Promises Made

Since forming in 2010 Perth four-piece Arts Martial already have a rather solid slew of supports and festival slots to their name, playing Southbound and Big Day Out earlier this year, as well as jaunting around the country with Melbourne outfit Calling All Cars last year. It's that latter band's producer Tom Larkin (who also produced Strangers and King Cannons) who helped Arts Martial bring their debut LP Promises Will Get You Nowhere to light.

“We spent most of last year on this record. We recorded it with Tom Larkin in his Melbourne Studio Studio's In The City,” begins frontman Jarros Ross on the album's birth. “Like a long distance relationship it was a bit tedious at times but well worth it. We tracked the drums at an amazing studio called Head Gap. Gabe [Thomas, drummer] was spoilt in that respect. As you can imagine Tom has quite the drum collection. I think we ended up with four kick drums and about six snares.”

Obviously developing a strong friendship with the Calling All Cars lads (who also include guitarist Gavin Murray and bassist Ben Bowdell), Ross continues on the group's involvement: “James Ing from Calling All Cars was drum teching for him as well so he pumped it out. The rest of us flew over as need be. We spent about 30 days tracking in total. I ended up doing all the backing vocals from a makeshift studio at home where Tom and I would have Skype sessions to go through different harmonies and options.”

A somewhat disjointed process, but it has resulted in a cracking 11-track collection of indie- and pop-rock anthems, always conveying a harder edge thanks to its razor-sharp hooks and Ross' distinctive vocals. What Ross is immediately stoked with compared to the group's previous release is the quality and effort that went into recording. “We put out a six-track EP early 2010. We pumped this out pretty quickly so the immediate difference will be the quality of recording. The tracks are definitely rockier and that's probably the Tom influence. A lot more work has gone into the lyrics and vocals. There are way more harmonies on this record as well but at the same time it still sounds like a four-piece; two guitars, bass and drums.”

The group's mantra of less talk, more action is echoed throughout the album, not least in the LP's title. “Promises Will Get You Nowhere was a working title we had for a while. Firstly, it's a lyric from one of the tracks on the record. It kinda speaks to the theme that actions speak louder than words. This mantra echoes a fair bit in the lyrical content of the record,” Ross explains, before adding, “We had a few build-ups and setbacks ourselves so the title speaks to that as well.”

And with the album being released tomorrow, it's full steam ahead with launches this weekend, playing Geraldton tomorrow night, before a show at one of the group's fave haunts on Saturday. “We'll be supported by Emperors and Further Earth. Emperors are a great band we've seen go from strength to strength. We get along with them really well, which helps. We met the Further Earth guys on the [Calling All] Cars tour. They have a lot of potential.”

With any luck, there'll be a few more sneaky festival slots in the future as well. “Aside from Splendour I think Southbound is the next best triple j [Unearthed comp] as it's a two-day festival that we definitely made the most of. I think we were one of the few bands who were actually there for the two days. We got pretty loose with the Tijuana Cartel guys… Festivals are the best if not just for the free VIP access. Big stages with big PAs are what keep us going. Hopefully we can hit up a few more.”

Arts Martial will be playing the following shows:

Saturday 10 November - Rosemount Hotel, Perth WA