“The most engaging dark rock to come out since Joy Division last graced a stage.” – Disclosure Magazine“Genius as far as contemporary new wave/cinematic art-rock goes... An epic audio masterpiece.” – The Big Takeover
“Ever since Junius started rocking our headphones, we've been in a good place.” – The Boston Globe
Boston post-punk / post-rock (let's call it post-wave) quartet Junius is, as you read this, putting the finishing touches on its debut full length at Henson Recording with the help of production team Tom Syrowski and Kevin Mills (AFI, Weezer, The Bravery.) The band has holed up in the Hollywood studio for over a month, slaving over every detail of the album with the working title The Martyrdom of A Catastrophist. The forthcoming record is based on the life of controversial scholar Immanuel Velikovsky. Junius singer/guitarist Joseph E. Martinez, along with illustrator Matt Gauck, plans to release an accompanying graphic novel for the record.
Upon completing every last overdub and fader move, Junius takes to the road in its massive black albatross en route to its SAF Records/GSL showcase on October 18 in NYC during the CMJ Festival. See complete tour dates below.
Junius has slowly built up a strong following over the course of a pair of EPs and some very impressive live shows. Soon, the band's epic, dark sound will spread even further with the October release of a self-titled disc compiling the two previous records on Radar / SAF Records.
Boston has long been known as a breeding ground for renowned political dissidents as well as mind-expanding sonic adventurists. A legacy of great progressive labels (like Hydra Head, Tortuga and Big Wheel Recreation) and a harbor full of Earl Grey attest to that. Carrying in that tradition is Junius – at once an enigmatic letter-writing historical footnote (and political critic from the 1700's)as well as a rainy, Brit-inflected supernova of gigantic guitars, entrancing lights and erudite lyrics founded by Martinez, drummer Dana Filloon and guitarist Mike Repasch-Nieves.
The New England coast was first illuminated by Junius on Friday, February 13, 2004 at a sold out show at The Middle East in Cambridge, MA. Drawing upon influences as diverse as Failure, Hum, Sunny Day Real Estate and The Cure, Junius electrified the rapt audience with the spellbinding walls of dreamy guitars and alluring lights that have continued to define the band's signature aesthetic. Together with fellow Bostonians Seneca and Constants, the band formed the core of the Radar Recordings collective -- a community of self-funded progressive artists founded in 2002 -- which filled a void left behind when the aforementioned labels uprooted and expanded to warmer climes.
Shortly after releasing its first EP, the post-wave pioneers began a relentless touring regimen of multiple headlining and co-headlining North American tours to fan the flames of an already relatively blazing press. Junius played over 200 shows in 2005 alone, and spent nearly nine months on the road that year.
The songs which make up Junius's self-titled album were recorded by Will Benoit (of Constants), and mastered by Nick Zampiello (Isis, Converge, Pelican, Cave In.) Hailed as “genius” by The Big Takeover, Junius' work is borne of experiments in isolation and ascetism, including month-long stints in remote places including a storage facility in Texas, a farmhouse in Vermont, a cabin in Pennsylvania and a small room in the swamps of Louisiana. It's this austere approach that adds a weighty foundation of authenticity to the members of Junius as credible artists. Themes of forbidden knowledge, supernatural and extra-terrestrial phenomena, and religious mythology permeate Martinez's esoteric lyrics, while the group's music pushes sonic boundaries.
Junius' brutal itinerary extends well into 2008, with plans to hit Europe, Japan, as well as more North American dates to solidify their already solid fan base. Appearances on MTV's “On the Rise” and scores of “Most Anticipated Album” nominations have all but catapulted Junius to the forefront of the world's sight line. With this self-titled release, as well as the impending Martyrdom of A Catastrophist, the specter of the Junius enigma will loom heavier in the public's mind than ever before.
“This fiery Boston quartet displays the potential to emerge as the bridge between post-grunge and the future of alternative rock.” – Amplifier Magazine
“With high energy emanating out of a pensive sound, Junius punctures each track with unshakable singularity until it turns into something addictive and encompassing.” – Exclaim!
Junius Live:
09/27 Tempe, AZ The Sets
09/28 Tucson, AZ The Gnarwhal House
09/29 Albuquerque, NM Winning Coffee
09/30 El Paso, TX Zeppelin's
10/01 Abilene, TX Monk's Coffee
10/02 San Antonio, TX Roadside Icehouse
10/03 Austin, TX Red 7
10/04 Shreveport, LA Mia's Pub
10/05 Lafayette, LA Cafe Cottage
10/06 Mobile, AL The Blind Mule
10/09 Johnson City, TN The Hideaway
10/10 Greenville, NC The Spazzatorium Galleria
10/18 New York, NY Lit Lounge (SAF Records/GSL CMJ Showcase)
10/19 Boston, MA T.T. The Bear's
10/30 New York, NY Don Pedro's (W/ Circle Takes the Square)
10/31 Boston, MA Cambridge Elks Lodge
Junius Tracklisting:
Release Date: Oct. 9, 2007
Stream The Album HERE
01. [Elan Vital]
02. Hiding Knives
03. From The Isle of The Blessed
04. [Elan Fatale]
05. Forcing Out The Silence
06. [The Annunciation]
07. Blood Is Bright
08. A Word Could Kill Her
09. In The Hearts of Titans
10. At The Age of Decay (MP3)
On The Web:
www.juniusmusic.com
www.myspace.com/junius
www.radarrecordings.com
www.fanaticpromotion.com/current/junius.html
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