EPK – Hunting Giants – Mythos (2022)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations.com
For fans of Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Audioslave, Muse
“We are confident that new listeners, as well as those familiar with us through our previous release Skyward Eyes, will find a high caliber of intensity and listenability in Mythos that represents the musical growth and evolution of Hunting Giants. It’s a unique album expressed with a great diversity of energetic auditory texture. Each song hits hard with novel approaches and fresh ideas that will induce a comforting nostalgia in modern rock fans looking for something new and awesome.”
Album Title: Mythos
Release Date: September 30, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid
HuntingGiants.com | Facebook.com/huntinggiantsband | Instagram.com/huntinggiantsband | Twitter.com/huntinggiants | Youtube
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“It’s not often that a band is described as ‘a blend of modern hard rock, progressive rock/metal and grunge influences,’ but that is indeed a fitting description of Vancouver’s Hunting Giants” – Bravewords
“If you’re tired of reading about the same old bands over and over again look no further. Its time to get excited about music again! Hunting Giants is a breath of fresh air! They are keeping the metal alive with their euphonious new sound. They hail from Canada where a lot hot new bands are burgeoning onto the music scene. Every song off their new album, Mythos is incendiary and their new album is a must have in your music collection.” – Metal Lair
“There are some fine songs on here like ‘Ancient Text’, ‘Too Big Too Kill’ and ‘Vanguard’… Guitarist Bradley Trivett has a neat line in big crunchy riffs and singer Stephen Atkey has a great voice. This will appeal to those who like Muse or Alice in Chains…” – Powerplay Mag UK
“Let me say this first, HUNTING GIANTS from Vancouver are REALLY freaking good. These guys are relatively new but they are tighter and more accomplished man many veteran bands.” – Rock You Show
“This is an album (Mythos) that you’ll want to wander through thanks to their technical proficiency and the production value.” – Metal Roos
“a solid listen, and a fairly unique combination of a few different styles. It’s mostly heavy enough for Metal fans, and mostly melodic enough for fans like myself who appreciate a good hook.” – Metal Temple
“Mythos’ features a very 1990s vibe, offering elements of nostalgia as well as a contemporary feel. They can go hard or ease back, adding theatre and energy in a single song (‘Vanguard’), and then draw deep on emotions (‘Mantle’). It’s a heady mix that runs alongside the overall story line in the album. ‘Mythos’ isn’t an album that will appeal to all. Certainly, those whose tastes veer towards the heavier end of the metal spectrum may baulk at it. It should however, appeal to a wide range of fans, who will be able to appreciate the textured and layered songs and the ambition of a band who have delivered a fine release.” – The Razor’s Edge
“a sonically pleasing experience that had a few unusual stylistic fusions. Most of the time, it’s strong enough for Metal enthusiasts as well as being melodic enough for people like myself who adore theatricality. Additionally, they demonstrated some excellent playing.” – Ever Metal UK
“Hunting Giants: Will grab listeners and amaze them.” – Permafrost Today
“There is a lot to discover here. The sound of the varied album is also well controlled and the rhythm section really bangs.” – Saitenkult
“Hunting Giants stake their claim as a powerful new force in the Pacific Northwest metal scene…this band is absolutely one you’ll want to keep an eye on.” – Wail Magazine
[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]
Album Title: Mythos
Release Date: September 30, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid
Track Listing:
1. Mythos – 3:28
2. Ancient Text – 3:18
3. Too Big To Kill – 3:06
4. Rituals – 3:57
5. Among Thieves – 5:28
6. Whispers – 2:16
7. Vanguard – 2:54
8. Mantle – 3:19
9. Kindred – 4:05
10. Epitaph – 1:09
11. Into Stone – 4:55
12. Remnant – 4:00
13. King of Ashes – 2:52
Album Length: 44:49
Album Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Hunting Giants
• Vanguard ft. Kirby J. Kaye
• All songs written by: Hunting Giants
• Produced by: Kirby J. Kaye for Aztech Productions
• Mixed by: John Webster
• Mastered by: Richard Addison at Trillium Mastering
• Album Artwork by: Kacper Gilka @kacpergilkaart
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)
Album and Live Band Line Up:
Corey Wharton – Bass Guitar
Stephen Atkey – Vocals
Bradley Trivett – Guitar
Daniel Beavington – Drums
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The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
This album is musically very diverse as it ranges from intense white-knuckled metal tracks, down to gentle instrumental tracks peppered with melodic piano and haunting cello, all the way to epic ballads tastefully complimented by choirs, strings, and bells. Mythos lyrically explores archetypes, both heroic and villainous, that affect the world around us, as well as the inevitable fates which arise when these values are heinously held and expressed.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
Mythos – The Call to Adventure.
