Search - Evoka :: Cries from the Castlegate Empire

Powered by a captivating live show and memorable music, EVOKA is emerging as one of the South's most promising new artists. Formed in the hills of Western North Carolina, EVOKA quickly gained recognition performing dates for the Warped Tour, as a finalist for the AMA Music Awards, as a featured band on XM Satellite Radio's RADAR Report, and through licensing deals with MTV, Subway and ESPN. Propelled by lead singer, Taylor Redding's gifted songwriting, the band is establishing itself as a frontrunner of the region's rock scene.

Growing up in the isolated community Hildebran, NC, Redding, drummer Bryan Ledbetter, bassist Pete Small, and guitarist Price Stevens, had few musical influences to inspire their songwriting. It wasn't until college that they discovered a new underground music scene devoid of Top 40 radio. Suddenly T-Rex, The Verve, Led Zeppelin, and Johnny Cash became newfound influences. Profoundly impacted by new sounds and sharp lyrics, Redding, EVOKA's primary songwriter, incorporated dense sonic textures and brute strength rock arrangements. The pop music of their childhood, however, surfaces through Redding's soaring melodies and memorable choruses. The amalgamation of those influences results in atmospheric and brooding musical arrangements that are as accessible as they are at times chilling.

EVOKA's debut album "Cries from the Castlegate Empire" is the result of three years of hard work for the band. The album was produced by long time friend Oran Thornton [Bleach, Flick, Golden Republic] & engineered/mixed by Dan Leffler [Weezer, Jagger, Cash]. The resulting tracks are an ample cross section of the band, ranging from the melodic "Reborn" & "Silent Actors" the formidable flex of "Almost&" to the airy muse of "Take".