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Gavel: Canadian Hardcore Group Strikes Hard on Two New Tracks

Photo: David Praph

Hamilton, Ontario's Gavel are premiering two new songs which see them refine their sound through an unconventional recording process. 

Producer Davis Maxwell had the band track drums for “Hold Me Down” and “Step by Step” live in the studio, instead of recording to a click track. The instruments and vocals were then recorded to the drums. “The result is a very organic-sounding product with minor imperfections, akin to a live performance,” says bassist Jordon McGovern. 

Fans of Backtrack and their early 2010s contemporaries will find a lot to like with the new Gavel material, which was released last week as a two-song promo. These songs are a sonic refinement from the band's previous EP, 2022's Bite, leading them in a more straightforward and cohesive direction:

“We're still working on a unique sonic identity” McGovern says, “but you can hear the consistency with these new tracks.” The songs are on the longer end of what you would expect from this style of hardcore.

Gavel use the lengthy run times to explore different dynamic avenues, but a greater focus on continuity makes these tracks their tightest work to date.

Seb Elbourne (Gazm, Category 514) did the art for the promo, which is a standalone release and not necessarily a teaser for any future project. The band has been writing for the last few months, however, and plants to record again in 2023.

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Gavel on social media: Instagram | Bandcamp

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Tagged: gavel