We start the album off with the beginning of the hero’s journey, the call to adventure. The guitar intro slowly gains momentum until all of the instruments join in with the toll of a bell. The vocals are low and the instruments hushed as if the beginning of a story is being told in front of a fire. Our protagonist is introduced as a commoner who has witnessed the destruction of his homeland and can no longer idly stand by. We follow him as he crests mountains and is swallowed by rich ravines until he runs face to face with the hanging dead, a symbol of the reality which he is walking into. The instruments and vocals both rise to a climax where our protagonist reaches the conclusion that this task may take his life, yet he believes that a life without freedom is one that is not worth living. He will not back down. At the end of the track, we are reminded that he is good-natured but naive by the hanging corpses who warn him to not follow the path they did as the instrumentation fades with a final note of vocal harmony.
Ancient Text – The Prophecy
Starting out with a metal riff that weaves an auditory puzzle in the ear of the listener, Ancient Text is a story about a doomsday prophecy from a long-forgotten culture. While lyrically referencing both archaeological discoveries as well as age-old myths, we get to experience how a shaman from the distant past might interpret a meteor shower that destroys his tribe. The tension built by these raging riffs is eased by a sensual breakdown, this is where our hero is taken on a spiritual journey to see what disaster is coming for his people. The peace is quickly shattered by a blood-curdling screech as he watches a comet slam into the ocean and pulls those he loves far out into the sea. We end the song with a rhythmic labyrinth of guitar, bass, and percussion framing the climax of our tale as he carves the vision of death he had been shown onto the temple walls to be interpreted by a future civilization.
Too Big To Kill – Domination and Avarice
The riff which begins this track immediately brings to mind the thrill of the hunt which is encapsulated by the lyrical repetition of ‘Row’ as our anti-hero cuts through the waves, hot on the trail of his next quarry. As the instruments are hushed, the lyrics speak from the perspective of a man who desires only domination and finds satisfaction in ending the lives of those he hunts. This unending momentum builds throughout the song revealing how remorseless yet effective he is at killing until we arrive at the bridge, where the tables are turned and he finds himself fleeing from the beast which he sought to trap. Cornered and without option, our protagonist lets out one last “Come What May” as he charges toward his prey in one final effort. This song is an exploration of those who love violence and the inevitable bloody end that they attract towards themselves.
Rituals – Necromancy, Hatred and Shame
A bass slide introduces us to a seductive salsa that peaks suspense until it explodes with a punk-inspired bounce. This song follows a man who sees morality as a vain illusion that people create for themselves and that the maxim “Do what though will shall be the way of the law” reigns supreme. He is robbing a grave when we encounter him and we watch as he dismembers a corpse and grafts its limbs onto a different body. The chorus opens up with complex guitar and percussion work complimented by a simple call-and-answer vocal melody as the body is then reanimated by the grave-robber. In sudden contrast we are greeted by a soft and sensual vocal line with sparse instrumental work which speaks of the freedom moral relativism can grant you. This leads to a frantic Mastodon-inspired bridge where we explore how hatred can fester in a person if they isolate themselves away from the world and blame others for the fruit of their own actions.
Among Thieves – The Addict
The slow sensual riff of the verse comments on the seductive nature of destructive things which we can use to temporarily ease our emotional or psychological pain. We move on to see how they slowly alter you into someone you weren’t before. Under the racing gallops of percussion, we explore how violence can seem to be the most effective and immediate solution to solve disagreements and needs. The guitar, bass, and percussion all ring out as the progressive rock elements of the song are featured in a vocal chant expressing fear, pain, and hope. As the drums drop into halftime, we encounter a gritty taste of the life of those who live in addiction. A swell of guitar and stringed instruments signals the moment of self-realization and the protagonist has taken ownership of who they have become. We are greeted warmly by a swirling choir of vocals, guitar, and strings which are broken by the toll of bells as our hero embraces his faults and opens his heart to the world.
Whispers – The Voice of the Dead
A haunting instrumental track with a grand piano in place of the vocals as the main melody.
Vanguard – The Love Song
This non-stop rocking love song starts with an intricate bass line, a crunchy guitar riff, and a busy drum line peppered with ghost snare hits. We follow a soldier on the front lines of a battle as he thinks of his love and what he would sacrifice to be with her once more. An incredibly catchy chorus blends back into the verse where his thoughts of his love is ripped away by the reality of the battlefield on which he is. As the captain screams “Hold The Line!”, we get a ripping solo recorded by our producer Kirby Kaye as we flow by into the chorus. In the outro, we are treated to a key change and the soprano-esque wail of a dying man as he keeps his thoughts on the one he loves.
