Pridelands Return With New Song, 'Machina'

Pridelands are back!

Other than past singles 'Coalesce' and 'Battery City' and these Melbourners supporting their pals in Belle Haven back in May 2017, it's been a fair while between drinks for Australian post-hardcore/metalcore up and comers Pridelands.

Over the past 12 months, I've casually run into the band's members at various gigs and have taken the time to ask them where their new material was at and what the band was doing of late. The casual answer I always got from the guys was "soon, man, soon. It's coming". Well, now that new stuff is finally here: 'Machina'.

The quintet's solid new single 'Machina' is about just that: feeling like a cold, machine-like husk that's numb to the people and the world around you and frustratingly not being able to change - at least not without pain. With tell-tale lyrics like "But this is written inside of my genetic code/I can't erase the segments that have made me cold" and "I don't wanna feel your skin/I don't deserve your taste", this is inarguably the most palpable and emotional the band's music has ever felt and that's a welcome improvement.

Not only that but the dual vocal interplay of soaring clean vocals and intensive screaming between Josh Cory (who has fully dropped his bassist role) and co-vocalist Mason Bunt respectively is as strong as ever, if not better. Plus, the group's tight, well-layered and melodically focused instrumentals here are earth-moving in their execution and their crisp sound.

Honestly, Pridelands have never sounded this good; the former Mt. Gambier based lads have come a long way since 'Gaia', that's for sure.

Have a squizz at 'Machina' below - it ain't half bad! While there's no news yet of a new EP or album, this makes me very excited about what Pridelands have in store next.

Catch Pridelands supporting Counterparts & Stray From The Path this Saturday at the Corner Hotel, along with my absolute favourite band of all time, Ocean Sleeper. (Citation needed). 

PC: Crystal Arrow Films.