Laurent Barnard and Steve Sears decided it was time they made a record together. Having worked together on music in the past, with Steve producing albums for Laurent’s punk band, Gallows, they had a joint vision to really push the musical boundaries of their careers to date. Acquiring local drummer Jack Kenny (Nervus / Blackhole) to the freshly coined Gold Key, the line-up was completed in Autumn when James Leach (Sikth) joined on bass.
“I’ve never wanted to be a stagnant musician”, explains singer Steve Sears, “We’re constantly trying to push ourselves out of the comfort zone, whether that’s through learning to play the mandolin or using furniture for percussion”.
2017 has seen the band put the finishing touches to their debut effort Hello Phantom, which paints a truly epic landscape, capturing progressive influences from the likes of Bowie and Floyd, presented in a more
agitated package. Abrasive, fuzzy bass meets soaring falsetto vocals, and angular guitars driven by primal percussion – it’s no wonder that early reviews have cited similarities spanning widely from Queens Of The Stone Age to Radiohead.
HELLO PHANTOM Tracklisting
1. Creep In Slowly
2. Circle The Moon
3. Hello, Phantom
4. The Shape
5. Crab Traps
6. Sneaker
7. Hatches Down
8. Juvenoia
9. Kerosene
10. Explode
11. Mess
12. Fall Through The Middle
Having played a handful of shows, including a debut headline at London’s Black Heart, Gold Key are now stepping up to tour with Arcane Roots on their October UK run. Dates are:
Thu 5th Oct – London, Scala
Fri 6th Oct – Wolverhampton, Slade Rooms
Sat 7th Oct – Manchester, Academy 3
Sun 8th Oct – Glasgow, King Tuts
Fri 13th Oct – Liverpool, Arts Club
Sat 14th Oct – Brighton, The Haunt
Sun 15th Oct – Bristol, The Fleece
Armed with an unpredictable and ambitious debut, GOLD KEY are set to both surprise and impress.
