EPK – Woodhawk – Love Finds A Way (2025)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“We are over the moon to get this album out. Love Finds a Way is easily the hardest we have worked on an album to date. We poured our heart and soul into this one. It really is a journey of getting out of the darkness and into the light. Check in with your friends and loved ones. Hug the ones you love. Be nicer to each other. Love will always prevail and be stronger than anything else. After 10 years of being a band, I feel like we are still just getting started!” – Woodhawk
For fans of Black Sabbath, The Sword, Red Fang, Thin Lizzy, Priestess
Band: Woodhawk
Album Title: Love Finds a Way
Release Date: June 6, 2025
Label: Grand Hand Records
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“Calgary’s Woodhawk returns after five years with new album” – Calgary Herald
Top 30 Chart: Aug 8 – 14, 2025 – #16 – Woodhawk – CKUA Radio Alberta
“Love Finds A Way is a moving, introspective, and incredibly honest trek. Doubts and regrets are aired like candid confessions… The music moves the sentiment of these nine songs with a crisp, stalwart beat from drummer Kevin Nelson and robust bass rhythms from Mike Badmington (who also shares vocals throughout the album).The flow is undeniable in the closing number “Killing Time,” which is to me the gem of the collection. It’s about being gaslit in a relationship, waking up, and rediscovering a sense of self and is just so thoughtfully written from the catchy beat to the vocal phrasing and the guitar solo and addition of the piano… While I’ve made much to-do about the lyrical force of the album, it takes every member of the band to really pull it off and make us believers. Woodhawk is working like a well-oiled machine one EP and three albums into their career, making this a wholly convincing spin track after track.” – Doomed and Stoned
“Woodhawk built a reputation for themselves in the stoner scene, however you wouldn’t necessarily call Love Finds A Way a generic stoner record. There are certainly some fuzzy riffs, however the sound is more of a conglomeration of classic blues rock, some old-fashioned NWOBHM energy and a liberal sprinkling of 90s hard rock (especially in the vocals). But, the main thing that dominates is the GROOVE. With some frenetic guitars, an intense rhythm section and some funky keyboard action, groove is not only in the heart, it’s in the lungs, the kidneys, and the reproductive organs. Hell, it’s running more rampant through the body than a particularly virulent dose of the clap. With all but 3 of the songs clocking in over 5 minutes, these guys have the time and space to track down a killer groove and nail the little bastard down tight. A great album that gets better with each listen. As Haddaway once asked, ‘What is Love?’ …this is! 4.5/5″ – Metal Epidemic
“Love Finds A Way is so damn catchy. Some of these songs will get very stuck in your head, and these guys understand melody, combined with hard rock, as well as any of the best bands out there. There is a bluesy feel at some points and a grunge vibe during others, but regardless of what you label it, this is some killer heavy rock… Love Finds A Way is some next level heavy rock. I hesitate to call it stoner rock, just like I would not call Valley Of The Sun stoner rock, but Woodhawk have created something special with the nine songs on their third, and best record to date. Love the vocals, love the riffs, love the organ, love the emotion, and love Love Finds A Way. 9/10″ – Musipedia of Metal
“One of Canada’s best Stoner Rock bands WoodHawk make a welcome return with Love Finds A Way where the band play a more amplified style of Heavy Rock music with focus primarily on melody and aggression. Taking up the LOUD RAWK mantle of bands such as THIN LIZZY, THE SWORD, BLACK SABBATH and LED ZEPP. WoodHawk bring a soulful and highly energetic style of Classic Blues Rock into the mix… WoodHawk impresses on every level with Love Finds A Way which allows this record to be their best album yet which you will be listening to for a very long time to come. Add this record to your collection and if you’re a fan of Old School Heavy Rock then this is the place to be. Outstanding. End Of.” – Outlaws of the Sun
“From the raucous energy of trangers Ever After to the moody, keyboard-tinged doom of The Unholy Hand, the album is consistently engaging. It’s a banger from start to finish, successfully blending hard rock thunder with a sense of tender vulnerability. Love Finds A Way is a highly recommended listen for any fan of heavy, melodic rock. It captures Woodhawk not just as skilled musicians, but as evolved songwriters who have crafted their finest and most relatable album yet.” – Alt Yeg Music Magazine
