Artist: Fortitude Valley
Title: All Hail The Great Destroyer
Format: Digital single
Cat#: Fika087SG3
Release date: 27th August 2021
Spotify | Bandcamp
Durham-based indie punks Fortitude Valley are pleased to reveal the video for their new single ‘All Hail The Great Destroyer’.
The track is the final single to be taken from their self-titled debut album set for release on 29th October 2021—preorders are live on bandcamp now.
A tribute to vocalist Laura Kovic’s rescue cat Margie, who destroys everything for fun and is “an absolute legend”, it’s the perfect taste of an album that’s packed with pathos, humour, and hope.
Commenting on the track, Kovic says: “At times this past year and a half has felt like we’re all being sucked into a metaphorical black hole. This song is about trying to find little things that bring you joy and holding on to them. We’re all just doing our best to escape the void.”
Recording in two stints during 2019 and 2021 with a COVID sized hole in the middle, the band’s forthcoming self-titled debut album was laid down between Soup Studios in London, Rocking Horse Recording Studio in Durham, and the members’ respective homes. The album was recorded, engineered and produced by Giles Barrett and Neil Combstock, mixed by Michael Collins, and mastered by Dave Williams.
Addressing themes of the passage of time, friendships and relationships growing apart, and feelings of insecurity, depression, and anxiety—as well as searching for love and salvation—the album is very much a product of our times.
Previously-released album singles ‘Wreck’, ‘Cassini’ and ‘Baby, I’m Afraid’ have all received praise from a rapidly growing list of press including LOUD WOMEN, The Punk Site, Noizze, Austin Town Hall, Bring The Noise, For The Rabbits, Get In Her Ears, NARC. Magazine, Sweeping The Nation, Distorted Sound and more.
‘Baby, I’m Afraid’ also made the band’s first splash at radio, landing on the X-Posure Playlist at Radio X, XS Manchester playlist, Idobi Anthm playlist, Amazing Radio playlist, KINK Indie playlist, securing BBC Introducing and local radio support, as well as a swathe of regional and specialist shows jumping on board.
The band will appear at End of The Road Festival 2021 and Twisterella Festival 2021 later this year (see below for listings).
“They keep releasing these pop rock jams that just get stuck up inside your head” - Austin Town Hall
“The most slacker-pop band that’s ever burst forth from [checks notes] Durham” - LOUD WOMEN
“Blistering bubblegum punk...they’re something to get really excited about” - Get In Her Ears
“Amplified pop tunes...reminds us of Dinosaur Jr.‘s slacker electricity” - Turn Up The Volume
"A brilliantly awkward and slacked anthem...set to be the sleeper hit of the year" - Noizze
“Deliciously driving indie-pop” - For The Rabbits
Fortitude Valley is the new outlet for the songwriting talents of Durham-based Brisbanite Laura Kovic. Having spent the majority of her musical career playing keyboards in other people’s bands, bringing their songs to life with a melodic flourish, it was about time for Kovic to find an outlet for her songs: awkward power-pop that’s bound to appeal to fans of The Beths, Weezer or The Weakerthans.
She assembled quite the band, too, teaming up with Martha’s Daniel Ellis (lead guitar) and Nathan Stephens Griffin (drums), and Night Flowers’ Greg Ullyart on bass.
The quartet take their name from Brisbane suburb Fortitude Valley—or just “The Valley” if you’re from Brisbane—the heart of the city’s music scene, and also where Kovic first started playing in bands, before moving to the UK in 2010. “It was a place that objectively felt mythical, a suburb with a special meaning, looking back from the other side of the world and many years later,” she reflects.
@valleyfortitude
https://fikarecordings.com/artists/fortitude-valley