The Witzard Premiere: Oregon Hardcore/Pop-punk Outfit Knelt Before Share "Make Your Own" from Forthcoming Debut EP (self-released)
Knelt Before is a Hardcore/Pop-punk crew hailing from Oregon consisting of moms and dads making music their kids can enjoy. Knelt Before's Instagram page (@kneltbefore) fittingly proclaims, in the words of E. Town Concrete, "Curse words are the worst words." Featuring former members of LoveHateHero, Second Coming, What Lies Within, Divide The Day, Breakaway, Tall Dark Whimsy, and A Prize Worth Killing, Knelt Before's music is recommended for fans of IGNITE, Dag Nasty, FACT (Japan,) and Revelation Records' catalog. Just this past weekend, Knelt Before quietly released their first single, "Make Your Own," from their upcoming self-titled debut. Mark Johnston, singer and contributor, remarks: "this track showcases a good mix of who we are, musically, as well as what we're about."
While the song tackles the negative effects of influence, it encourages self-reflection and perseverance. Taking influence from current contemporaries, bands from their touring days, and nearly the entirety the Revelation Records roster from 1987-1999. Knelt Before mixes Hardcore, Melodic Pop-punk, and Post-punk/hardcore to create positive music that evokes strength and knowledge through understanding and friendship. Knelt Before's first proper release will be available in late Summer 2022. The band's momentum has already garnered them a world-wide distribution deal and offers from numerous labels, but Knelt Before's members are currently weighing their options. They are already endorsed by both Truth Custom Drums and Rebirth Guitar Company. Knelt Before's current line-up consists of vocalist/guitarist Mark Johnston, guitarists Donald "Don" Rossington & Derek Woodard, and drummer Shannon Eoff. However, they are still in the process of securing a permanent bassist.
Ahead of their forthcoming debut EP, Knelt Before shared their Demo2022 EP, which boasts nine songs over the course of 22 short, yet impactful, minutes. In addition to latest single, "Make Your Own," Demo2022 inclusion "Never Alone (Lost Friends,)" appearing at roughly the 10:09-minute mark, has become a personal favorite. "Let's paint this town / Let's burn it down for the lives that we've lost and the friends that we've found..." has been stuck in my head ever since frontperson Mark Johnston sent us a SoundCloud link to their demo a couple weeks ago. There's, also, a fantastic cover of the bird and the bee's "Spark" from their 2007 self-titled debut. Check out Knelt Before's Demo2022 on SoundCloud and give their debut single, "Make Your Own," a listen over at their newly-launched Bandcamp page. We would strongly suggest Subscribing to Knelt Before's Newsletter on their website and Following their various social media pages for continued updates.