The story behind the album "The Battle At Garden's Gate" by the band Greta Van Fleet
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"The Battle At Garden's Gate" is an album by American rock band Greta Van Fleet on the Lava / Republic Records label. The album's title single was "Age Of Machine", a six-and-a-half minute rock 'n' roll epic! Another successful hit track from the album is "My Way, Soon", which was released back in October 2002.
Who is Greta Van Fleet?
Formed in 2012 in Michigan, rock band Greta Van Fleet has quickly found an audience! The band consists of three brothers - Josh (vocals), Jake (guitar) and Sam (bass) - plus drummer Danny Wagner.
Curiously enough, the young American band is often compared to the cult Led Zeppelin, and the unique voice of their lead singer with the vocals of Robert Plant himself! Actually, it's not for nothing that the guys already have Grammys and Loudwire Music Awards in their bank! And their debut single is surely familiar to all music lovers interested in modern rock music. The composition "Highway Tune" topped many radio charts in autumn 2017! And now, the guys have recently recorded the album "The Battle At Garden's Gate", which is intended as a follow-up to their debut "Anthem of the Peaceful Army" (2018).
How were the recordings of The Battle At Garden's Gate?
The last few years have been momentous for the young rock band: world tours in front of huge audiences, endless hype and rave reviews from critics... Such tremendous success has allowed the band to travel all over the world! Over the past three years, Greta Van Fleet has performed in front of hundreds of thousands of people in North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, South America, New Zealand, and the UK! During the trip, the "world travellers" passed by many unfamiliar sights, from the favelas in São Paulo to the Gold Coast of Australia... And everywhere they made new acquaintances, enjoying conversations with fans and other musicians who opened up new worlds to them... After settling in Michigan for a while, the guys immersed themselves in the rich history of Music City. The confluence of all these experiences opened their eyes to amazing new cultures, philosophies and spiritualities... It was a whole new way of looking at life and approaching their music.
Of course, this experience resulted in the album "The Battle At Garden's Gate". Each track reflects what the band members experienced during their journey. The atmosphere of "The Battle At Garden's Gate" reflects their spiritual and intellectual growth, a heightened awareness of the inequalities plaguing the modern world, and a deep empathy for what others are going through....
"When we were growing up - we were safe. We were protected by our parents and many other factors... But when we grew up, we found ourselves alone in this huge cruel world! At first it was kind of a culture shock... But when we started travelling a lot, meeting new people and different cultures, our definition of 'normal' changed!" - says drummer Danny Wagner.
"The perception of the world, the perception of life itself, what it means to be an artist, what it means to be part of beautiful things... I think we've become more aware of why we're all here!" - Sam adds.
Album structure
As noted above, the band is positioning their album The Battle At Garden's Gate as a "confident evolution" of their full-length debut Anthem of the Peaceful Army, released in 2018. Recording for the new record took place in Los Angeles with producer Greg Kurstin, known for his recent work with Foo Fighters.
"It's very dynamic from a lyrical standpoint. And it's a human experience. It's so much more than pain or fear... It's also beauty. People need people, just like love is important...," says the band's lead singer, John.
Lyrically, 'The Battle At Garden's Gate' is about the impact of technology on modern life, the role of conflict in the global sphere... The album also raises serious philosophical questions about life, love and power.
"There was a lot of self-development going on in our lives while writing this album that was driven by my experiences, experiences that we all had... That's why there was so much reflection," Josh explains, while Jake adds: "It reflects the world we've seen, and I think The Battle At Garden's Gate reflects a lot of personal truth... What Josh does really best is that he has a knack for telling ancient tales in a modern way!"
Overall the arrangements on the album are light, loose and unhurried, which gives the music a nice dynamic... The band touches on all aspects of rock and roll. "Battle at the Gates of the Garden" is an immensely exciting energy, the passion of a brooding protagonist saving the state of the world.
In terms of sound, "The Battle At Garden's Gate" also feels invigorating and modern. It is the epitome of musical freedom mixed with genres. The album is ambitious and expansive, filled with epic journeys...
Album Announcement
In December 2020, the band Greta Van Fleet announced their second studio album titled "The Battle At Garden's Gate". The record is due for release in April 2021 via the Lava / Republic Records label. The title single is "Age Of Machine", which you can listen to today!
