DYATLOVE is a passionate foray into the realm of morose singer-songwriter overtones set alongside heavy music. A wide array of influences drives the diversity of Vancouver, Canada’s quartet, who don’t feel the need to pigeon hole into a particular genre. From sad songs to crushing sludge metal to 2-minute hardcore songs, DYATLOVE conveys emotion and brings the heavy with drop A tuning. Today, we’re pleased to give you the full stream of their diverse debut EP offering, along with full track by track commentary and their thoughts on local scene in Vancouver.
Starting individually, the band works on riffs and ideas, eventually bringing them together to be fleshed out further. As full believers of limitless creativity, they don’t tie themselves to classic song structures. The lyrics come from many places, some are stories, some are personal experiences. There are songs about love of family, songs about loss, songs about anger and songs about struggles and addictions. Although varied in subject matter they all have one thing in common, feeling.
Performing with the same intense passion and emotion that they bring to the jam space, Dyatlove intends to really connect to their fans, and show what their songs mean to them. With Rob Sheldrick (drums) and Justin Lacey (bass), the quartet delivers with an infectious openness and energy. Their self-titled, debut EP is being released on May 29, 2020 with the cassette version being released by Coup Sur Coup Records that will feature an exclusive bonus track ‘Die! Kill! Pig!’.
“Dyatlove” was self produces and was engineered and mixed by Matt Roach at Rain City Records. The songs were written by Sam Caviglia and Rikki Jennings-Buford and were performed by Sam Caviglia (Guitar/Vocals) Rikki Jennings-Buford (Guitar) Justin Lacey (Bass) and Rob Sheldrick (Drums/Piano). The trumpet solo on Old Haunts was written and performed by Jay Phelps (Trumpet) The album will be released independently by Dyatlove on all major streaming sites. A tape release will be put together by Coup Sur Coup records, on that release, there will be an additional song (DIE, KILL, PIG) which will be released digitally at a later date.
𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑏𝑦 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑦
Pass The Heavens – Pass the heavens is the most progressive song we have on the EP we really tried to work the dynamics of heavy and pretty in this song. Lyrically the song speaks to the despair of wanting more and not feeling good enough but not knowing how to go about it. Something that everyone can relate to.
Empty Lungs – This is the first song Sam and I wrote together and what we felt the band was going to sound like moving forward. I feel like it is classically the heaviest song on the EP with the least amount of lyrics. At the time we really wanted the drone and doom to be the appealing factor and initially thought of having no lyrics on it at all. As we starting jamming it more we realized we are going to be a band with vocals and we should embrace Sam’s talents rather than dismiss them just because.
Fragile Fixation – This is the single and we shot a music video for this song. Sam had gone away for a bit on a getaway and came back with the idea for this song. Once we all heard the lyrics and the vocal melody we knew it was one that would be the more classically structured songs but also the song that most people would gravitate to right away. Lyrically it is about the pull of depression and not knowing how to get out of it and how it can take over your entire frame of thinking. Understanding you are hurting people but not knowing how to get out of it.
Old Haunts – The final song on the EP and the most diverse. It is kind of the evolution of the band. It starts off with just Sam and I, guitars and vocals, then process into a full band. In part 3 it gets really pretty and emotional. Fun fact, the trumpet solo at the end of the song is played by Jay Phelps, my cousin and jazz musician from London UK. Lyrically it begins dealing with the crushing anxiety that can come with loneliness and again progresses into the feeling of hope that you can overcome these feelings and you can put them to rest once and for all. The music follows the lyrical content. As it starts dark and heavy it then gets uplifting as lyrically he is lifting himself out of the dark hole he found himself it. It then transitions into the pretty part as he says goodbye to the Old Haunts that kept those depressive cycles going.
Continued below…
This record is documentation of us growing as a band. Where we started from to where we are going. Empty Lungs is the first song Sam and I wrote together and the idea to throw Old Haunts on the EP was very last minute, with the push from Matt Roach at Rain City recorders. As we began the recording process we could tell there was a very distinct vibe happening with all the songs we had going into it… except for one. The day before going in to track drums we made the call to add Old Haunts but still record the other song and release it separately down the line… So be ready for a new single soon!
With Old Haunts we wanted to some added instruments rather than the standard guitars and drums. I have a cousin in London, UK who is an accomplished musician (Jay Phelps) he was in town late last summer and was interested in what I had going on musically. Once he heard the early Old Haunts demo’s he knew that was the song he wanted to get on. We feel like it definitely worked out for all of us!
Overall this EP is about struggles.
𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ. 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠, 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑓𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑦𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑑, 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑡 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡.
We try to make music that is relatable to those people. The music itself is emotional and that ties in with the lyrical content.
Originally the plan was to release the EP, set up the release show, and try to play as many local shows as possible to build a bit of hype before trying to tour extensively in 2021. With the times we are in we have spent a lot more time digitally, getting our music out to websites and social media pages. The plan is to play as many shows as possible once life gets back to normal as playing live is what we all truly love to do. It feels like this quarantine life has lit a fire under people to get out and support the arts once we are able to again. I think we start to take advantage of the fact that there was always someone playing, always a local band trying to put on shows and we became a bit numb to it all… Now we are all starting to appreciate what the arts do for us as humans.
Live shows
We had a couple of shows in Vancouver in the late spring-early summer and had some in the works for the fall. The show in June has been canceled but the July 17th show is still up in the air. Everything just seems really uncertain at the moment and we are crossing our fingers we can be back on stages soon! Contact us if you want us to play your city!!!
Vancouver local scene:
There were always shows going in Vancouver, but the city continues to shut down art spaces and venues so it’s getting more and more difficult for upcoming bands to book. The few venues usually get booked up quickly by the bigger touring acts. The bands in the scene are super friendly with each other and we have felt nothing but support by all the acts we have played with.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑦 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑐 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡.
With the Covid 19 lockdown it truly seems like the underground swell of love is bubbling and I know for a fact the people will be out to support and buy merchandise the MOMENT they have the chance. This is a trying time for all arts but coming out of it we will all be stronger as a community.
Other records and singles worth a check:
State Faults – Clairvoyant – 2019
Gouge Away – Consider B/W Wave of Mutilation – 2020
Holy Fawn – The Black Moon – 2020
Spotlights – We Are All Atomic – 2020
Hesitation Wounds – Chicanery – 2019
Sparta (set of singles) Empty House, Believe, Miracle – 2020
Phoebe Bridgers – Garden Song (single) 2020
Slow Mass – Music For Ears 2 – 2020
Kvelertak – Splid – 2020
Frail Body – A Brief Memoriam – 2020
Bright Eyes – Persona Non Grata (single) 2020Get into all these bands and albums!!! Amazing art is all around.
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