Mantle – Undeserved Worship
Right off the bat, we know that this song is a beastly one as all instruments and vocals come in on the same first beat. As an allusion to a toxic relationship, we follow the story of a man who makes a pact with an unknown force who claims to be subservient to him. While the vocals and instruments roar with aggressive verses and a theatrically inspired chorus, the deity demands to be re-payed for the boons she has bestowed upon her subject. As the track breaks down into the bridge, he dismembered himself to feed her. This is a mirror to those who sacrifice pieces of themselves for another who only seeks to use them. The song comes to a conclusion with the instruments playing the intro riff while it is accented by a feral vocal roar.
Kindred – A Tempting Offer
Opening up with the flight of guitars as they soar over a pounding bass riff, this song is about casting away the pain and trauma of the past and coming together as allies with those whom we once saw as enemies. The open chords of the chorus leave room for the bass and percussion to accent the coming riff as the vocals sing about the power of unification. The bridge drops into a monologue where our protagonist is faced with one final challenge. This gives way to the last verse where we as the listener are given the choice to decide what happens in our futures. The triumphant outro hints at Queens of the Stone Age as the vocal harmonies ease into a final harmonized note.
Epitaph – Grief in Glory
A snare roll reminiscent of the drums of war synchronizes with guitars as they sail over the spine of the bass. The vocals speak of honor and the dreams of the future as a tyrannical figure manipulates the populace into furthering their corrupted agenda.
Into Stone – To Fight Again
The gallop of the drums sets an almost power metal vibe as the vocals set the stage for war and speak of the victory which is to come. Double kicks and blazing bass frame the Iron Maiden-inspired chorus while the vocals incite the need to fight for what you believe as tomorrow may be too late. A vocal chant erupts in the bridge which heralds those who have fought for valor as hints of the cello can be heard underneath the instrumentation.
Remnants – Victory in Death
Bass sets this frantic yet forlorn mood as the endless rhythm pounds out over vocals conveying the hopelessness of a hero who has been cornered by the demons he battled. A ghost-like wail recites the melody which the guitar previously squealed, leading to a triumphant chorus that speaks of the accomplishments our hero made in his life which brought him to this moment. As the guitar sails out into the bridge, we are met with polyrhythmic percussion and persistent bass. Following the final chorus, our hero is supported by a choir of harmonies as he sacrifices his own life for those he loves. He is destroyed and devoured by the darkness he held at bay as a demonic screech splits the air and a bass outro which hints at a positive finale with a major note.
King of Ashes – At What Cost
This epic industrial ballad is reminiscent of both Nine-Inch-Nails and King Crimson. The vocals ponder on the futility of victory at all costs as the percussion and instruments chase each other in polyrhythmic complementation. A constant yet subtle feedback loop heightens the vocals until they crescendo in a final lament, “Oh, to be the King of Ashes.” In finality, the album comes to a close and fades out with the ringing of a gong.
Photographer Credit – Bradley Trivett
Hunting Giants is a four-piece heavy rock band from Vancouver, BC, Canada.
This unique group of musicians offers a spectacular visuals-driven live performance that exceeds both the precise ferocity of their recordings, and the highest expectations of an energized audience looking for something recognizably different. Their music is both refreshing and familiar, serving well as the musical backdrop for one’s ongoing discovery of meaning in life and self.
Hunting Giants was started in 2017 with Bradley Trivett assembling the first musical themes and combining the percussive expertise of Daniel Beavington with the explosive rhythmic prowess of Corey J. Wharton into the foundation of a team set to discover and dominate the most enormous sounds and daunting massive ideas they could find. Led by the visionary passion and styling of frontman Stephen Atkey, Hunting Giants is poised to deliver to the highest expectations of an energized listening audience looking for something recognizably awesome.
Discography:
2022 – Mythos – LP
2018 – Skyward Eyes – EP
Shared Stage with:
Unleash the Archers, Wednesday 13, Ophelia Falling, Kayas, Vessel, Sick Logic, Dark Stone
Tours and Festivals:
2019 – HempFest – Seattle, WA
2019 – Metal battle 2019 – Vancouver, BC
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BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS
1. How the band formed, aka Steve pirating their recordings and sending a finished track as an application.
Hunting Giants began in Vancouver, British Columbia when Bradley Trivett digitally composed and assembled a group of songs unlike any he had created before, including some material co-written with long-time friend and former band-mate Corey Wharton. The new songs were fast, concise, and particularly short in duration when compared to the music from his two former bands, Oddchild and One Tree Forest, both known for long progressions and exploratory soundscapes. The new material did away with the complicated structures and massive arrangements in favour of dense, rich music that gets straight to the point.
