Forged in the fire of excommunication, Texan transplants Tulip deliver their own brand of symphonic metal, spearheaded by ex-professional opera vocalist Ashleigh Semkiw, and Colin Parrish on guitar.
We’re not kidding here, they were apparently publicly shamed, ostracised and cast out of the church. In response to this, Semkiw and Parrish formed Tulip as an acronymic nod to their former faith; though we’re not quite sure what
Emerging together in September 2018, each member of the band has a credible CV a decade long in the telling. As noted, Semkiw had been a professional opera singer, Parrish an accomplished recording and mix engineer, while Brandon White has played with ONI throughout Europe alongside the likes of Children of Bodom and Lamb Of God, and Ryan Claxton has been a session musician in studios throughout the USA and into Canada.
Their self-titled debut EP contains five songs of symphonic metal with a modern groove-oriented twist. It was self-written, recorded and mixed by Tulip themselves, then mastered by Troy Glessner (Renowned for working with the likes of Devin Townsend, New Found Glory and Disturbed).
Following their first US tour with Swedish metal outfit Evergrey, Tulip recorded the forthcoming High Strangeness, an album featuring twelve tracks that are said to include ”bone crushing drums, searing guitars, masterful vocals, full orchestration and layered synths”, in part inspired by the writings of Whitley Strieber as they sought to create a musical pilgrimage into the unknown.
High Strangeness is due for release this spring, when they’ll be touring mainland Europe, as special guests to former Nigh Wish vocalist Tarja.