“Love Finds A Way is an album that cements the trio as first-class songwriters. The doom/stoner elements of the band’s earlier outings remain infused in their DNA, but they’ve been augmented with a genuinely striking ability to pen tunes that sink into your brain. These songs straddle the worlds between biting hard rock and heavy metal thunder, while carrying an almost poppy sense of tender vulnerability. The long wait was absolutely worth it. This album is a banger.” – The Sleeping Shaman
“Stoner rockers’ Woodhawk have just dropped their new single “Strangers Ever After” and it ROCKS! Heavy, driving and just spot-on as a great selection for the first single from their forthcoming 3rd album “Love Finds A Way” which is slated for a June 6th release (we’ve also had the opportunity to preview the new album and it’s pretty amazing). In the meanwhile, you can catch “Strangers Ever After” on your Home for the Best New Rock… W-J-O-EEEE” – WJOE – Findlay’s Home for Rock & Roll
“Even though “Love Finds A Way” opens up energetically as usual with ‘Grave Shaker’ and ‘Strangers Ever After’, the tension between the tried and tested band sound and further development soon becomes audible. On the one hand, the album sounds typically like WOODHAWK, we listen to heavy rock with a clear stoner side and rich guitar riffs, but on the other hand, the record seems more mature and serious. 8/10″ – PowerMetal.de
“Calgary trio Woodhawk have got that swing on their new single “Strangers Ever After,” which is the first single to come from their aspirationally-titled new album, Love Finds a Way, due out June 6 on Grand Hand Records. There’s classic-style, organ-enhanced boogie meeting with a modern production and tonal fullness, all aligned around a central push and tense sections of chug — skillfully wrought, melodic, clear in its intention to engage but not without expressive purpose either. It keeps its balance after spinning around in a few circles, and the solo is class before the bluesy verse returns to round out. Been six years, but that happens sometimes. Cool to have a new one coming from these guys either way. ” – The Obelisk (2025)
“Psychedelic Stoner Rockers WOODHAWK return from a six year slumber with their upcoming and absolutely stunning new album Love Finds A Way. With swirling Psychedelic melodies married with Grunge, Doom and heavy groovy soundscapes, this sees the band in inspired form.” – Outlaws of The Sun (2025)
“Woodhawk from Canada immediately conjures up appealing associations, with both stoner and seventies hard rock. It is catchy, can hold the tension quite well, and is skillfully performed… The songs themselves are often really strong as a whole; beautiful lines, catchy hooks and just enough variation in the arrangements, with a very fine sense of timing. An album that certainly deserves a serious listen.” – Rockportaal (2025)
“THE ÜBER ROCK SINGLES CLUB DAILY PICK – WOODHAWK – STRANGERS EVER AFTER” – Uber Rock (2025)
“Love Finds A Way is a ravishing and excellent album from start to finish. The three-piece band joins a list of fantastic bands emerging from the Great White North. Woodhawk are in the top tier of quality for hard rock bands from Canada.” – Jam Yeti Music Blog
“Their brand of this style sounds far more refreshing and has a modern rock ‘n roll kind of aura to go along, slightly ringing in signs of alternative influence. The end result is as if Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy had a child born in the age of Chevelle. With that said, this is immaculate. ” – Indy Metal Vault (Violent Nature – 2019)
“this is really the kind of rock that fans of classic U.K. metal in the ’70s will be instantly taken with. Sounds really good turned-up really loud, which is always a good test.” – Vancouver Sun (Violent Nature – 2019)
“Violent Nature kicks off with the slithering riffs of “Snake in the Grass,” which comes crawling up slowly before striking with a venomous fuzz-riffy attack, and a soaring, fist-raising chorus. “Weightless Light” gets my head nodding right away with a solid stoner rock riff, while giving off a pretty decent Monster Truck vibe in the chorus – I can see why they made it the pre-release single.” – Hellbound (Violent Nature – 2019)
“This is what music is about. When you put yourself out there, you connect with others on a deeper level and that’s always a win.” – The Music Below (Violent Nature – 2019)
