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More than three years since their recorded output, Gouge Away hinted at what's to come on their third full-length Deep Sage with the surprise single drop of "Idealized" last year, and most recently with "Stuck in a Dream." Gouge Away move forward toward the release of Deep Sage (out March 15, 2024) with the powerful, introspective new single "Dallas." Gouge Away vocalist Christina Michelle comments on the track: "I wrote the lyrics to this song at a time when I was at absolute rock bottom and felt like there were no options left. I realized that I had subconsciously been seeking help by acting recklessly. When I realized behaving this way was hurting people who loved me, it made me recognize that I had to change, if not for myself, then for them." She continues, "The music for this song came to life while the guys were waiting for soundcheck to start in Dallas, TX. Years later, this song has gone through the most changes out of any of them but the phone recordings and demos were always referred to as 'Dallas.' So being nostalgic like we are, we kept the song title the same."
Deep Sage started coming together in 2019 during sound checks and in small pockets of downtime between tours. In early 2020, they demoed songs with Brok Mende in an unassuming storage unit in Orlando, FL. Gouge Away pulled influence not only from the nostalgia of the bands they grew up listening to, but also developed a sense of urgency, noise, and introspective lyrics they felt most represented them. Those demos helped shape the songs into the finished record that Deep Sage would become.
Everything came to a halt in 2020 when a full year of plans were canceled in an instant. With the rug pulled out from under them, their backs against the wall, and no way to change the situation they were in, the members of Gouge Away had no choice but to go on a hiatus. They moved to different parts of the country and focused on their personal lives, accepting that those songs were never going to see the light of day. However, the songs lived as files waiting to be rediscovered and every once in a while, they’d get the urge to listen to them again.
On New Year's Eve just before 2022, Gouge Away decided to reconnect and finish writing Deep Sage with Portland, OR becoming their new writing location. While everyone was in town for a writing session, Militarie Gun had a show down the street at Mano Oculta and invited Gouge Away to play a couple of songs during their set as a surprise. It was the first show Gouge Away had played in three years. Energized by the reaction, the band continued writing. They had an overabundance of material, slashing songs from the final tracklist left and right. They not only elaborated on the urgent and abrasive qualities they were known for but broadened their melodic traits, too.
Gouge Away entered Atomic Garden East in March 2023 with Jack Shirley at the helm, and recorded Deep Sage completely analog and almost entirely live. The band performed together in a live room while vocalist Christina Michelle was in an isolation booth, her vocals projected from a monitor so the band could hear her. The goal of recording live was to sound like five friends playing in a room together, just like where they started in Florida. Unpolished and far from being over-produced, this is what the heart of Gouge Away has always been.
Look for Deep Sage to be available on digital and physical formats on March 15, 2024 on Deathwish Inc. Pre-order / pre-save the album here and look for more news and music from Gouge Away soon.
Gouge Away, live:
June 30 Manchester, UK @ Outbreak Fest
July 6 Ieper, BE @ Ieper Fest
July 13 Cheltenham, UK @ 2000 Trees Festival
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