“I want people to stop so easily accepting the realities that exist. We are a generation who are so comfortable watching things happen from behind screens, who are so accepting of the goings-on in the world, so long as they don’t directly affect their own lives,” shares Hail The Sun. “I want people to challenge themselves to think and act differently, to stop believing everything they read, to make more than just a carbon footprint. Break the mold.”

Equal Vision Records’ Hail The Sun released ‘Culture Scars,’ their thought-provoking new full-length, on June 17.

‘Culture Scars’ is Hail The Sun’s third full-length, and was recorded with producer Mike Watts (The Dear Hunter, Hopesfall, As Cities Burn). The ten track album offers a dark mix of personal reflection and social commentary, exploring the relationships between observation vs. action and perception vs. reality – and the effect of each on human emotion and society as a whole.

“Culture Scars is a term we came up with to refer to those scars, both physical and emotional, that come about due to certain things that society deems as normal and acceptable,” reveals guitarist Shane Gann. “We don’t normally put much thought into the amount of pain that may be caused by dirty politics, found within a family with a “problem child”, or existing behind the scenes of an adult entertainment shoot. These themes are so commonplace in the world, and yet there is often so much trauma and hurt that is brought about by all these scenarios. We wanted to shed some light on the darker side of what we think of as normalcy.”

Together with Watts, Hail The Sun has created a powerful, dense body of work that showcases a broad palette of dynamics ranging from complex, grandiose orchestrations to sharply contrasting intimate moments. Overall, it features a more polished sound while still embracing the pure, raw passion and energy that has become a key part of their signature sound. “I wanted to capture a sound that was organic and sparkling all at once, and I feel like we were able to,” reveals Melero.

“Mike seemed to share the vision we have of recording an album that has the raw and organic elements that some of our influences had, but also, have it have a polished finish for this day and age’s industry standard. The three words we all would say the most during in the studio were “raw but polished” when describing the end goal,” adds Melero. “As expected, Mike brought a different perspective, and with 25+ years of songwriting and recording, it was great to be able to get his ears on the new songs we had brought in. Shane and I both have bachelors in Recording Arts from Chico State University, and the biggest thing they taught there in regards to recording, was that it was an art form rather than a digital logarithm, and to trust your ears.”

Hail The Sun formed in 2009 in Chico, CA where members Donovan Melero (vocals, drums), Aric Garcia (guitar), John Stirrat (bass), and Shane Gann (guitar) all attended college. The band has since made a name for themselves through relentless touring, explosive performances and consistent creative re-invention and musical innovation.

To date, the band has toured and shared stages with the likes of Dance Gavin Dance, A Lot Like Birds, Polyphia, I the Mighty, and Stolas; And has performed at festivals such as South by So What?!, SXSW, Vans Warped Tour, and Never Say Never.