Mallavora - Echoes EP Out Now
November 20, 2024, the four-piece Bristolian alt-metal act MALLAVORA has released their ferocious new EP, ‘ECHOES,' via Marshall Records. The band will perform an intimate show at Signature Brew in Haggerston, London, this evening to celebrate. Fans can listen to the EP. – HERE / purchase tickets to the live show – HERE
“We are so excited to share ECHOES with you all,” guitarist Larry Sobieraj exclaims. “It's our first-ever release on a label after many years of doing everything DIY, and it's the best music we have ever released. None of this would have happened without the support of our fans, who voted for us to win The Deal competition, so we're putting on a launch show in London to celebrate this moment with everyone.”
‘ECHOES’ is the band’s most powerful and personal music yet—an authentic and cathartic reflection of life’s challenges, from mental and physical health struggles to feelings of alienation in an increasingly complex world.
Speaking on accessibility, Sobieraj adds, “We are fighting hard to improve accessibility in the music industry because we believe that everyone should be able to access and enjoy live music. It doesn't sound that radical when you put it like that, but there is much work to do.”
‘ECHOES’ was recorded at The Marshall Studios and engineered by Adam Beer and Oliver Brightman. SKINDRED guitarist Mikey Demus took on the role of producer and worked closely with the band. Respected producer and engineer Lewis Johns (Rolo Tomassi, Pupil Slicer, Palm Reader) handled the mixing duties.
"Creating this EP was an absolute dream experience. Working with Mikey Demus was a real 'pinch me' moment for us since Skindred has inspired us for many years,” the guitarist shares excitedly.
Speaking on the EP focus track, “Vultures tackles feeling crowded and overwhelmed by the pressure to conform and be normal”, vocalist Jessica Douek adds. “After a lifetime of masking and desperately trying to fit in and be accepted, we've finally had enough. We're lashing out at people, society, everyone, and everything. Like SKIN, the song displays angry defiance and pride in being different.”
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO CHECK OUT ‘VULTURES’
AND STREAM THE EP IN FULL
The best way Mallavora guitarist Larry Sobieraj knows to articulate his experiences with chronic illness is to translate them into music. “It’s almost like a therapy tool to process these complicated and difficult things that a lot of people don't understand, things that are hard to put into words,” he says. “I want to be able to sit there and listen to the music and feel how I felt while writing it.”
He passes his instrumentals to vocalist Jessica Douek, who uses her emotional response to the music to craft vocals. In essence, it’s a creative dialogue. “It makes it quite powerful in the sense that I can feel what he has written, and then I put that into words, associated with grief of becoming ill or losing a healthier version of yourself,” says Jessica, who is disabled and lives with fibromyalgia. “There’s a lot of rage about societal barriers and being treated differently.”
The Bristol quartet – completed by bassist Ellis James and drummer Jack Pedersen - have become some of alternative music’s fiercest advocates for accessibility, committing to only headlining venues accessible enough for them and their audience. Ultimately, it’s a mantle they must take up out of necessity. “The industry, as it currently is, isn’t sustainable for us with what we're dealing with,” says Jessica. “There’s an existential worry that we won’t be able to have the career we want unless we forge this change ourselves.”
Nonetheless, this is just one facet of Mallavora’s artistry. On their new EP Echoes, they’ve distilled every aspect of their lived experience into fifteen minutes’ worth of blazing alt-metal, exploring topics including identity, neurodiversity and difference while blending in elements of R&B, soul, pop and cultural music associated with Jessica’s Jewish-Middle Eastern background. Personal, uncompromising and showcasing the full breadth of the band’s identity, these four tracks comprise a gigantic statement of intent.
Mallavora crafts a visceral, kaleidoscopic sound that transcends metal’s subgenres. They’re not just different—they’re unapologetic, forging a community where everyone can belong. Everyone’s invited, except for bigots.‘ECHOES' is out now via Marshall Records.
TOUR DATES
November 2024
20 – Signature Brew, Haggerston, London EP Launch Show
26 – Thekla, Bristol W/ Pitchshifter
July 2025
12 – Mangata Festival, Rescue Room, Nottingham
