Cage Fight ft Julien Truchan– Pick Your Fighter
Today, UK metal band CAGE FIGHT – fronted by vocal powerhouse, Rachel Aspe – have released their new single, “Pick Your Fighter,” featuring Julien Truchan of Benighted.
Rachel Aspe explains:
“We wanted to write a fun, sing-along party song with themes of determination and fighting spirit, and the result is ‘Pick Your Fighter.’ I also wanted to pay tribute to a French artist who marked my teenage years, and my dad suggested Nâdiya, an R&B singer who is huge back home. Musical and lyrical motifs in ‘Pick Your Fighter’ nod to Nadiya’s hit ‘Et C’est Parti’, a motivational party song that was a huge hit. The crowning touch is some very heavy guest vocals from my French friend Julien Truchan of the band Benighted. And there are pig squeals, many pig squeals!”
Inspired by the “Et C’est Parti” video, which uses a boxing ring as a metaphor for the song’s message, the “Pick Your Fighter” clip is in the style of an 8-bit combat video game.
To create this video, CAGE FIGHT collaborated with Enemy of Boredom Academy, which supports neurodivergent young people in becoming media professionals.
CAGE FIGHT drummer, Nick Plews, runs one of the sites for EOB Academy, and had the idea to give EOB’s Video Game Design students – currently sitting their Level 3 qualifications – the opportunity to take part in an exciting work experience project, which they can reference in their portfolios, helping them gain exciting opportunities in the future.
Nick comments:
“That lightbulb moment, which came in the back of the van after a gig, was so exciting. I couldn’t wait to get back and rally the troops to get this looking awesome! On a personal note, this is definitely a special moment for me, and I am beyond impressed with what the students have achieved.”
CAGE FIGHT will release their second studio album, Exuvia, on May 1st via Spinefarm.
Recorded by Sam Bloor at Lower Lane Studios and mixed by Jim Pinder (Sleep Token, Malevolence), Exuvia retains the raw, old school hardcore heart of CAGE FIGHT – vibrating with meaty grooves, pummelling rhythms, plus a wave of furious anger that feels like a punch to the gut. At the same time, it also explores more multi-layered terrains, atmospheres, and melodies, making CAGE FIGHT sound bigger, tighter, and more epic than ever before.
Throughout the 11 pieces of music, the band proves they aren’t afraid to experiment… and have a bit of fun. A case in point is “Pick Your Fighter,” which features Julien Truchan from Benighted on guest vocals, and was inspired by a French pop song – “Et c’est parti…” by Nâdiya – though you’d never guess it from the song’s crushing heaviness.
The rest of the lyrics on Exuvia are written by Rachel – the first time she has expressed herself in this way, and the results are deeply personal, taking in anxiety, assault, and having to deal with grief. The expansive final track, “Élégie,” is about losing her grandfather, and the regret that can come from things left unsaid.
On “Pig,” meanwhile, she calls out the creepy men who send women unsolicited messages online, while the title track was inspired by her grandmother, who is currently battling cancer, and helped Rachel write the song’s lyrics.
The album’s cover art, shot by photographer Manuel Acquualeni, depicts a radiation mask, establishing a connection both to Rachel’s experience with her grandmother and to the album’s title – ‘Exuvia’ can be defined as a cast-off skin or outer shell. It also represents healing, something Rachel feels she has achieved by opening up in the lyrics.
UK dates with Employed To Serve:
20 Mar – Shipley @ Kirkgate Community Centre
21 Mar – Edinburgh @ Mash House
22 Mar – Newcastle @ ThinkTank
23 Mar – Sheffield @ Yellow Arch
24 Mar – Norwich @ The Waterfront Studio
25 Mar – Milton Keynes @ The Craufurd Arms
26 Mar – Wolverhampton @ KK’s Steel Mill
27 Mar – Southampton @ The Joiners
28 Mar – Cardiff @ Clwd Ifor Bach
01 May – London @ Blondie’s (‘Exuvia’ album launch party)
Announced festivals:
02 May – Dark Reign, UK
27 Jun – Basinfire Festival, CZ
26 Jul – Mozhell Open Air, FR
31 Jul – Radar Festival, UK
01 Aug – Xtreme Fest, FR
02 Aug – Sylak Festival, FR
14 Aug – Motocultor Festival, FR
21 Aug – Furiosfest, FR
22 Aug – Barbeuk Festival, France
#cagefightldn