Looking to give life to this fascinating new material, Brad enlisted the help of another long-time friend and former band-mate Daniel Beavington to add his unique and powerful drumming flair. After working for several weeks to nail down the structure and challenges the new material posed, the two were ready to bring in the earth-shattering talents of bass player and close friend Corey Wharton. Daniel and Corey had both worked previously with Brad in Oddchild, and were excited to reclaim the passion and start a new group.
The three of them worked smoothly together as they were quite familiar with one another’s playing style, quickly rekindling the chemistry they had developed over their 15 years of experience playing together. They transcribed the riffs from their original digital format and sculpted them further by adding the depth and dimension found only in live performance.
After a few months of intense rehearsal, the group felt that the time was right to take the next step toward completing the group with a powerful vocalist that understood the music and themes, but they somewhat disagreed on how to go about it. Brad was focused on lining up the professional recording of the music, believing that the right singer would be attracted by exhibiting their ability to succinctly perform all the work they had done. Daniel was more enthused with canvassing the need and scheduling auditions to see what the world around them could offer.
Brad called upon another former band-mate and family friend Kirby Kaye, enlisting his cooperation to produce for them a good-sounding instrumental album to attract the singer that was needed to finish their music. Kirby quickly contacted his good friend and sound engineer John Webster, and together with Brad, Corey, and Daniel, booked studio time and recorded the drum lines for the new music in one intense day. From there, the group began recording the matching bass lines.
Meanwhile, in response to the push for auditions from Daniel in a Craigslist ad, the group received an email from singer-hopeful Stephen Atkey. Stephen had recently quit his job in Edmonton, said farewell to his friends and family, and moved to the west coast, following a dream that he would there find a promising musical partnership. A dream that had so far floundered in the province he was born.
The email that Stephen sent included a pirated live recording of one of their songs, to which Stephen had used Pro-Tools to assemble a layered vocal line that immediately got their attention. The work done and the artistry displayed was more than enough to hastily arrange a meeting and jump on the opportunity. The meeting went very well, and they decided to meet up for the next rehearsal.
After the first jam, it was clear that the four musicians had unique chemistry and with that, the group took their first lumbering steps towards significance by officiating the roster of the four-piece band.
By that time, guitars and bass were fully recorded and the team was ready to lay down the vocal tracks, despite Stephen having only been involved in the project for a few weeks. Still, Stephen was able to quickly craft and record vocals that enhanced the music beautifully and elevated it to a level nobody thought possible.
Two months from that meeting, the group had finished and mastered the album to be known as Skyward Eyes, and were ready to grow the group further, but were unable to without first discovering a name that would fit the grandiosity of the music and the aggressive drive they all had toward the project. After some time, the group finally emerged as Hunting Giants.
2. Stephen getting bottled at a Periphery Show:
After the first day of recording vocals for our first EP, Skyward Eyes, the band decided to take a night off to celebrate their success and be inspired by a successful touring act. The opening band, Animals as Leaders, were absolutely amazing and had brought Steve to the pit. After the first few songs of Periphery, Steve needed some fresh air and went to leave the pit but was blocked by a line of metal heads refusing his access. Steve pushed past them to get through and in response one of them through a bottle point-blank into Steve’s head. The bottle smashed into Steve’s forehead and the blood started pouring onto the floor of the pit. The security guards gathered up Brad and Corey and told them that their friend was in critical condition. Corey helped clear the blood from Steve’s face as Brad called for a Taxi to take them to the hospital. Steve, while fainting from blood loss, hid his weed under the garbage can in the hospital while the doctors operated on his skull. They were able to stop the bleeding, stitch up the wound and in a couple of hours let them go. Steve then slinked back in to grab his weed undetected. Later that day Steve wrote the lyrics to the song ‘Extinction’ while still covered in his own blood and the very next day was back in the studio recording the last two tracks.
3. Getting all of our gear stolen
Hunting Giants had practiced for months for an incredibly important show, an annual BC-wide battle of the bands. They were confident in their performance but had stiff competition and several of the members had work early in the morning so they packed up their gear in the truck parked behind the downtown venue. The winners were about to be announced so the members decided to wait a couple of minutes before they took off the night. They did not expect to win the battle of the bands, but lo and behold, they did. In the pounding of adrenaline, they forgot about the vehicle parked behind the venue and were brought onstage for an acceptance speech. During the speech, their vehicle was broken into and almost ten thousand dollars of musical equipment was stolen. Only ten minutes later, they went back to their vehicle to find the windows smashed and all of their gear missing. A night of soaring highs turned into that of extreme lows as the realization of what had just happened dawned upon them.
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