Spider Island

Spider Island is a space rock band from Orange County, California. The group formed in 2011 when founding members Nathan Esch (lead vocals and guitar) and Sam Mulder (bass) wanted to start a new band. Second guitarist Donkus Jones joined the band in 2012, and the four-piece went into the studio to record the band's first serious release, a five song EP titled Dark Nova. Mario Tafoya was recruited on drums sometime after the EP came out and the band's sound became harder yet still dynamic. In early 2013, the band returned to the studio to record their first full length album, Morals of a Dead Wave, a highly conceptual album about a future revolution. Mario Tafoya, who played drums and sang harmonies, decided to leave the band after recording his drum parts. The band didn't want to have to spend a long time finding a technical drummer who sang, so they recruited Thorin Murphy-Falgren to the lineup so he could play keyboards, some guitar and do the necessary back up vocals the band needed. Tanner Bush became the new drummer a few months before the album release. The band's music can be described as energetic, sometimes bordering on psychedelic, with heavy guitars, powerful bass, and spacey keyboards. The band has performed at a variety of venues in Southern California, including The Glasshouse, Malones, The Jumping Turtle, the Viper Room, Chain Reaction, and the Whisky a Go Go. Morals of a Dead Wave was released worldwide on June 3rd, 2014 via Glowtooth Records. On December 19th, Spider Island was scheduled to play one final show. However, complications occurred and they didn't get to play. Nathan Esch left the band when he found out it was one of his own members who was the cause of not getting to play. In 2015, new projects came out of the split. Sam Mulder joined Joyous Wolf with Nick Reese (a friend of Spider Island's from a band called Carnival Seasons), and Nathan Esch released the TANE debut EP. Morals of a Dead Wave, the debut full length album is out now on iTunes and Spotify. Stream it at spiderisland.bandcamp.com