Local metal band Rampage is “surprised and amazed” to have racked up more than 5000 monthly listeners on Spotify in just under a month, with the launch of their eponymously titled debut EP.
It’s an impressive achievement, particularly given the band formed only 18 months ago and the oldest member turned 15 last June.
Wairarapa College [Waicol] students Lucas Stoneley, Stephen Price, Liam MacArthur, Kyus Sanders and Connor McEwen have come a long way since their first live performance at Waicol’s 40-hour Famine concert in June 2022.
“It’s been a pretty big journey,” lead guitarist and vocalist Stoneley said. “We’ve got our brand now. We were kind of a school band, and now we are more of a proper band.”
Encouraged by their strong performances at Talent Wairarapa and Smokefreerockquest last year [where they placed second in the regional finals], Rampage recorded the EP of three original tracks at Iron Harp Studios in Featherston, over two days in November.
The band were “pretty nervous”, guitarist and vocalist Price said. “But it was cool walking into the studio and seeing all the equipment.”
The boys rehearsed “non-stop” in the weeks leading up to their spell in the studio to get the three tracks “as tight as possible,” Stoneley said.
This meant they were able to focus on recording each of the tracks – Oppression of War, Raging Fire and Power Beyond You – “almost all live” on day one, and use the second day to add solos and vocals.
“It was really buzzy hearing my own voice for the first time,” Stoneley said.
MacArthur, who plays guitar, agreed: “That was one of the coolest parts, hearing our own parts being played back to us.”
The EP was released in February on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music and BandCamp – and it gained solid traction early on.
The experience of the last 18 months – including their most recent performance at Masterton’s Summer Hummer concert last weekend – has given the bandmates the appetite for more writing and recording, and thoughts of pursuing music as a full-time career.
“We are getting quite noticed at the moment, so we don’t want to wait too long to release again,” Stoneley said.
“We want to try and aim to get more music recorded this year, while it’s hot.”
For more information about Rampage, including links to the EP, visit www.rampagemetal.com/
