THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Winnipeg is cold. Ice cold. And judging by the the emotional brawn and hardcore might of the three-piece Tunic, it can get very very dark. Winnipeg’s Tunic explores that darkness on the band’s new album Exhaling. Across songs like the title track, Invalid and Fade Out, the trio of David Schellenberg (Guitar / Vocals), Rory Ellis (Bass) and Dan Unger (Drums) use their visceral art-punk approach to explore themes related to coping with the illness of a loved one, the dark side of creativity and dealing with toxic friendships.
“I’m not one to write about situations/emotions that I haven’t lived through,” remarks Schellenberg. “I need that catharsis of screaming about these things over and over again. These are all things that have unfolded in my life and I use Tunic as a coping mechanism.”
The Exhaling EP serves as a preview for their upcoming LP, with each new entry emblematic of their venomous strike that combines dissonant noise, punk and spazzy blasts to create dazzling hardcore chaos. Opening with the title track, Tunic lean on harmonics, contrasting Locust-style cacophony and the subtle melodic tendencies of Pile create a driving punk anthem. The following track, the tense and dramatic Invalid, mixes in the adventurous approach of Dischord/Fugazi with the jaw-clenching attack of Daughters to hammer the song into your brain, where the melody will pinball around for the foreseeable future. From there, the trio finish out strong with Fade Out, which leans on pageninetynine-esque hyper-dramatics and the loudquietloud pummel perfected by Helmet. Exhaling will hit the spot for longtime fans of the trio and for the newcomers — say hello to your new favorite band.
Exhaling comes bundled with the band’s previously sold-out 2016 and 2017 EPs (Disappointment and Boss respectively), a 2019 digital single (Nylon) and the band’s also-sold out 2019 LP Complexion. The compendium of releases paints a full picture of the band, who have ably combined blunt force with thought-provoking lyricism/concepts and instrumental prowess. “It’s great to have everything bundled into a singular package so that listeners can gain a full picture of who we are and maybe where we’re headed. We’re incredibly proud of our work, and this also frames everything well going into our next effort.”
Tunic was born of spite — formed after founder Schellenberg was told he “wasn’t good enough” for another band, leading to a subsequent decision to follow his own path. From there, Tunic sought out a sound inspired by the melodic approaches of Quicksand and Superchunk, venom and heartache in Converge and controlled chaos behind Botch. Since their 2016 debut 7”, Tunic have criss-crossed the globe relentlessly, zigging and zagging as part of more than a dozen jaunts in North America and Europe while logging shows with a varied lot like KEN Mode, Single Mothers and even Hank Wood and the Hammerheads. Tunic’s touring bloodlust eventually conjured a debut LP in 2019, Complexion and not surprisingly, the band followed its release with 11 weeks of touring.
Exhaling serves as a taste of demolition before Tunic’s next full length hits in 2021. These three new songs, and the legion of firepower on the band’s previous works, serve as fair warning of the brutality that awaits.”
