PREMIERE: New Band Alert - The Coldest Wind Unveil Debut Release 'Save Your Breath'

When a band creates a stir long before they've even released any music, you kinda have to give them a listen to see what the fuss is about and that's what has happened with this Sydney hard rockin' four-piece who have popped up out of nowhere and delivered an exceptional track which we're stoked to premiere for you today!

Lead guitarist James Browne has been part of Australia's music scene since a young age, sharing the stage with the likes of Foo Fighters, QOTSA and playing festivals like Big Day Out and the Vans Warped Tour. Drummer Tim Kirby has also rubbed shoulders with some of the greats of the heavy music scene including former Suicidal Tendencies members Mike Clarke and the beast that is Robert Trujillo. Throw bassist Lito Hernandez and a vocalist like Aaron Smith and you've got the makings of a band, leagues ahead of the pack ready to showcase some original material in a new project called The Coldest Wind.

So what happens when these lads unite and kick-start their own project? Well, you get their debut single 'Save Your Breath' which is scheduled for release tomorrow BUT we're bringing it to you a day early so you can jump on the hype train before they blow up. If groovy prog rock riffs and a catchy chorus are your Achilles heel, then these guys will be your new fav act, especially if you listen to the likes of Stone Sour, Alter Bridge and Buckcherry.

We grabbed Aaron Smith (vocals) and James Browne (Lead Guitar) for a chat about their new venture, their debut single and what the future holds...

TCW! Welcome to Wall of Sound! There's a big buzz circulating about you lads and you haven't even released a song yet. Let's get down to the bottom of these whispers, tell us how you came to be a band...

JAMES - The band started off with myself and Tim Kirby our drummer in 2019, whilst jamming in his home garage. We slowly started writing riffs and forming songs. Over time we looked at each other and said ‘’We need to get a band together - these songs have some balls’’. We then ventured out on the journey to find the other members to see if these songs could be worthy. We eventually found our bass player Lito Hernandez and singer Aaron Smith in 2020. The rest is history.

AARON - In terms of the whispers, it started with Roadrunner Records jumping onto one of our live rehearsal feeds one night, and then messaging James the next day! They were super excited with what they heard and told us that we sounded like 10 of their favourite bands, collated into one, and that we have created our own unique sound. They obviously saw something they liked. It has sort of snowballed from there– it’s all a bit surreal!

James has been ingrained in Australia's music scene for years, performing with various bands at Big Day Out and venting to the states for Warped Tour. Drummer Tim Kirby has also performed with former Suicidal Tendencies members. Do you guys feel pressure to deliver with this new project, having achieved so much in your careers already?

Gives us a rundown of 'Save Your Breath' - it sounds like a big "fuck you" anthem to someone who has done wrong by you. Who or what inspired this one?

AARON – Hell yeah, that’s exactly what it is. A good mate of mine was in a toxic relationship, and reached out as he needed someone to chat to, right at the time James and the crew came up with the riff for “Save Your Breath”. The lyrics flowed rather easy for this one, as I felt the pain, frustration and anxiety my mate was experiencing – I remember saying to him, “mate, save your breath, she’s screwing you around, and wasting your time” – there are some screwed up people out there from going through shit like this. Life’s too short, so no point wasting your time with someone that wants to play games, be a gaslighter, and do wrong by you.

And this is only your first single ever! Where did you guys draw inspiration from for the instrumentals? Any bands you've been frothing over before recording?

JAMES – This may sound a bit weird or trippy, however a lot of my inspiration comes from dreaming up riffs. I then take the riffs to practice to the boys and it evolves from there with their creative twists and inputs. We all have a variety of flavours in music which influences our diverse sound, such as Stone Sour, RAGTM, Audioslave, Machine Head, Foo Fighters and Tool.

This is just the first taste of what's to come from The Coldest Wind - what should we keep an eye out for in the future?

JAMES - We cannot wait to share what we have in the pipeline – the next release is super cool, and very different to “Save Your Breath.”  It's heavier, more intense, and the song was written off the back of a funky dream I had one night, which Aaron then turned into a whacked story. We have an epic video currently underway for this which is completely different to this release!

Any famous last words?

AARON - Just a massive thanks to you legends at Wall Of Sound for giving artist’s like us such a fantastic platform to share their music and story.  There are some amazing local bands on the rise, and we bloody love what you do Browny by shining a light on these artists – thank you!

Keep an eye out on our socials as we will be hitting the stage near you shortly and get to a show!

You will get a sneak peak of our next release, and what we have been working on – lastly, if you are at a show, don’t be shy, come up and say hi, and get amongst it!

Bring on live music!  Fuck Covid!

All in a days work, mates!

‍Follow The Coldest Wind on Facebook and Instagram

'Save Your Breath' is out tomorrow