Frontiers Music Srl will release "Always The Villain", the debut album from MICHAEL GRANT & THE ASSASSINS, on July 10. MICHAEL GRANT & THE ASSASSINS play a diverse and exciting brand of hard rock music incorporating elements from alternative rock and metal, while exploring different textures, genres, and influences. Band mastermind Michael Grant (who plays all instruments on the album) creates a sound that is intense, heavily melodic, and anthemic. Prince, SMASHING PUMPKINS, THE CURE, GUNS 'N ROSES, David Bowie, Tom Petty, and IN FLAMES are all influences on Grant and the sound of "Always The Villain".
The official music video for the LP's first single, "Red Light Run", can be seen below.
Of the making of the album, Grant says: "It took well over a year to record 'Always The Villain'. There was such a massive learning curve in the actual recording process for me to be able to deliver. I had to write, arrange, record, produce everything as well as play all of the instruments myself. I believe recording this way truly helped in bringing to fruition my full musical vision and signature sound. I couldn't be more happy with the end results and I really loved recording this way."
On "Red Light Run", Grant says it is "about a beautiful, broken-hearted girl's backfiring tale of revenge by way of sex, drugs and excess. Of course, the song goes even deeper than that and the video is suggestive of all of this."
In the works since 2018, "Always The Villain" is a labor of love for this established talent. Prior to THE ASSASSINS, Grant was the creative driving force behind ENDEVERAFTER, a Sacramento-based alternative/hard rock band signed to Epic Records in the early 2000s. Handling vocals, lead guitars, and songwriting, Grant released two albums with the band before a split in 2012. Grant then served as touring guitarist for L.A. GUNS for five years and also recorded one album with the band.
Grant is now focused full-time on THE ASSASSINS, who have already played shows in the U.S., including a performance on the Monsters Of Rock cruise.
"Always The Villain" track listing:
01. Barrel Of A Gun
02. Always The Villian
03. Killing Me Slowly
04. Nightmares
05. Red Light Run
06. Anthem Of Us
07. Break Me With U
08. Death Of Me
09. Runaway (Can You Stand The Rain)
10. Gimme Salvation
11. Secrets
