Holding Sand

(english version below) Holding Sand évolue depuis 2007 entre rock violent et post-hardcore mélodique, et après 2 EP et 2 albums, a acquis une solide expérience de la scène auprès de groupes tels que Architects (UK), Biohazard (USA), Fishbone (USA), Mass Hysteria, Aqme, Black Bomb A, Tagada Jones, Ultra Vomit, Bukowski, Punish Yourself, Stereotypical Working Class, ou Fumuj, entre autres. Après un premier EP "Ebb & Flow" (2009) salué par les critiques et une tournée nationale prometteuse de plus de 30 dates, Holding Sand devient un quintet et sort en Mai 2010 un nouvel EP 5 titres "On Sleepless Nights" enregistré aux côtés de David Potvin (Lyzanxia, One-Way Mirror, Kilo…). Le groupe continue sa progression en dévoilant le clip du titre "On Sleepless Nights" (réalisé par Benjamin Cappelletti : My Own Private Alaska, Sidilarsen...), suivi de celui pour le single "The Future Belongs to Heartless Whores" réalisé par le chanteur Clément Horvath. En 2011, Holding Sand met en ligne dans la foulée un documentaire de 25 minutes "Holding Sand : Inside" (sur dailymotion) et lance en février une web-série auto-produite de 6 épisodes sur sa vie en tournée (sur youtube), appelée "The Holding Sand Chronicles", avant de retourner en studio en avril. Après les sorties couronnées de succès de leurs deux premiers EP, Holding Sand à sorti en janvier 2012 son premier album "Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid" via le label M&O Music. Il est disponible en ligne et chez tous les disquaires européens, américains et japonais, et son enregistrement a fait l'objet d'un Studio Report disponible sur la chaîne youtube du groupe (youtube.com/holdingsandmusic). Les clips des singles "Bound To Go Wrong" et "Float" permettent au groupe de promouvoir leur nouveau bébé et de repartir sur la route pour une nouvelle tournée en France et en Belgique au printemps 2012. Un documentaire de 20 minutes est mis en ligne peu après, dans lequel nous pouvons suivre les membres au fil des dates. Fin 2012, le groupe se fait un peu moins présent sur scène pour s'atteler à la composition de son prochain album. En 2013, Cyril Faichaud prend la place de Matthieu à la guitare, puis Holding Sand se sépare de son batteur Pierre et intègre Quentin Dabouis (ex-Mindslaved) derrière les fûts. Le groupe fait également le choix de quitter M&O et prévoit de sortir le prochain album en indépendant. Le groupe rentre en studio à Paris durant l'été 2014 avec Francis Caste (AqME, Bukowski, Kickback...). Le concept album "A Life Worth Memoirs" sort le 23 février 2015, et raconte la vie, la maladie et la mort d'un personnage au fil de ses 3 chapitres. Le premier, "Hell-Bent", fait l'objet d'un premier clip réalisé par le chanteur du groupe. Le personnage, représenté sur la pochette, est devenu un ami proche des membres, rencontré à la release party du premier EP en 2008 et qui a été d'une grande aide par la suite. -------------------------------------- Between violent rock and melodic post-hardcore, Holding Sand has been growing up pretty fast since 2007. Their music can be defined as a mix of powerful riffs and catchy melodies, carried by their unwavering energy and a massive sound. They toured with both international (Architects, Biohazard, Fishbone...) and national acts (Mass Hysteria, Aqme, Tagada Jones...). After they released their first EP "Ebb & Flow" (2009) greeted by the critics, and went on a promising national tour of more than 30 dates, Holding Sand got a fifth member and put out their new 5-tracks "On Sleepless Nights" in 2010. It was recorded by David Potvin (One-Way Mirror, Lyzanxia, Sexypop...). The quintet took things up a notch when they unveiled the music video for the song "On Sleepless Nights" (directed by Benjamin Cappelletti : My Own Private Alaska, Sidilarsen...) and the single "The Future Belongs to Heartless Whores" directed by their singer Clément Horvath. They quickly put a 25-minutes long documentary about the band online, called "Holding Sand : Inside", and launched on february 2011 a 6-episodes web-serie about their lives on tour called "The Holding Sand Chronicles", before hitting the studio again in april. After the success of their two first EP's, the band released their first album "Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid" in january 2012 through M&O Music. It is available for digital download and in european, american and japanese stores. The music videos for the singles "Bound To Go Wrong" and "Float" helped the band promote their new delivery and got them back on the road for a new national french tour in spring 2012. A documentary about the tour was released shortly after, on the band's youtube channel : youtube.com/holdingsandmusic. In late 2012, the band started to write their next album. Cyril Faichaud replaced Matthieu in 2013 and the band also changed its historic drummer Pierre for Quentin Dabouis. The group also chose to leave M&O and planned to release the next album on their own. They back got back in studio in Paris in the summer of 2014 with Francis Caste (AqME, Bukowski, Kickback ...). The concept album "A Life Worth Memoirs" was released on February 23, 2015, and tells the life, sickness and death of a fictionnal character throughout its three chapters. The first single, "Hell-Bent", got a music video directed by the band's singer. The character is depicted on the cover is in fact a close friend of the band members, that they met at the release party of the first EP in 2008, and who has been of great help ever since. -------------------------------------- Rock One (FR): 8 / 10 – “They’re gonna get huge !" Metalorgie (FR): Discovery of the month – “On Sleepless Nights” is good, real damn good !" Alternativ News (FR): "Holding Sand has all the influences needed to seduce us (...) The band knows his job (...) no wrong steps here, the best is yet to come for the band !" Core & Co (FR): "The band easily creates effective and ultra catchy melodies you can’t get out of your head (...) Really exciting." Addictive (FR): "Post-hardcore, metal riffs, catchy songs, rage and emotion, everything is in there... Respect !" AllGlorious (FR): "This record simply won’t leave my CD player. Holding Sand is one of the best discoveries of the year. " MetalSickness (FR): "Holding Sand has great emocore hits, and an incisive and tortured universe pretty well made." Metastases (FR), "The band shows an undeniable mastery of his subject if not, let’s not mince words, a real talent to keep the attention intact all along the listening. " Music-Scan (DE): 7 / 10 - "The quintet has an incredible sound!" Standup Webzine (DE): 8 / 10 - "A very good mix of energy and emotions." Ripple Music (USA): "Fantastic!" Binaural (ES): 8 / 10 - "Our French friends have a real gem, yes sir!" Riff (UK): 5 / 5 - "The best thing from France besides wine!" Alternative / post-hardcore band from Tours // Website : www.holdingsand.com // Merch store : http://holdingsand.bigcartel.com/