Today trauma ray release their slowcore, introspective dirge, “Spectre”. Its tracing chords are met with hymnal lyrics from vocalist Uri Avila. Of the single he tells, “I think a lot of us have our own ghosts we refuse to part with. This song is supposed to haunt you. To help you internalize and break down your own inability to let go of the things or the people that aren’t good for you. The perspective of the ‘Spectre’ wonders why you won’t push it away after it’s caused so much pain. It wants you to heal. It wants to be left alone. It’s tired and wishes to move on, but you won’t let it. I wrote these lyrics with the hope that listeners struggling with this kind of emotion can find the strength to move forward.”
At the forefront of the wave of shoegaze revivalists comes Fort Worth’s trauma ray who’ve mastered its complexity, intensity, and expressive devastation. Since first making waves with a S/T EP in 2018, the Texas five have been honing their live set across increasingly adventurous American tours – stacking amps and turning heads show by show, justly earning them a massive following in no time. The band’s three guitar attack is a force to behold, alternately surging, savage and spectral, drenched in precision distortion.
The core songwriting duo of Avila and Jonathan Perez have expanded and refined the project’s vision and craft, culminating in their 12-track Dais debut and first full-length, Chameleon. Rounded out by bassist Darren Baun, drummer Nicholas Bobotas, and guitarist Coleman Pruitt, the album both synthesizes and transcends its influences, a stormy fusion of downer hooks, apocalyptic beauty, and bulldozer riffs.
The name trauma ray was inspired by the German word for ‘daydream, or ‘dream state,’ in classic shoegaze fashion. Avila’s background in a devout Pentecostal community gives his lyrics about guilt, purgatory, and passing to the other side to an emotional authenticity that cuts through the music’s majestic volume.
Chameleon is a masterpiece of craft, balance, melody, lyricism, and gravity, flexing a fresh vision of loud-quiet-loud architectures and the vertigo depths of blasted harmonics. From Slowdive to Deftones to Hum and beyond, trauma ray absorb and expand on their influences into a rare and dedicated alchemy. trauma ray’s cinematic tempest is a gathering storm only just taking flight.
trauma ray are back on the road this Fall with a set of Texas shows, including a performance at Levitation just ahead of their run with Panchiko. Other highlights include two release shows: one headlining The Roxy in LA and San Diego’s Voodoo Room which were just announced today. See all dates below and grab tickets here.
Pre-Order / Pre-Save / Chameleon
Trauma Ray Live Dates:
Oct 26: Birmingham, UK – XOYO *
Oct 27: Manchester, UK – B.E.C. Arena (Outbreak Autumn)
Oct 28: London, UK – The Lexington
Oct 31: Rubber Gloves – Denton, TX
Nov 01: Levitation – Austin, TX
Nov 03: Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre ~
Nov 04: Little Rock, AR – EJ’s
Nov 06: Kansas City, MO – The Truman ~
Nov 07: Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village #
Nov 08: Indianapolis, IN – Deluxe ~
Nov 09: Grand Rapids, MI – Elevation ~
Nov 10: Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre ~
Nov 12: Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer ~
Nov 13: Boston, MA – 4th Wall
Nov 14: New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place
Nov 15: New York, NY – TV Eye #
Nov 16: Washington, D.C. -Comet Ping Pong !
Nov 17: Richmond, VA – Cobra Cabana !
Nov 18: Raleigh, NC – Kings !
Nov 19: Atlanta, GA – Altar #
Nov 20: Birmingham, AL – Saturn #
Nov 21: New Orleans, LA – Siberia #
Nov 22: Houston, TX – TBD #
Nov 23: San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger #
Nov 29: Los Angeles – The Roxy (Record Release)
Nov 30: San Diego – Voodoo Room (Record Release)
* w/ Citizen
~ w/ Panchiko
# w/ Leaving Time
! w/ Leaving Time and Full Body
