Rodeo

Once more with attitude: April Art have set out to do nothing less than change the world. That may seem bold, true, but you know what: They have the songs to back this attitude. It’s a modern metal sensation like no other, emerging from the underground and led by sparkling frontwoman Lisa-Marie Watz. In, fact, April Art have risen so rapidly in recent years that it could make you feel dizzy just by watching them. Now, however, the time has come for the big leap, for their breakthrough: their third album “Rodeo” unapologetically changes into the fast lane, speeding away from everyone else with huge hits, a brutal bite and peerless power. Trigger warning: a German band hasn’t sounded this explosive, this hungry, this insatiable for a very long time. “Our music stands for hope,” says the German band. “We want to give strength and courage to believe in yourself and in life. The more people realise that they can take their lives into their own hands, the less room there is for hatred and envy.” April Art deliver this important message in the best possible way – with uplifting, electrifying, euphoric music somewhere between modern metal and alternative rock. The band are just as averse to blinkers as they are to racism, homophobia or division, spicing up their energising brew with flavours ranging from pop to rap and electro. “Rodeo” gives us all wings. Let’s soar together. In 2022 and 2023 alone, April Art earned two million streams on Spotify, appeared on WDR Rockpalast and will be on stage at the legendary Wacken Open Air this year. 

All this, mind you, without a major label, patrons or big partners backing them! And what for? This band knows best what it wants. And they want it now. “At school, we would probably have been called nerds,” laughs singer Lisa-Marie. “But jokes aside: we’re hard-working as shit. The band is incredibly important to each and every one of us. And a very important fact is that we’re all close friends, too. At heart, we are three little boys and a little girl who want to fulfil their dream.” With “Rodeo”, this dream is finally within reach: years of work, of honing their craft, great sacrifice, small gigs, poor catering and litres of blood, sweat and tears have brought the band to this point of no return. Now, April Art jump. And they jump damn high. Their songs are criminally catchy. Powerful when they have to be and gentle when they need to be. Fat breakdowns here, irresistible grooves there, big choruses and penetrating melodies. Anthems for a new era, for a changing of the guard in an industry that is still far too male-dominated. Personified dynamite Lisa-Marie Watz sees this as an incentive at best. She takes control of the situation, one gig at a time. It is a rare sight to behold to witness so much attitude, charisma, power and energy combined in only one singer. She proudly shouts “Not sorry!” in the face of the patriarchy – and simply blazes her own trail if there isn’t one for her yet. With flaming red hair, an ecstatic performance and a voice somewhere between Lizzy Hale, P!nk and Janis Joplin, between emotion and filth, she makes it unmistakably clear that April Art are here to stay. So you better get used to it. “A lot has to happen here,” she says, addressing the still heavily masculine selection of bands at rock and metal festivals. “But of course that won’t happen overnight. There is a lack of role models.” She grins: “I'm working on it, alright?” Her band’s journey so far has not been a walk in the park, but she doesn’t want to sugarcoat this at all. “We really had to invest a lot of time, suffer a lot of setbacks – and most of the time you find yourselves exclusively among men. You have to be up for that as a woman.” But the thing is: Lisa-Marie is up for it. And accepts all of this, the injustice, the hurdles, the envy, in order to see her dream grow, fly and come true. That’s why “Rodeo” will carry April Art a long way: an album as wild as its name, untamed, full of positive energy and with a legitimate moshpit certificate: Please go crazy, but take care of each other! “The album is a wild ride,” summarises Chris Bunnell. “It’s become incredibly versatile, from pure rock songs to numerous electro elements to nasty metal banging. Nevertheless, every song bears the April Art stamp.” It's an album as unpredictable and crazy as the wild, crazy, beautiful, terrible, precious lives we live. Recorded and produced between January and June 2024 in the band’s own studio courtesy of drummer Ben Juelg,  “Rodeo” is full of songs that tell of the really big emotions and belong on the really big stages: “Not sorry” is a hymn to self-empowerment, a guide to more self-determination, packaged in a fierce up-tempo escalation. The metal dance song (you heard that right!) “Jackhammer” is their “declaration of love to rock music”, as Julian Schuetze says, a hymn to the healing power of music. “Head Up High” comes as a straightforward rocker with lush riffs and may well be considered a lesson in steadfastness, while the stormy, untamed “Rodeo” lives up to its name. Bam, four songs, four direct hits. And yet it’s only the beginning. It should be clear to everyone by now: This band is not here to make lazy compromises. This band doesn’t see a point in doing things by halves or settling for less. When they start playing, your half-empty glass suddenly becomes half-full again. April Art can do that. April Art are there for you. And they’re just getting started. Fasten your seatbelts, everyone. And maybe better put on a helmet. This is gonna be wild.

LP - Red 180g vinyl

CD

Side A:
1. Rodeo
2. Burn
3. Who I Never Meant to be
4. Not Sorry
5. On Your Side

Side B:
1. Jackhammer
2. Let Em Go
3. Head Up High
4. Not Afraid
5. Not Sorry (acoustic)
6. Change Part II