Official press release:
Multi-instrumentalist, veteran songwriter, and long-tenured guitarist of the Grammy-nominated rock outfit Stone Sour, Josh Rand and his The L.I.F.E. Project partner, co-songwriter and vocalist Casandra Carson have dropped new song, “Ignite” today, It is the second track to be released from their debut, self-titled EP which the duo announced today and will be released on July 9th. Pre-orders are available now exclusively here. Vinyl, CD and cassettes are all hand signed and numbered with an exclusive gold variant available only from Nuclear Blast and an exclusive glow in the dark variant available only from MerchNow.
“Ignite” is accompanied by a lyric video and pays homage to the heavy riffing of Korn thanks to the special guitar Rand used to play the song. In his own words, he says:
“‘Ignite’ is the first time I’ve written and recorded a song with a seven-string guitar. I got this guitar in a trade with Munky from Korn when we were out on tour with them 2017. I gave the song a Korn like vibe in the main riff as an homage to the band.”
Speaking on the lyrical content of the song, Carson (Paralandra) adds:
“‘Ignite’ is all about allowing yourself to be happy. Personally, sometimes I feel bad about doing well or having success when the people I love are having a rough time.”
“Ignite” follows the bands debut release “The Nothingness,” which was featured on several major playlists across streaming platforms including Rock Hard on Spotify, Breaking Metal on Apple Music, Break Through Rock on Amazon and Metal Radar on Deezer. The track was also included on SiriusXM Octane’s Test Drive the week it was released.
Nurturing the project from concept to execution, the instrumentation was written, arranged, recorded and produced by Rand in his home studio and mixed by Josh Wilbur (Korn, Megadeth, Lamb of God, Parkway Drive). Completing the collaborative effort with the addition of Carson, The L.I.F.E. Project presents an important milestone in an already decorated career for Rand, one that was punctuated with the addition of a one-of-a-kind vocal lead that understood how to compliment the music with her lyrical pen. The resulting introduction of The L.I.F.E. Project is a five-track EP that offers a complete presentation of a songwriter asserting his stride after more than two decades steeped in his craft. Building off the sonic stamp he established during his six albums, twenty-year tenure with Stone Sour, Rand’s current iteration holds true to his track record, without relying on it, all while penning a new chapter in his artistic anthology.
Stylistically, The L.I.F.E. Project is a fluid combination of classic metal sensibility and Rand’s penchant for pushing the boundaries of contemporary heavy. From the ethereal, cinematic soundscape of the piano-latent ballad in “Worthwhile,” to the sonic sledgehammer of “A World on Fire,” the broad spectrum resonates as especially impressive. Between Rand’s instrumental framework, accentuated by Carson’s ability to articulate poignant stanzas, The L.I.F.E. Project remains a passion project culminating in perfect collaboration.
The L.I.F.E. Project EP track list:
- “Ignite”
- “Purgatory”
- “The Nothingness”
- “Worthwhile”
- “A World on Fire”