While Belladonna is relatively new to Halifax's music scene, the six-piece art-rock outfit has strong ties to each other.
"A few of us grew up together," says Corey Cholock, who plays piano. The band's first EP was released in December and its four tracks feature layers and layers of instrumentation. Its latest, Live & Beyond... released in May, is similarly ambient. "It's been built upon years of hanging out and writing together," said Cholock.
It was recorded in guitarist Scott Randles' bedroom, which made it tough for all six band members to play together at once. "We kind of start with one part and layer it," says Randles.
The group has a diverse set of influences and includes a folk viola player and a drummer with "hip-hop in his blood."
Combining all these influences for Belladonna's first EP was a learning experience. Sometimes, spontaneous jams would turn into new songs, and the band would be in a rush to record them.
"I would just walk outside and write about what I saw," says vocalist Alyson Randles. "Now I feel a lot more confident writing lyrics."