Alternative metal band Motive Black release the full-length album Auburn on 10th February through AFM Records, and ahead of that comes new single new single ‘Caged’, featuring Korn‘s Ray Luzier, that’s out now.
You can check out the video here at RAMzine.
It was preceded by the title track’s release as a single, about which Motive Black front woman Elana Justin said “‘Auburn’ is a song that means a lot to me. It means so much that I was almost hesitant to put it out. I lost my sister to her battle with addiction. She was one of the smartest women I will ever know. She was a straight-A student who aspired to be a doctor. Addiction does not discriminate. I am angry that she will never realise her dreams.
“This song is about loss, struggle, rage, but mostly it’s about missing my sister and all of her potential. I will never laugh with anyone like I did with Mia. We need to end the stigma associated with addiction. People are meant to be loved, not judged. I miss Mia every day, and I will for my whole life.”
“She had beautiful auburn hair. Losing her forced me to re-examine my life and make significant changes. I went through a huge transitional period which included both ugly and beautiful experiences. The album is a wild ride through that journey of anger, mania, deep love, and self-discovery.”
In addition to the vocal prowess of vocalist Elana Justin, the album features Nick Rowe on guitar, bass and co-songwriting credits; drummer Ray Luzier (Korn) on six tracks; guitarist Marcos Curiel (P.O.D.) on the first single ‘Broken’; and special guest Carla Harvey of Butcher Babies on the song ‘Lift Me Up’. Harvey also co-starred in the video for that track and said: “I love collaborating with strong women on projects so when I was asked to add my vocals to ‘Lift Me Up’, I happily obliged. The result… An infectious tune, a new found friendship!”
More recently came ‘Fight Alone’ produced by Grammy-winner Nick Rowe (Bloodsimple, Vampire Weekend). “This song is about losing yourself in passion,” Justin said.
“Attraction is a powerful thing, it can be amazing, but also vicious. It can engulf you, and cloud your mind, but also awaken you in ways you never thought possible. Everything feels dangerous and so alive.” She added: “This song was super intense to create. It’s dark, vivid, and emotional. I felt really raw and almost animalistic when I was writing it. When Ray came in and added drums it brought everything to a new level that I believe only he is capable of tapping into.”
Luzier himself added: “Elana’s a very powerful, emotional singer. Her aggressive yet dynamic lyrics are refreshing to hear. I think this record is gonna turn a lot of heads. We really need great, fresh-sounding, new music like Motive Black, now more than ever!!”
The singles are available on digital platforms here and you can also check out accompanying videos here at RAMzine.