“Violent Nature surpasses their debut and then some; the Rocky Mountain trio have harnessed the best of the past, given it a fresh coat of paint, made me smile and just enjoy rock and roll in its purest form…” – The Sleeping Shaman (Violent Nature – 2019)
“going by the lead single “Weightless Light” it seems like whatever they’re making the songs about, Woodhawk still bring the same sense of songcraft to their material, which is always good to know.” – The Obelisk (Violent Nature – 2019)
[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]
Band: Woodhawk
Album Title: Love Finds A Way
Release Date: June 6, 2025
Label: Grand Hand Records
Track Listing
1. Grave Shaker – 4:41
2. Strangers Ever After – 4:24
3. Truth Be Told – 7:21
4. White Crosses – 6:10
5. The Unholy Hand – 5:21
6. No Place For Hate – 5:18
7. Love Finds a Way – 6:16
8. Relapser – 4:52
9. Killing Time – 8:37
Album Credits:
All songs performed by: Woodhawk
All songs written by: Woodhawk
Produced by: Jesse Gander
Mixed by: Jesse Gander
Mastered by: Jason Livermore
Album Artwork by: Mark Kowalchuk
SOCAN MAPLWoodhawk is:
Turner Midzain – Guitar & Vocals
Mike Badmington – Bass & Vocals
Kevin Nelson – Drums
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About The Album Artwork:
It was the concept of how small we all can be in the grand scheme. This hand is holding an orb, inside which is a guy who appears lost, just holding a lantern as he gazes upon this vast landscape. Just finding his way through. Isn’t that true of all of us in life?
But through all this, being in the orb, bubble, world, whatever..love finds a way. Love always prevails and wins. It’s what keeps us driven and what we work the hardest for. Love.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
It’s a journey through the last couple years. All of us went through some hard times and to no surprise the pandemic wasn’t much better! We weren’t really sure if we would continue being a band or not. But we prevailed and are stronger than ever. It’s about love and friendship. And getting through things together. Checking in on your loved ones and friends.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
1. Grave Shaker – This one is about change. Growth through the years. And sometimes you outgrow the patterns you were in, the people you surrounded yourself and the habits you had. It’s an evolution. It can be very uncomfortable to change who you are. It’s a huge leap of vulnerability. But being true to yourself and keeping your head up.
2. Stranger Ever After – Through changes and growth, sometimes you lose people along the way that were once very close to you. Be it a partner, spouse, friend etc. Someone who was once your closest person can become the opposite if you grow in different directions. And maybe after all, we were just better off being Strangers.
3. Truth Be Told – This was a breakthrough of just saying how I felt. Up until this point, I wasn’t being honest with myself on how I felt, who I was, and who I wanted to be. This is kind of a farewell to the past and welcome to the future. Sometimes the truth hurts.
4. White Crosses – This is the death of a friend, relationship or even marriage. ‘How did we end up here? Is this what we hoped for?’
No one ever expects to go their separate ways. No one gets into something with the plan to get out. And through any separation or grief, you pass these moments and memories along the way. Sort of like the little white crosses we see planted along the roadside where someone lost their life. Little reminders of what was. Gone but not forgotten.
5. The Unholy Hand – The remnants of something fallen and destroyed, only to be built back up again. This higher power, that yields good or bad. All within and without our control.
6. No Place For Hate – This one is a little more on the nose. The world we live in feels like it has just become more filled with hate, homophobia, transphobia, racism and bigotry. We all have 0 tolerance for this. We try to not ever be a political band, but this just felt really important to us and flowed naturally. Love one another. It’s way harder to hate than it is to love.
7. Love Finds a Way – This was a triumphant song that was a coming of age for us. Love is at the heart of everything. And if you love something, set it free. It will come back to you if it’s meant to be. This really embodied so much of how I felt and how we as a band felt. We had to hit a bit of a pause on our band to see if we still wanted to do it. Lots had changed and were still changing. But at the end of the day, we are 3 very close friends, and that is so important to us. We felt like our love for each other really kept us together, and found a way for all of us. We are genuinely closer as friends than ever before.
