Founded by drummer Rip Ryder in 2019, and split between Brisbane and Australia’s Gold Coast, Aussie hard rock outfit Scandal Tree‘s original lineup featured Ryder, along with Flaky, Jase and Adam. Back in 2020, the quartet recorded their debut, self-titled EP with Cian Warbrick at Smooth Edge Recording.
After the departure of longtime members Jase and Adam, the remaining members of the band asked themselves whether it was time to close up shop and move on — or to go all in. “We felt that Scandal Tree was more than just the sum of its parts, but a more encompassing vision. There was something more there musically that we (Rip and Flaky) wanted to explore. A creative potential still yet to be untapped and unleashed upon the world,” the band’s founding member explains,
After searching for members for the band’s second lineup, the band’s remaining members found Matty (vocals), Joe (bass) and Wayne (guitar), which expanded the band from their original quartet to a quintet. In late 2021, the band recorded “Nothin’ to Lose” with Nik Carpenter at Core Studios and was released earlier this year to critical applause from broadcasters, playlist curators, critics and even publicists.
The Aussie rockers sophomore EP Layin’ Down Your Cards is rooted in everyday realties — with the EP’s material seeing the band navigating life as best as they can, and at full throttle paired with high-energy riffage. The EP’s latest single, the brash “One Way Home” is a big power chord-driven ripper, full of rousing, arena rock friendly choruses and hooks that brings Headbanger’s Ball, AC/DC and Amyl and the Sniffers to mind. In other words, nasty, gritty rock meant to be played loudly — and to raise your beer while shouting along.
