Vancouver, Canada’s UTILITY PROVIDER is set to release their third full-length “Challenger” at the end of November 2024 produced with Nick Bergeron at Starport Studios (Langley, B.C.) with mixing and mastering by the renowned Michael Kraushaar at Little Red Studios (Vancouver B.C).
With a fresh new lineup, the band is excited to unveil this latest offering to newcomers of their sound along with their current fan following.
“I truly believe this album is going to blow our fans away. The writing is much stronger than in the previous releases and the production as a whole is miles ahead of them. What I love about this album is how each song has its own identity; its own sound, and its own story. There are definitely some surprises in store for our fans. One song that in particular stands out for me is “Independent Soul” because it sounds absolutely nothing like anything U.P. has put out before. I’m really excited to see what everyone thinks!” says vocalist Tyler Mayfield.
On this record, the band’s main ambition is to take fans on a unique, powerful, and intense listening experience. The overarching theme of “Challenger” is one of triumph over adversity and having the courage to throw off your “chains” (both physical and mental) and strike out on your own. UTILITY PROVIDER wants fans to be able to make a connection with the music and connect with them on a very personal level. They showcase this with a concept of a side “A” and a side “B”.
“Up until this album, all U.P songs were written in drop C tuning. The first 6 songs of the album stay in that same drop C tuning, however side “B” is written in A# tuning – it’s literally a whole new sound for our fans! The transition from side “A” to side “B” is marked by a beautiful instrumental track written solely by guitarist Chris Thomas called “Northern Storm”. We hope the listeners will enjoy this nuance within the album. We sure had a ton of fun recording it!” adds Mayfield.
Lyrically, the album “Challenger” was mostly penned by vocalist Tyler Mayfield who wants to tell a story. He elaborates:
“As the lead vocalist, I feel that it’s my duty to put into words the message that the music is trying to convey. There is a lot of teamwork between Chris and myself to get that right. So in this way, the lyrics don’t always necessarily reflect my personal life, but are more tailored to reflect the story within the music.”
With members individually influenced by different elements of metal. You will hear their sonic meshing of blues rock, prog metal, thrash, and grunge as they reveal their single and title track accompanied by a lyric video. The song itself is a mix of thrash and power metal with the guitars highlighted to give it that U.P. tone that Chris Thomas is known for. Lyrically co-written by Mayfield and Thomas, the track focuses on overcoming physical challenges with a fighting spirit.
Listen to the lyric Video for “Challenger” at https://youtu.be/eHdrDo2AD8Q
Recommended for fans of Mastodon, Devin Townsend, Alice in Chains, and Gojira, “Challenger” is due out on November 26th, 2024, and is available for pre-order at https://utilityprovider.bandcamp.com.
Show Dates:
Nov 21 – New Westminster, BC – Bully’s Studios – info w/ The Evan Williams Project, Stickman
Dec 20 – New Westminster, BC – Bully’s Studios – info w/ Mourning High, Assailant, Evan Way
Track Listing:
1. Broken Ghost Touches – 2:39
2. Humans – 4:23
3. Challenger – 5:08
4. Social Murder – 1:59
5. Killer Instinct – 3:36
6. Northern Storm – 1:13
7. You Know She’s Metal – 3:14
8. Loudest Voices – 4:47
9. Skin & Bones – 4:22
10. Independent Soul – 2:28
11. Scabs – 5:55
12. Controversy In Everything – 4:40
Album Length: 44:29
Album Band Line Up:
Guitar/backing vocals: Chris Thomas
Drums: Vadim Cartovenco
Lead vocals: Tyler Mayfield
Bass/backing vocals: Tyler Parsons-Mathieu
Live Band Line Up:
Guitar/backing vocals: Chris Thomas
Drums: Vadim Cartovenco
Lead vocals: Tyler Mayfield
Bass/backing vocals: Shayne Gold
More info: Facebook.com/utilityproviderband | Instagram.com/utilityproviderband | X.com/utilityboys
