Sometimes to create is a selfish cycle, and for Heavenward writing the upcoming album, Pyrophonics, was an outwardly therapeutic experience. Coming from the mind of Kamtin Mohager (The Chain Gang of 1974, ex-Teenage Wrist), Heavenward showcases noise, feeling, and aggression through words of destruction and reflection. The ten songs on the album blend alternative rock with moments of shoegaze and dark pop, focusing heavily on melody and arrangements. Lead single “Gasoline,” out today, pulls you right into Mohager’s thought process from the opening line “Can’t make sense of certain things inside my head” through lyrical themes of finding comfort in mortality. Shimmering guitars travel across lamenting vocals before building into an electrifying climax. It’s a fitting first glance into what Pyrophonics is all about.

Mohager expands:

“The album is about my personal acknowledgement of my personal struggles, and for lack of a better term, my “demons.” In a not so healthy way, accepting the darkness within and continuing to live your life.  Possibly even embracing them. This is why I decided to call the album Pyrophonics. Simply put, it’s a destructive language for yourself.”

Heavenward came to be in 2019 when Mohager knew he had more to explore in the realm of creating music. He launched with lead single “Hole” in September 2020 (which now boasts over 500k plays on Spotify) and continued on the single path leading to the EP, Staircase Music, in February 2022. Pyrophonics finds Mohager’s full vision coming to fruition through a compelling ten songs. It would be easy to throw comparisons to contemporaries like Narrow Head, but Heavenward takes a poppier approach pulling from influences like Catherine Wheel and Year Of The Rabbit. Mohager wrote and performed nearly the entirety of the album himself, recruiting Marshall Gallagher (Teenage Wrist), Austin Hayman (Dear Boy) and Mike Robinson (Blame My Youth) for writing collaborations and additional guitar/drum work. It was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Zach Tuch (Zulu, Dare, Initiate) at the beginning of this year.

Heavenward may be a familiar face, but the music provides a fresh sound and perspective that makes Pyrophonics one of the most exciting upcoming releases in the world of alternative rock.

Pyrophonics will release on June 16th through Mohager’s own label, Fever Ltd. and is available for vinyl preorder now.

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