Thrxnes, the new band featuring singer/guitarist Danny Dela Cruz, guitarist Dan Stevens, multi-instrumentalist/Producer Josiah Manning and drummer Will Richards, have just released their fantastic new single, Cannot Go Another Day. And, as Danny told MetalTalk, this means one song closer to the finished album and, yes, one song closer to that first gig.
The video, which you can see below, finds Danny at his most vulnerable as a vocalist, though as a group, they again shine in a piece filled with emotion. “We worked again with Kris Barras and his company Ignite Productions,” Danny told us, “just because he does such a great job. He really is the best in the game when it comes to music videos in the UK. You should see the camera and the setup this guy has. It’s insane.”
The contrast at the beginning of the film with Danny opening the song alone in a room, with the smoky atmosphere of the full band, is stark and meets the theme of the track. “It was freezing that day,” Danny smiles. “I struggled to play that guitar solo.”
This is a more heartfelt song than the previous singles from Thrxnes, and there is an engaging earworm of a chorus there, too. “This was our first opportunity really to combine that aggressive, powerful sound that we are known for with something a little bit more heartfelt,” Danny said. “This is our first approach on a more ballad side of things. I’m really happy with the way this one came out. It’s actually my favourite song.”
The song’s theme is about not being ready to move after a relationship. “Whilst the other person in a relationship is long gone,” Danny says, “then you see them around town wearing some guy’s shirt. This track was a combination of that classic power that we bring to the other songs, but it’s also a chance to be a bit more heartfelt and a bit more touchy with things.”
There is a personal element to Cannot Go Another Day for Danny. “We wanted to put this song together so other people who have been through it can relate,” he says. “I think that’s the same with all our songs. We want people to relate to their own stories as well. But I’m sure this is a topic that a lot of people can relate to.”
Then there is that guitar solo.
hat superb dual guitar solo. “Yeah, that was a lot of fun,” Danny smiles. “We did that over maybe three different sessions. It was great to hear the progression of how that solo formed. It started off just mimicking the chorus melody. Then, the next session, it became a bit more complicated with a little bit more ear candy.
“By the third session, we were really impressed with it. It managed to scratch the itch of the whole The Darkness influence with the harmony solos and that kind of Thin Lizzy thing. But we also managed to modernize it a little bit by making it more technical and a bit more shredding.
“It’s kind of a mixture of all our heroes, all in one. We were really happy to put that one together. I think people will be quite impressed by it.”
On the first listen, I was really taken by the quicker up-scale part of the solo. I tell Danny that it brought Whitesnake at their hardest to my mind, not because of the sound of the solo, as such, but more because of the attitude behind the soaring guitar. There are a lot of notes going on.
“We just thought it was a cool marriage to mix up melody and a more technical side,” Danny says, “which is always something that we’re a fan of.”
We have spoken before about how Thrxnes is the first lead vocal outing for Danny, and in the new single Cannot Go Another Day, he is a bit more vulnerable. This is not a question of confidence, but with each new song release, is he happier or more satisfied with how his vocal is being received?
“With this gone a heartfelt rock ballad, there’s less to hide behind,” Dany says. “So the vocal is a little bit more forward, there’s less grit happening. So it’s not like you can sit behind this aggressive vocal sound like previously on songs like Ammunition. So with this one, it was just about nailing the perfect takes.
“If I’m honest, it really did come together quite fast. For most of our songs, there’s not a second verse written. That normally happens in the studio. And I remember looking at Dan and saying, right, I’m just going to try something for the second verse because initially, it was just going to be melody-wise, a repeat of the first verse.
“People will hear, when they listen to this track, the second verse is different in melody and also lyrically. So in the studio, I just said, right, let’s let’s just give this a go. And it just came out naturally and it sat really well in my vocal range. We both kind of looked at each other and, yeah, I think we’ll leave that one in. So that one really did come together quite fast.
“Maybe you’re right. Maybe it is a confidence thing. But this was a great opportunity to kind of show a different side vocally as well.”
The release of the singles has gone well for Thrxnes. “We’re so surprised at how many people are listening to our music, to be honest,” Danny says. “I just checked on Spotify the other day. We have three releases out, and it was telling me that we have over 10,000 monthly listeners. So clearly something right is happening. We can’t wait to put this one out and just keep adding to the catalogue.”
Adding to the catalogue is well underway. As Danny says, Thrxnes are “two or three tracks” away from completing the album, so we can all expect that reasonably soon.
Yes, there will be a debut gig, too, this year. It will be in London, and Danny encourages people to keep their eyes peeled.
“We’ve been in the studio quite a lot, writing and recording,” Danny says when asked about rehearsals. “But I think we’re all very confident in our abilities, and obviously, we’ve been in bands. So we’re all very comfortable with each other musically.
“What will probably happen is a week leading up to the gig, we’ll do a solid week and just blast it out until it’s second nature. Then, by the time people see us, it will be in the blood, you know?”
