Melbourne three piece As A Rival are set to release their debut album ‘By Design‘ on February 5th, and then spend a few months travelling around to launch it.
Last year the band returned to the studio to record this debut full length with Tom Read (Bodyjar) andthen had it mixed by Grammy Award winning producer Adam Kasper (Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Soundgarden). ‘By Design‘ also boasts a myriad of guests including Grant Relf & Shane Wakker (Bodyjar), Rich Hall (Laser Brains) and Charlie Zulu (Darn Matter).
As the album took form, songwriter and sole constant of the project, Pete Cerni realised he needed musicians who would help deliver his vision. Showing Read early demos for feedback and guidance, his offer to record the album was immediate. Relf and Wakker jumped at the opportunity to supply the bass and drums respectively, and the trio got straight down to work into the studio.
With the album completed, Cerni enlisted the services of Kylie Groth (We Disappear) on bass and Nathan Wheatley (The DieCasts) on drums to complete the live line up. Known by Cerni from the local scene, upon hearing the vacancy, Groth approached Cerni to fill the bass duties. Her punchy bass delivery and strong backups are a welcome addition. Wheatley, who had been playing in rock & metal bands, was known to Groth and she managed to lure him into the fold.
Beginning from an accumulation of bedroom demos, the premise for As A Rival was to challenge themselves musically and become a rival to what was on offer. 2011 saw the release of the ‘Reminder Designer‘ EP, which was followed by the acclaimed ‘Concerning Trends‘ EP in 2013.
Listen to the track ‘School Bus Apocalypse‘ below while reading over the upcoming tour dates.
AS A RIVAL
FEBRUARY
13th – MusicMan Megastore, Bendigo [18+]
26th – Baha’s, Rye [18+]
MARCH
4th – The Front Gallery and Cafe, Canberra [18+]
5th – Dicey Riley’s Hotel, Wollongong [18+]
6th – Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney [18+]
12th – Barwon Club, Geelong [18+]
19th – The Eastern, Ballarat [18+]
APRIL
2nd – Cherry Bar, Melbourne [18+]
8th – Saloon Bar, Traralgon [18+]
15th – Horsham Nexus, Horsham [AA]
16th – Crown & Anchor, Adelaide [18+]
22nd – The Zoo, Brisbane [18+]
—> Tickets available at the door.
—> For more information, visit [Here].
