Plenty of bands have attempted to fuse elements of New Wave and metal (see pretty much every nu-metal band's Eighties cover), but few have done it with as much prog-rock dexterity and forward-looking nuance as Four Stroke Baron. The trio — vocalist-guitarist Kirk Witt, bassist Keegan Ferrari and drummer Matt Vallarino — is set to release its upcoming studio full-length, Planet Silver Screen, November 9th via Prosthetic Records (you can pre-order it here), and it's a wild ride full of synthpop crooning, knotty riffage, moody electronics and a guest "blackjazz" saxophone solo by Shining's Jørgen Munkeby. Four Stroke Baron's latest single, "Cyborg Pt. II: The City," is prototypical of the album, from its virtuosic playing to its retro-futuristic vibe.
"The very first song we ever wrote as a band was 'Cyborg' from [our] EP," says Witt. "For our label debut, we wanted to pay tribute to the earlier material — so we took the verse melody from the original 'Cyborg,' and turned it into the chorus for 'Cyborg Pt. II.' Thematically, the lyrics are part of an ongoing story that we plan to continue in the future. The finishing touch on the song was the talk box solo, which we think fits the theme of the song and makes it stand out in its own unique way."
Check out "Cyborg Pt. II: The City" above, and Planet Silver Screen's title track below.
