Conquer Divide and Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group have released the band’s lead single from their upcoming new studio album. This past weekend, Sirius XM’s Octane”featured “Atonement” in their celebration of Women’s History Month. Today, the single is available for streaming on all DSPs, and can be heard below.
In discussing “Atonement,” drummer Sam Landa offers, “The word atonement is about making reparations; about seeking forgiveness; about feeling sorry for something you’ve done and hoping to make things right. In the context of this song, it’s too late for that - the damage has already been done and there’s no going back. The song tries to capture the feelings of betrayal, of being left high and dry by people who wanted to take the easy way out. The emotions really explode in the breakdown, and the progression mirrors how situations like this can build up in real life. There’s a kind of calm before the storm, and then another sense of calm after. ‘We don’t know who you are’, and we’ve accepted that - just don’t try to come back and beg for forgiveness when you’ve exhausted all of your chances.”
Singer Kia Castillo reflects, “Touring is hard for a lot of people, and between all the other hardships and straight up bullshit we've been through as a band, it can sometimes be easier to give up rather than stick it out together. This is actually really common in all music groups, because a lot of times people join for the wrong reasons. We have weathered amazing storms as a group, and become best friends in the process; we are all really proud of how far we've come now that the fairweather friends are gone. So, this song goes out to anyone who thinks this life is all fun and games, because at the end of the day it's actually one of the hardest jobs we've ever had.”
The five-piece band hailing from the US, UK and Canada have made a steady progression from their melodic metalcore inspired roots, maturing into a formidable hard rock act, nearing the end of their first decade together. In 2020, featuring a re-tooled all female lineup consisting of Kiarely Castillo (vocals) Janel Duarte (vocals, Bass) Kristen Sturgis (guitar), Izzy Johnson (guitar) and Sam Landa (drums), they returned to the studio with 2x Grammy nominated producer Tyler Smyth (Falling in Reverse, I Prevail) and 4x RIAA certified gold record producer Joey Sturgis (Asking Alexandria, The Devil Wears Prada, Of Mice & Men).
They came back with a bang, moving in a more accessible direction with the release of "Chemicals". The song peaked at #23 on the Hard Rock Indicator Billboard chart, and amassed almost two million streams on Spotify. A week later, they released a hard-hitting cover of “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish, which quickly accumulated 1.5 million streams and went into regular rotation on Sirius XM Octane.
By the spring of 2021, their next effort marked a stark departure from the sound they honed on their debut, showing their softer side with the mainstream and surprisingly poppy single “Messy.” The track exhibits a maturation of their songwriting ability, with clever wordplay and instantly memorable pop tendencies. It was added into regular rotation on Sirius XM Octane, reached #6 on the Foundations Chart, and became number one most added to the Billboard Hard Rock Indicator Chart.
Guitarist Izzy shares, “Our music over the years has become so versatile. Our next album stays true to our metalcore roots but branches out to softer songs, heavy songs and everything in the middle. We understand that people can have a variety of music tastes (like we do) from pop to metal, why not have it all in one place? There really is something for everyone.”
The band’s emerging global fan base emanates from their power as a band. It is not defined by gender, but a body of work that is connecting with males and females alike. It’s this groundswell that led to Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group aligning with Conquer Divide. An affirmation that this collective is on the verge of prominence, standing shoulder to shoulder with likeminded musicians redefining the rock space. They honor the legacy of those who came prior, while also making an emphatic statement to all they encounter that rock truly does live circa 2022.
Conquer Divide is managed by Wild Justice Management. Their hard work and efforts put forth as an independent band consistently charting amongst their signed peers sets the stage for great things to come in alliance with this new partnership with Mascot Label Group. Signed by North American President of the company Ron Burman, the girls are excited to partner with a company that allows them to express their creative vision and stay true to their roots, as well as one that has such a long-standing history with successful mainstream rock acts.
“We’ve all grown so much since our first record. We did a lot of introspection and soul-searching about which creative direction to take the band in next, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on. There will be something for everyone on our sophomore album.” states guitarist Kristen Sturgis.
Conquer Divide has announced two planned tours. The band's live itinerary can be found here.
