Messenger - Band

For all their youthful ambition, when London’s Messenger formed back in 2012, even the achievements the band have made in the ensuing three short years to where they stand now, on the verge of releasing their second full-length album for new label InsideOut, seem nothing short of remarkable. Not only is there the band’s acclaimed 2014 debut album Illusory Blues under the quintet’s collective belts, but a string of well received live performances, appearances at some of the rock world’s best known music festivals alongside some of the rock world’s best known names. They’ve even won awards. Today, as the band ready Threnodies, that second album, it seems such a far cry from April 2, 2014 when they performed their album launch party at Birthdays in Dalston. Along the way there’s been appearances winning over new fans at UK festivals Ramblin' Man Fair, Desertfest and Sonisphere, Spain’s Be Prog! My Friend festival, Holland’s Roadburn and the international floating progressive music event Cruise To The Edge. Messenger won the Limelight Award for new artists at the 2014 Progressive Music Awards and were nominated for the Classic Rock magazine Roll Of Honour. These are the kind of achievements many bands can only dream about. And yet one only has to listen to the seven new tracks that make up Threnodies to hear that Messenger are intent on taking their sound to wholly new sonic areas. Whereas Illusory Blues was made up of songs written by vocalist/guitarist Khaled Lowe, guitarist/vocalist Barnaby Maddick and drummer/producer Jaime Gomez Arellano, "Threnodies" sees fellow band members Dan Knight (guitars/keyboards) and James Leach (bass) also join in the band’s songwriting with quite startling effect. Psychedelic/Progressive rock quintet from London, UK "Limelight" Award Winners, Prog Awards 2014 "Best New Band" Nominees, Classic Rock Awards 2015