about

Their music is hypnotic, with tribal rhythms and haunting guitar work that sends you into your own little world... with potential to reach an international standard, they are worthy of supporting an international band such as Tool...

SYDNEY UNLEASHED

JOVA is a progressive heavy rock trio based in Sydney, Australia.


The group’s origin is a bizarre one, although a fitting sequence of events for a band that has already been praised for their incredibly unique live show and sound best compared to heavyweights Tool, Mastodon and The Mars Volta, through to Murcof and Sigur Rós.


The seed for JOVA was planted when Pedro Greig (strings) overheard Jorden Martin (vocals/bass) singing along to an unplugged version of Creep (Stone Temple Pilots) when working together in what they call 'Sydney's abattoir'.


Almost immediately, it seemed that fate had played its hand and detoured two successful careers in the manly art of butchery. United by a mutual love of 12" vinyl, fine cut meats and Les Claypool, the pair began jamming together on favourite selections from their respective record collections.


It wasn’t long however before they had turned their attention completely inwards to exorcise their own demons into some form of aural enlightenment. To start, their melodies needed a heartbeat. Someone who shared a deep primeval bond with their instrument; viking-like; warrior-esk; someone powerful. Knowing ‘just the guy’, Pedro summoned Tim de la Roche from a two year drumming hiatus in the Amazon.


The percussionist packed his skins, set off across the Pacific and, with encounters of Jivaro head hunting still fresh in his mind, put the group on an experimental journey of self-discovery. Quite literally losing track of time, the trio spent several years recording over hundreds of hours of concepts, riffs and arrangements in the studio.


Finally emerging dazed but fueled by the energy of their collaboration, the colossal collection of recorded material was then refined and refined...and refined, until finally they were ready for a public showcase. Although the perpetual blood stains and meaty aromas had inspired a lavish darkness in their work, the butchery days were finally over. It was time for JOVA to see the light of day.


With each live performance, the group’s reputation for a jolly good show has been quickly spreading through Australia’s underground live scene – from songs that take you on a colourful journey with projected animated visuals, through to rock-your-socks off nose-bleed riffs and beats, the band offers something different with every show. To capture this energy, in late 2013 they decided to set up camp in Grove Studios with producer/engineer Dan Murtagh (Dead Letter Circus, Jerrico) and unleash the proverbial beast.


Mastered by Rick O’Neill at Turtlerock in Sydney (Powderfinger, John Butler Trio, silverchair), each track is dappled in soulful layers and thunderous rhythm – an explosive introduction of things to come.


As the band’s first offering, COLOURS THAT WILL RUN captures the elusive human element, an aesthetic only obtained through dedication, distillation and time.






JOVA managed to provide this reviewer with a sensory overload. Martin's demonic vocals appear distinctly reminiscent of Mastodon. Wielding a GuitarViol, this curious instrument allowed Greig to oscillate between ethereal sounds resembling Sigur Ros and the more conventional metal style guitar. Alongside this, JOVA's use of visuals allowed the mind to wander, happily stimulated by this melodic rapture.

BMA CANBERRA