At some point in your life you just have to take account for your actions and face the music. Prophets of Addiction main man Lesli Sanders has taken that to heart. The band’s fourth album, Face the Music, is set for a release on 25th October via BraveWords Records. The first single, ‘Superhero’, from the upcoming album will be released 27th September.
Kicking things off with the downright dirty ‘Flavor Of The Danger’, the listener is immediately clued into what they’re getting with Face The Music, an album loaded with catchy late 70s inspired glam punk n roll riffs, powerful and emotionally resonant vocals and a clever lyrical output. ‘Let’s Get High’ sees the band slide slightly into a melodic goth route ala Sisters of Mercy. The song isn’t a drug reference, but a “recollection of the excitement that a new record would bring as a teenager and after the long wait finally able to hear it for the first time,” said Sanders. The band’s take on the Rod Stewart classic ‘Maggie May’ has been described as “nothing short of punk magnificence”. The band had the opportunity to play the track for drum legend Carmine Appice, who played with Stewart from 1976 – 1982. Appice was so impressed that he asked, “would you mind if I send this to Rod?” The album’s lead single ‘Superhero’ comes complete with a hook that won’t leave your head for days. “’Superhero’ is a song I have been sitting on for a few years and wasn’t going to record until the right musicians were put in place, realising the potential. I finally found that group of musicians,” the frontman stated.
Face the Music was recorded between 2022 and 2023 in Seattle, WA and Las Vegas, NV and produced, mixed and mastered by Phil Soussan (bass player for Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol etc). Drummer Wayne Stokely said of the album, “We wanted to make a classic 70s style rock n’ roll album without losing our raw and punky vibe, but with a modern 2024 production. There’s not a lot of records out there like this one, so I think we achieved our goal. The songs speak for themselves,” while Sanders added “This is the record I have been wanting to record for years. The feel is right, the musicianship is right, the songs are right and now the time is right for you all to give us your thoughts.”
Of the band’s signing with hotshot upstart label BraveWords, Sanders declared “We were looking for the right label and the search was extensive, the most important aspect to me was getting it out there for people to hear – otherwise, what’s the point, right?” while Stokely added, “I’ve known Tim and Giles for years now. Plus, I’m already signed to the label with another act so it seemed like a natural fit.”Prophets of Addiction featuresLesli Sanders (Lead Vocals, guitars), Phil Soussan (Bass, piano, mandolin, percussion, backing vocals), Wayne Stokely (Drums, backing vocals), Tchad Drats (Guitar, ebow, backing vocals, G.G. (Guitar, backing vocals) and Terry Bratsch (Acoustic guitar, electric steel, backing vocals).
Tracks featured on Face The Music are ‘Flavor Of The Danger’, ‘Let’s Get High’, ‘Slippin’ Away’, ‘Walk The World’, ‘Maggie May’, ‘Superhero’, ‘I Want You To Know, Hollywood, Wasted Tears, Last One In The Bar’ and ‘Take Me To Your Leader’.
