Imperial Ashes shine a blinding light on neocolonialism in this their powerful new single A Toxic Life — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
A Toxic Life is inspired by the personal journey of the band’s lead vocalist Rayna Elizabeth; she chose to re-examine Canadian history after Dr. Ian Mosby published his work about government-sanctioned research conducted forcefully on starving Indigenous children. “He showed that First Nations people were used by the Canadian government as unwitting subjects in experiments so that scientists and bureaucrats could gain knowledge about malnutrition to further their political and professional interests,” she says. The research would not only change her settler perspective on her homeland forever, but would also tie in with the band’s overall theme of highlighting injustice.
Coupling raw talent with polished production value, Imperial Ashes have taken the stereotypical trappings of a hard rock and metal band and burned them to the ground. Along with their signature sound, Rayna’s visceral lyrics pull no punches in calling out government hypocrisy and spotlighting the genocidal atrocities that continue to occur across Canada. Featuring a sonic landscape that is fresh yet familiar, their fourth single released under the guided stewardship of Grammy-winning producer David Bottrill (Muse, Rush, Tool), and accomplished music engineer/mixer Michael Phillips (Stone Sour, Between the Buried and Me).
Listen to A Toxic Life above, hear more from Imperial Ashes below, and connect up with them at their website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
