Counting Days
Liberated Sounds
M 7473
"Quite simply, Counting Days are the most exciting metal band to come from the UK since Bullet For My Valentine." Terry Bezer,
Team Rock
"They are already shaping up to be one of the brightest emerging talents we have seen for a very long time. Do not sleep on them,
you will regret it." Tom Doyle, Kerrang
Having formed in London in 2014, Counting Days entwine a complex and ferocious blend of hardcore punk, thrash and British
heavy metal which has already marked them out as one of the most exciting and talked about metalcore acts in Britain. Made up
of former members of TRC, Heights, Rough Hands and Last Witness they harness the power of their previous bands and bring it
to an exhilarating new level.
Their debut self-released EP ‘The War of the Wolf’ saw their undeniable hardcore pedigree shine though and was met with
critical acclaim from the likes of Metal Hammer, Kerrang!, BBC Radio 1s Rock Show and along with a handful of live dates that
channelled their uncompromising ferocity, it propelled them to the attention of the wider scene and the Mascot Label Group
(Black Label Society, Volbeat, Gojira, Joe Bonamassa).
In May 2015 they entered Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden to record their debut album ‘Liberated Sounds’ with Fredrik
Nordstrom who also produced metal titans At The Gates, Arch Enemy, In Flames, Opeth, Architects and Bring Me the Horizon.
Talking about the producer they’ve always wanted to work with, guitarist Charlie Wilson says "It has been a dream to work with
Fredrik Nordstrom at Fredman Studios for a very long time. He has recorded some of my favourite classic and modern metal
albums over the last 20 years.”
As the beating heart and song-writing partnership in TRC, Charlie along with Lasselle Lewis (Drums) began broadening and
pushing their boundaries as Charlie explains; “I had some songs that I had been writing that didn’t quite fit with the band so I sent
them over to Lasselle to see what he thought and he was blown away and totally into it.”
Talking about how things began to grow with the addition of Thomas Debaere’s throat shredding growl which earmarked him as
one of the new generation of formidable British metal vocalist, this distinctive style added more force to the Counting Days
cannon; “I was always a really big fan of Thomas’ vocals and he was my first choice, after I sent him the music he wrote the lyrics
within a week so things started to move really quickly.”
From here the seeds of the band began to be sewn, Bobby Daniels (Guitar) of Last Witness had been talking about forming a new
band with Charlie for a long time and the final piece was added during a TRC tour with South London noise-terrorists Rough
Hands, where frontman Alex Dench was then recruited for bass and vocal duties.
Talking about the progress of Counting Days, Charlie is very open about how their past bands’ have helped them in the right
direction; “Our collective experiences help us go from zero to hundred pretty quickly because we know what we’re doing, we know
the procedures and the protocols”. Continuing he adds “We know what we want, we just want people to enjoy it, it’s not that
we’re a band that have got nothing to say, we’re not trying to make up any old shit – we want to make music for everyone to
enjoy, but have depth to it.”
For further information and/or interview requests, please contact Rikkert Dahmen at Mascot Label Group:
Tel +31-10-5120384
Fax +31-10-5121170
rikkert@mascotlabelgroup.com
Counting Days
Liberated Sounds
M 7473
The records’ subject matter hits on a number of recurring themes; mortality, relationships and religion all return throughout.
Elaborating on the lyrical content Thomas reveals; “This wasn’t a conscious effort, they are just things that really struck a chord.
Even the title, Liberated Sounds, was inspired by the feeling we all got from writing it, five mates writing music without
restrictions or judgement.”
Unafraid to tackle difficult and distressing subjects ‘Die Alone’ is about facing your own mortality and realising the certainty of
death. Thomas continues to delve into the belly of the subject matter stating, “It questions the privilege with which some people
are able to live their lives in the face of the basic fact that one day we will all go out the same way.” He follows on describing the
roots of ‘Burned by Faith’ which isn’t an anti-religious song, but more to do with what some people do in the name of religion;
extremism battling against the overwhelming desire for peace as well as questioning the path extremists would have taken if
there was no afterlife. Continuing to burrow into human emotions ‘Fire From The Sky’ is about the mental effects of war, “I had
been studying the treatment of soldiers with shellshock and the lack of understanding in the First World War” he adds before
elaborating, “I wanted to highlight the damaging consequences beyond the physical injuries suffered during war.”
Talking about the structure of the band Charlie reveals, “Previously in bands we’ve argued so long about something and
opportunities have then passed us by - you need to be 100% into the music, the content and artwork, you can’t be ‘I kinda like it’.
That’s how something like this becomes your life and then you become a success by being proud of it. We have that in this band.”
The time spent in the studio with Nordstrom brought with it years of harnessing some of the greatest metal and hardcore bands
of their generation and the experience helped Counting Days tighten their already frenetic and cathartic presence. The
opportunity also afforded them the chance to collaborate with one of their biggest influences in Tomas Lindberg of At The Gates
who provided vocals on the newly recorded version of ‘Sands of Time’. The time spent with the band clearly won over Lindberg
as he states; “I got contacted through the guys at Fredman studios, I know these guys pretty well, and trusted their judgement in
checking this UK band out that were recording there. I was hit by the great mix of old school hardcore and crude death metal tone
of the song. Did I want to come down and throw down some vocals? Hell yes! Turned out the vocals that I was going to use as a
guide track were super ferocious and ass kicking, so that really fired me up to deliver on the highest level. These guys were super
professional and I am sure that they will go far. I can´t wait to check out the full album when it´s out!"
In ‘Liberated Sounds’, Counting Days are to unleash one of the most formidable records of the year that will twist, turn and
refuse to leave your consciousness.
Liberated Sounds will be released on Mascot Records/Mascot Label Group on 16th October 2015.
Listen to the titletrack and first single “Liberated Sounds” here: https://youtu.be/RsCpc70HUoo
Counting Days – ‘Liberated Sounds’
Tracklist
1. Burned By Faith
2. Die Alone
3. Beaten & Scarred
4. Life & Death
5. Liberated Sounds
6. Fire From The Sky
7. Days Go By
8. The Vines
9. Sands Of Time
10. Prison Of Misery
11. Cold Truth
12. Reunion
Extra info
www.countingdaysmusic.com
www.mascotlabelgroup.com
https://twitter.com/CountingDaysUK
https://www.facebook.com/Countingdaysuk
Counting Days are:
Thomas Debaere (Vocals) | Charlie Wilson
(Guitar) | Bobby Daniels (Guitar) | Alex
Dench (Bass) |Lasselle Lewis (Drums)
Releasedate: 16-10-2015
For further information and/or interview requests, please contact Rikkert Dahmen at Mascot Label Group:
Tel +31-10-5120384
Fax +31-10-5121170
rikkert@mascotlabelgroup.com