Sydney rock outfit The Grand Union have achieved in just a few months what many in the industry have strived sometimes years for.
Their blending of blues fuelled hard rock with lashings of metal sprinkled throughout is a craft often too difficult to manufacture, but when someone gets it right the result forces the hairs on the nape of your neck to stand to attention.
After releasing their debut single Cathedral Of Pain in May, The Grand Union have followed that up quickly with Darkest Horse, an epic and atmospheric hard rock number that will be released on October 15.
Guitarists Stu and Rohin caught up with HEAVY earlier this week to discuss the new single.
"It’s interesting,” Rohin began. “The musical content is sort of supposed to match the lyrical content but if we start with the music it starts with this opening melodic introduction that sets the scene as if you're in a barren desert land or rolling grass field. It then builds up into this hooky pre-chorus which is trying to build some tension and atmosphere before crashing into this rock style chorus. Throughout it the music has a motif that runs throughout the whole of the track which reflects what we're going for in the music video. Then there's this epic crescendo in the middle of the song with a guitar solo and acapella vocal which our singer Jack absolutely nails. That's the genesis of the song. Build some anticipation and then try and tear people's heads off (laughs)."
In the full interview the boys talk more about Darkest Horse and its film clip, the guitar driven sound, how they have changed from the debut single to here, getting the balance between blues, rock and hard rock, future music, the different nationalities which make up The Grand Union and how they transform to the band’s music, surviving COVID and more.