Montreal, QC-based low-fi rockers Astral Gates are back with their new single, “Devil In A Silk Dress”.
An all-familiar tale of a tantalizing woman who uses what she needs to get exactly what she wants, the supercharged rock hit “Devil In A Silk Dress” is told in a way only Astral Gates can. A heart-thumping anthem to the jezebel that fooled ‘us all,’ its lyrics spell out a defiant notion that we won’t fall prey to her trap — which is both equally worth rooting for as it is a knowing grin that this scarlet letter will charm her way into your arms, whether you like it or not.
The supercharged dance-rock and sure-fire hit is the result of coworkers Evan Falcone and Dan D’Urbano; formed in 2020, the duo were quickly defined by their innate songwriting prowess and equally enchanting production — ultimately coming together after a myriad of other meetings on their plate.
“We would book fake meetings with each other just to sneak in a half-hour brainstorm session about songs we had in the works,” they reveal. “The time spent collaborating after hours just wasn’t enough for us, I guess.”
The delivery on their debut EP scored the two tens of thousands of streams across global platforms, earning them legions of fans. They soon recruited the engineering talents of Dave Traina (The Damn Truth, Warner Music Publishing / Spectra Records) who would sign on as their dedicated drummer.
And now, their sophomore offering, EP II — set to drop this year — is a highly anticipated sequel for rock lovers. Their up-tempo, high-octane energy matches heavy percussion and stunning guitar solos, all with soaring vocals that all tie the project together.
“We have been a duo writing virtually pretty much since day one,” D’Urbano recalled in one interview, “so when COVID hit, people were like, oh my God, we can’t be in jamming; we can’t write as a band,; how are we gonna do this?
“We were sitting back saying: Really?! We have been doing that for the last two years!”
The subsequent music video for the track encapsulates the soul of Astral Gates; a pair of guys in different cities, writing rock music from the comfort of their homes before it all comes together in the studio. With the full band delivery, the song comes to life live-off-the-floor; a full-bodied rock concert moment captured at the historical Freq Shop studio in Montreal (home to JUNO nominated The Franklin Electric, The Damn Truth, and Storry).
Check out the video below, and find out more about about Astral Gates via our mini-interview.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
We’re Astral Gates, a rock band from Montreal, Quebec, and Mississauga, Ontario. We formed in 2020 as a duo including myself (Dan D’Urbano) and Evan Falcone. We met at a job in 2019 and when Evan went back to Ontario, we continued writing together and producing songs virtually. This year, we brought on several new band members to bring our music to the live stage: Dave Traina (drums, also of the Damn Truth), Dominic Carbone (Guitar), and Jay Guarascio (Bass). We’re in the process of releasing our 2nd EP and we’re already planning to record our 3rd EP as a full band this coming September.
Tell us about the recording process behind “Devil In A Silk Dress”?
The tune started off as a jam to the Queens of the Stone Age song “Medication” but took on its own sound from there. We picked a narrative that we thought fit the overall vibe of the instrumental and just kept chipping away at it until it came together. We’d revise the melodies and lyrics a few times, then we’d revise the drum arrangement, and so on until all the pieces came together and “Devil In A Silk Dress” was born. It was quite an organic process, to be honest. It just kept evolving as a tune.
What was the highlight of 2020?
Writing and producing EP2, and beginning the conceptualization/writing process for EP3. Evan and I are relentless songwriters. We both have catalogs of songs and song ideas in the hundreds, so for us, there is always another song in the works.
What do you hope to accomplish in your career in 2021?
We feel that we’re at a point where we are ready to get out there and bring our sound to the stage. The band is sounding fantastic and the ideas that our sprouting from the new “full band” chemistry is quite special. We’re hoping to get out there, play more shows and show people what we’re all about.
Is there anyone out there you’d like to collaborate or open/close a concert with in the future?
If we could pick anyone, it would probably be Queens of the Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys, Royal Blood, The Black Keys & Foo Fighters (to name a few of our heroes). Dreaming big here, why not? We’d also love to support our fellow Montreal friends in The Damn Truth one day!