American heavy duo FRIENDSHIP COMMANDERS have signed a multi-album contract with Magnetic Eye Records. The exceptional and outstanding artists from Nashville, Tennessee will release their upcoming fourth full-length album via the label this year.
FRIENDSHIP COMMANDERS comment: „We’re excited to be joining the Magnetic Eye family of musicians and bands!“, vocalist and guitarist Buick Audra states on behalf of the duo. „We are happy to be part of a community of like-minded heavy rockers. We can hardly wait to share what we’ve been working on. Soon!“
Jadd Shickler adds: „An appealing part of adding to our roster is finding acts who expand the character of our label, not just musically, but as humans and professionals“, the Magnetic Eye director declares. „Besides making dark yet hopeful heavy rock, Friendship Commanders are a band with a very unique perspective on the music industry, being that they’re world-class working musicians who bring tons of experience and perspective to create music that’s as thoughtful and conscientious as it is driving and infectious. We’re so psyched to welcome Friendship Commanders to Magnetic Eye and cannot wait to see how their singular style pushes us to elevate what we do to match their intense DIY drive!“
Nashville, Tennessee – the city’s name immediately conjures images in most minds of country stars and their trappings. Although hailing from the ‚Music City‘, FRIENDSHIP COMMANDERS kindly beg to differ. The duo’s sound draws from sludge, doom, heavy metal, and grunge with early roots in punk and hardcore, among many other guitar driven styles.
FRIENDSHIP COMMANDERS were originally conceived as a side project by two industry veterans: vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Buick Audra and drummer and bass player Jerry Roe. Audra, a two-time Grammy Award-winner, and Roe as one of the top session drummers in the world brought all their combined musical excellence, perspectives, precision, and power to their new band.
Their early works, the EPs „Garfield“ (2015) and „Junebug“ (2017) as well as the debut full-length „Ave“ (2016) were all self-recorded as well as self-produced in their own studio, Fort Knockout, and supported live with regional tours.
FRIENDSHIP COMMANDERS‚ sophomore album ‚Bill‘ (2018), was co-produced and engineered by Steve Albini at his Chicago studio, Electrical Audio. Working with Albini proved a pivotal experience for the duo, both personally and professionally. „Bill“ reached a notably larger audience and allowed national touring. Following Albini’s passing in 2024, the band released his original analog mixes of the project, „Bill – The Steve Albini Mixes“.
Although the duo’s members maintained other ventures, FRIENDSHIP COMMANDERS had developed into a focal endeavor for them both. Their again self-produced 2020 EP, „Hold on to Yourself“, was the beginning of their now years-long collaboration with Kurt Ballou, who mixed the record. He also mixed their self-produced pandemic-era singles „Stonechild / Your Reign Is Over“ (2020), „Altar/ Land of Men“ (2021), and „And If My Body“ (2022). These were later compiled on a limited vinyl release entitled „Release of the Rest“ (2022). The singles also marked a departure from the duo’s previous punk and hardcore leanings while introducing a heavier, sludgier sensibility.
FRIENDSHIP COMMANDERS recorded and co-produced their third album „Mass“ again with Ballou at his GodCity Studio in Salem, MA. Audra recorded and produced her vocals at her Nashville studio, and Ballou then mixed the tracks. With „Mass“ (2023), a concept album about memory, language, and the state of Massachusetts, the duo took the important next step of reaching a global audience.
FRIENDSHIP COMMANDERS have once more returned to Salem to record their next full-length with Ballou. The fourth album of this most remarkable musical powerhouse will be released via Magnetic Eye Records this year.
