IPSWICH alternative rock outfit Northern Lights is turning years of blood, sweat and blistering guitar riffs into a major milestone, with its long-awaited debut album Growing Pains set to make plenty of noise this month.
Emerging from the limestone hills of Ipswich, the five-piece band has spent years carving out a reputation as one of South East Queensland’s hardest-hitting live acts, blending grunge, punk, emo, post-hardcore and metal into a sound unmistakably its own.
Now, after years of relentless performances, East Coast touring and building a loyal following, Northern Lights is preparing to take its music to another level.
However, fans will have to wait a little longer to hear the album online, with the band postponing its digital release until Friday, November 13, although the band’s album launch will be held at Banshees Bar and Artspace on Saturday, November 7.
Released through newly established Ipswich independent label Broken Records, Growing Pains marks a defining chapter for the band, capturing the emotional turbulence of growing up, falling in love, losing friendships and finding your place in an increasingly chaotic world.
Featuring fan favourites Higher, Dope Fiend, Looking Down and Doomsday Blues, the album delivers a powerful combination of emotionally raw songwriting, infectious hooks, anthemic choruses and explosive guitar work.
At its heart, Growing Pains is a soundtrack to the often-messy transition from adolescence to adulthood, exploring the experiences, heartbreaks and hard-earned lessons that shape who we become.
Northern Lights has secured airplay on community radio stations across Australia and independent stations internationally, broken into Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ’s celebrated Hot 100 and attracted attention through Triple J Unearthed.
Its music has also made the leap onto screens, featuring in Channel 7’s Outback Outlaw Comedian, created by Fat Pizza mastermind Paul Fenech, and the award-winning Brisbane independent film The Last of the Pretty Boys, featuring Luke Henery of Violent Soho and DZ Deathrays.
Growing Pains was produced by the band’s frontman Dustin Schmidt and recorded at Schmidthouse Studios, with engineering contributions from Schmidt, Dane Petersen and Fraser Petersen.
For a band born and bred in Ipswich, there seems no better place to unleash its biggest musical milestone than right here at home.