8. Relapser – This was an honest take on feeling like you have grown up and evolved and become better. Only at the same time to feel like you easily fall into old habits and patterns again that you tried so hard to escape. It drags you back down, and it feels like you must start all over again.
9. Killing Time – It started as a lot of self-reflection and feeling quite lost. I felt really gaslit in a previous relationship, and it took me a while to really snap out of it and see what was going on. But also trying to navigate my way back to who I am and who we are as people. Does anyone care? Do I still care? Or are we just killing time? I really wanted this to be a farewell to the old and a door opening to what was ahead. And if it was the last song people ever heard of our band, then I felt it was the best way to possibly say goodbye.
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Fun Facts – Story Angles
1. In 2016, when we were recording our first LP, Beyond The Sun, we were in Vancouver at Rain City Recorders. We were maybe a couple days into it, and our producer stops after one of the takes and says, ‘Turner, you need to check your phone. Someone is trying to get a hold of you to open for Airbourne tomorrow night!’ So I checked my phone and he was right. And within a couple of phone calls, we were set up to play the Commodore Ballroom the next night to open up a sold-out show for Airbourne. We still tracked all day and the next day. Then loaded up, played the coolest show ever, and went back the next day to the studio to keep tracking like that blur of a gig hadn’t even happened.
2. We were touring Canada in Spring 2018 and made our way out to Ontario. Most of the weather thus far had been fine. Mild spring weather. On our way back around the Canadian shield to head to Thunder Bay and make our trek home, we stopped by Turner’s grandmother’s house in Barrie, ON. We had to have only been there for 45 minutes. At this time, a wild snowstorm blew in, and we got stuck at the bottom of a large hill near the lake. We had to get towed up to the top, drive through what felt like a foot of snow in our not-so-great van and trailer. Only to get to the highway…to find out it was closed due to the storm and an accident. From there, not wanting to miss any shows, we detoured back south, then over to North Bay. All the while, our heat in the van dies. We bundled up in sleeping bags and ponchos to get through it. This was the WORST drive we have ever taken to date.
3. In 2020, we all either quit our jobs, got fired, or took an indefinite leave of absence to spend our time on the road touring our album, Violent Nature. We were booked for all of Canada, Europe, and the USA to follow. Within days of paying our gear deposit for Europe, about to book flights and leave the next day for the Canadian tour, the pandemic fully shut everything down. Somehow, 2 of us managed to save our jobs. One of us is not so lucky. We saw so many of our friends and peers get stuck out on tours and have to travel home safely during the pandemic. We were so lucky that it could have happened to us, but we avoided it by a little over 24 hours.
L to R: Kevin Nelson (Drums), Turner Midzain (Vocals/ Guitar), Mike Badmington (Bass/ Vocals)
Portrait by Mark Kowalchuk
Formed in Calgary, Alberta, in 2014, Woodhawk swiftly emerged as a formidable presence in the Canadian rock scene. With their debut album Beyond the Sun dropping in 2017, the trio—comprising Turner Midzain on guitar and vocals, Mike Badmington on bass, and Kevin Nelson on drums—immediately garnered attention with their distinctive fusion of classic hard rock and modern stoner metal.
Their music, characterized by infectious grooves and memorable hooks, captivates audiences and has earned them a devoted fanbase. Following the success of their sophomore release, ‘Violent Nature,’ in 2019, Woodhawk continues to push boundaries and captivate listeners with their upcoming 2025 album, ‘Love Finds a Way,’ set to further solidify their status as one of Canada’s most exciting rock acts. With electrifying performances and a sound that marries nostalgia with innovation, Woodhawk remains a force to be reckoned with, poised to leave a lasting mark on the music landscape.
Discography:
2025 – Love Finds a Way
2019 – Violent Nature
2017 – Beyond The Sun
2014 – Self Titled EP
Shared Stage with: Airbourne, In Flames, Elder, Truckfighters, Metz, The Shrine, Sandrider
Tours and Festivals:
2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 – Sled Island Calgary
UP+DT – 2016 + 2017 (Edmonton)
Endorsements:
Los Cabso Drum Sticks 2014-Current
Heartbeat Hotsauce 2017-2022
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