Hailing from South-East Queensland, Kalatone are a four-piece band formed out of a mutual respect for meaty riffs, propulsive drums and soaring vocals to bring their own personal sound to progressive rock and metal. Poised to release their debut EP in 2024, they have developed a set of songs ranging from ethereal soundscapes, through banging riffs, to brutal all out aural assaults.
In the modern musical landscape of synthetic sounds and digital manipulation, Kalatone are bringing back the sound of post-grunge rock and progressive metal delivered with honesty and authenticity. They revel in being truthful artists and musicians so you won’t find any amp modelling, auto-tune or sampled sounds here. Kalatone are fronted by highly versatile vocalist Tim Pitchford - a studio session legend with comparisons to Chris Cornell, and rounded out by guitarist Gavin Storkey (Under – NZ) and his three headed amplifier monster, Adrian Russo with a Bass Guitar sound that’s both as melodic as it is devastating and drummer Dave Kemp bringing the propulsive energy to this music.
A band who’s members came of age during the 90’s and individually paid their dues through the early 2000’s with dedication to their craft whilst sharing stages with acts such as Shihad. Now in 2024, Kalatone are delivering a modern rock sound that is authentic, relatable, and undeniably real.
-Interview- (11/15/24)
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? How did the name "Kalatone" come about and is there any meaning to it?
We are all musicians from years back, but have also had different lives. We found each other by chance and being attracted to each others styles and sounds. There is a time when you play with or listen to someone’s music and your ears prick up. That’s what happened with us.
Kalatone the name is a play on words. Kala is the Sanskrit term for time. Tone is music really. You can get very philosophical with it, but think of it as timeless music maybe???
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
Music has the ability to change someone’s mood in seconds and can take you on a journey of emotions, sometimes it is better to experience these emotions while listening to your favourite song. We want people to go on that journey with us.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
Our sound comes from many influences, ranging from the 90s grunge movements to the Nu metal feel of the late 90s. Dave our Drummer has a back ground in orchestral and jazz drumming. Tim has so much range and variation he can bring something that you would never expect to fit with a progressive metal feel. We like to think we are hard rock to metal, with a progressive feel, with elements of melodic jazz?
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
We would love to tour with so many bands, the list would be long.
5. What's your thoughts on AI generated music?
AI generated music not going to capture the emotion that humans live with. AI has a long way to go before it does. But it can be used as a Tool to make your own music better.
6. What’s your take on the current state of Progressive Rock/Metal?
The current state of Prog rock and metal is quite dead. The bands that everyone listen to and that tour are from the 80s and 90s. There needs to be a shift to give the young generation their own music to grow up with.
7. What’s the current music scene like there in Australia?
Our local scene is quite nice, always gigs going on. Original music is popular and getting more popular. I think most musicians have given up on a dream of “making it”. But there is some amazing music and musicians around that fall into the black whole of social media music.
8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists?
Royalties are a bit of a joke. Convenience over quality. Muscicans make their money by Merch and Concerts. I miss the days when I paid for a really good album, it makes it so much more special for the listener. Plus you end up paying more in the long run for your music to stream it than collecting your albums to listen to back in the 90s etc
9. What’s next for Kalatone?
We are wanting to bring our music to the world. We are about to release our first single from our debut EP Pathways in December, and follow up with many local gigs. We have many new songs in development and looking at another album in 2025.
10. Any shoutouts?
Shout outs to anyone and everyone that love our music as much as we do.
