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Biography
The Color Morale want to save your life. They are extremely up front about that and have been for as long as they’ve been a band. Their songs are profound, brutally heavy statements of strength in the face of emotional pain, and there’s one thing that the band want their audience to take away from their music. It’s that anyone can triumph, no matter what their issues and no matter who or what is in their way.
Truth be told, this is reflected in the lengths that the band have had to go in order to keep playing, recording and touring. The band formed in 2007 as a quintet when the members’ previous bands dissolved. By 2009 they’d signed a deal with Rise Records and their debut album was released soon after that. So far, so smooth, but trouble would find them soon after.
Bassist Justin Hieser left the band shortly before the release of their second album, “My Devil In Your eyes”, citing personal reasons as the reason for his departure. The band managed to find a replacement but midway through the tour, Hieser returned. He was reinstated but guitarist John Bross left the band shortly afterwards to focus on his family and clothing line. As if to prove his dedication to the band, Hieser filled in on rhythm guitar for the rest of the tour, with the bass lines being played as a backing track.
Line up troubles would plague them into 2012 as well however, when lead guitarist Ramon Mendoza requested a reduced role in the band to care for his newly born child. This was during the creation of the bands third album, tellingly titled “Know Hope”. The album was the first to chart on the Billboard 200, showing the band that they were still going somewhere despite the near constant line-up trouble.
It’s a testament to the abilities of lead vocalist and band leader Garret Rapp that he was able to lead the band to great commercial success while dealing with issues both personal and band related. Their 2014 a record “Hold On Pain Ends” charted in the Billboard top 30 and the band continue to go from strength to strength. They’ve earned every scrap of success they gain and can still blow minds live at twenty paces, and that’s all a band needs to blow minds and win hearts all around the world. One to see as soon as possible.
Live reviews
I’m a proud Londoner, and one that’s very aware of London’s musical history and especially its gigging culture. One of the things that constantly surprises me is how often American bands praise the crowds on my neck of the woods, saying their so much more active and responsive than the one’s waiting for them back home. I don’t really know how to respond to this. Because surely the multitude of bands that come from overseas to play in my home town can’t simply be worse live than The Color Morale, right? Rarely have I seen a band quite as adept at inciting utter chaos at sweatboxes the world over as the Rockford, Illinois Post-Hardcore band, it seems that a lot of this comes from the fact that they emphasise the “hardcore” part of their name more so than most of their peers. Their music is lacerating, fierce and tailor made to go completely bonkers to in a small room with as many people as space will allow crammed into it. Vocalist Garret Rapp is also an absolute natural at what he does, switching from screams to clean vocals effortlessly and holding it all together with a down-to-earth charisma that’s still ridiculously exciting to watch. Put it this way, The Color Morale are so good, that as an Englishman, I’ll even forgive them for misspelling the world colour. I wouldn’t do that for anyone else!
william-howard-2
Illinois hard rock outfit The Color Morale have had the completely right approach to work mentality since appearing on the circuit in 2007. They have already released four studio albums and played a good amount of shows on both sides of the Atlantic. The Brits have a real fondness for this band and the feeling is mutual whenever the group takes to the stages and thanks the UK crowds for their energy and enthusiasm.
For cynical Brits, its quite a laughable concept that we would ever be more enthusiastic than our American cousins yet apparently when it comes to cult hard rock bands we trump them every time. You can understand why the band enjoys playing here as the whole room is united in jumping, fist pumping and moshing during 'Prey For Me' whilst Garret Rapp invades the personal space to such a point you can see the bulging aggressive veins on his forehead. The show finishes on an almighty high of 'Strange Comfort' and the feeling of enjoyment is unanimous for both performer and attendee.
sean-ward
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