Official press release:
Los Angeles based label Sumerian Records is pleased to welcome In Motive. The band — made up of long-time Sumerian artists Lee McKinney (guitar/Born Of Osiris), Nick Rossi (guitar), Conor White (drums), plus newcomer Devin Barrus (vocals) — crafts a sound that ebbs and flows between progressive metallic intricacy and alternative infectiousness.
Check out both the official music video for the single “Revival” and the stream for the single “The Disconnect” here:
In late 2015, longtime friends Nick (ex-City In The Sea) and Lee (Born Of Osiris) found themselves both deep in writing mode for a new musical outlet. With a similar sound and goal in mind, they decided to collaborate. Conor joined the fold and the trio recorded multiple tracks with mutual producer Nick Sampson. On Halloween 2016, they uploaded one of the instrumental tracks on the Sumerian Records YouTube channel to see who would interlock seamlessly as a vocalist.
As the clip quickly cracked 140K views, one vocalist in particular stood out. Conor comments:
“Devin’s voice was the perfect contrast to the instrumentation. It was a subconscious thing. We just knew he would fit.”
Sampson adds:
“He brought in a unique element that we never expected. We wanted a singer whose voice you could identify with the band right off the bat. He was the best fit we could’ve ever found. Moreover, he felt the music the way we did.”
Without telling a soul, the group finished tracking the collection of songs with Sampson in Michigan before heading to Bakersfield, CA to track vocals with none other than hard rock legend Jonathan Davis of KoRn. Both producers pushed In Motive to bend and break boundaries. Rossi says:
“We’re super comfortable with Nick Sampson. He’s really tight with us and even played bass on the record. We’re all KoRn fans, and working with Jonathan was just incredible. To be able to hang with him and get insights into what he’s seen throughout his years in the industry and hear his opinion on our songs was unbelievable. He took our vision and helped us get to where we need to be.”
That initial YouTube video turned into “The Disconnect” – a song powered by warm tones and an unforgettable refrain (view Devin’s vocal audition video here). Meanwhile, the first single “Revival” builds from intergalactic six-string soundscapes into an entrancing chant punctuated by falsetto and fire.
Purchase “Revival” here and “The Disconnect” here.
Nick Rossi – Guitar/Keys
Lee McKinney – Guitar/Keys
Conor White – Drums
Devin Barrus – Vocals