Victorian Halls are an American alternative rock band originating from Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Victorian Halls | |
|---|---|
 Victorian Halls in their 2015 line-up: (from left to right) Jordan Dismuke, Mike Tomala, Sean Lenart | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois |
| Genres | Alternative rock, Indie |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | Victory Records |
| Members | Sean Lenart Jordan Dismuke Mike Tomala |
| Past members | Carlos Luna |
| Website | victorianhalls |
History edit
Chicago trio Victorian Halls [1][2][3] (originally quartet, before Carlos Luna leaving the band in 2011 following the second fall tour shortly after the release of their first studio album), headed by the lead singer Sean Lenart, have been playing the Chicago underground music scene for years before they recorded their first two records, EP "Springteen" (2007) and the self-titled 'Octo' EP "Victorian Halls" (2010), both as self-releases. The third EP, "Crystal Lenses" (2011) was already recorded and pressed, but subsequently shelved, due to the group getting signed to Victory Records prior to its release.
Band's debut studio album titled "Charlatan" was released on Victory Records in August 2011. The album was recorded in Los Angeles in Cameron Webb's recording studio.[4]
Their second full-length studio album, "Hyperalgesia" was recorded in Gossip Studios, Chicago, and released in May 2015 [5] with help of prolific music producer and mixer Joe Chiccarelli, who has in the past produced dozens of albums for well-known acts and singers (The Strokes, The Killers, U2, Jason Mraz). The band promoted the material from their new release on their “All My Friends Are Dead” Tour [6] (name taken from the lyrics of the first track of the album “All My Friends”) throughout September 2016.
In November 2015 the group released a Christmas-themed song titled “This Holiday”.[7][8]
The group tours regularly, since 2006 performing yearly and playing more than 85 concerts [9] at multiple venues across the US, either headlining as a main act or, mainly prior 2010, appearing as a supporting band. The band's latest tour was a string of SouthEast US shows staged between 3–11 May 2017.
The remix of their own song "Glass Depth Mood" titled "So Ambitious (GDM Remix)" was included in the soundtrack for the video game Watch Dogs.[10][11]
Musical style edit
While the group's first major release, Charlatan, was dominated by rough, punk-rock-like tunes, underlined by Sean Lenart's distinctive, shrill vocals (described by one of the critics as "having reached the heights other lead singers don't even know they exist"), the following studio album, Hyperalgesia, while maintaining the overall characteristic experimental-rock feel [12] of Victorian Halls' music, is a much more mature-rock affair with many great, original songs, that however (perhaps with the exception of the track "Most Firearms Are More Than Adequate in Killing an Undead Brain") lack that unmistakable, fresh roughness of the debut album.
Members edit
Present
- Sean Lenart - lead vocals/lead guitar/piano (2006–present)
- Jordan Dismuke - bass guitar (2011–present)
- Michael Tomala - drums (2006–present)
Live
- Phil Battaglia - drums/backing vocals (2015–present)
- Luke Harvey - lead guitar (2015)
Former
- Carlos Luna – electronic keyboard, vocals (2006–2011)
Discography edit
| Victorian Halls discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 2 |
| Music videos | 7 |
| EPs | 2 |
| Singles | 9 |
Studio edit
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Charlatan
|
| 2015 | Hyperalgesia
|
EP edit
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Springsteen
|
| 2010 | Victorian Halls
|
Singles edit
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "A Crush is a Crush" | Charlatan |
| 2012 | "It All Started In The Hall" | Charlatan |
| 2013 | "La Di Da" | Charlatan |
| 2014 | "So Ambitious" | Charlatan |
| 2015 | "Tonight Only The Dead" | Hyperalgesia |
| 2015 | "Come in with the Storm" | Hyperalgesia |
| 2015 | "This Holiday" | N/A |
| 2016 | "Scarlets" | Hyperalgesia |
| 2017 | "Dissolution" | Hyperalgesia |
Music Videos edit
| 2011 | "A Crush is a Crush" | Charlatan |
| 2012 | "It All Started In The Hall" | Charlatan |
| 2013 | "La Di Da" | Charlatan |
| 2015 | "Tonight Only The Dead" | Hyperalgesia |
| 2015 | "Come in with the Storm" | Hyperalgesia |
| 2016 | "Scarlets" | Hyperalgesia |
| 2017 | "Dissolution" | Hyperalgesia |
References edit
- ^ "Victorian Halls profile on Victory Records". Victory Records. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ "Victorian Halls' Biography". LAST.FM. 1 January 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
- ^ "Victorian Halls on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. 1 January 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
- ^ "Victorian Halls' Interview with IAMTHETREND.COM". I am the Trend. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ "VICTORIAN HALLS Release Hyperalgesia". Mass Movement. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ "VICTORIAN HALLS announce "All My Friends Are Dead" Tour". London Music Hall. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
- ^ "Victorian Halls Celebrate 'This Holiday'". Victory Records. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
- ^ "This Holiday - Single by Victorian Halls". iTunes. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
- ^ "Victorian Halls Gigography". Song Kick. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ Victorian Halls - So Ambitious (GDM Remix), retrieved 12 June 2022
- ^ "Watch Dogs: Alle Songs aus dem Videospiel | Popkultur.de". popkultur.de (in German). 29 May 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "What's That Sound? / Genre Unto Themselves". Illinois Entertainer. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2017.