Chrome Manta Ray are taking a slight left turn with new single School of Catholic Fish. The track, which they describe as “an indie bop by a very much not-indie band” is the sound of a band dialling down their hard rock edge and flexing a breezier, more melodic sound.
Following previous single Trolls Under The Bridge, which came out in March and took cues from influences such as Queens of the Stone Age and Rage Against the Machine, School of Catholic Fish operates in a more slacker vein. With lyrics that feature castles in the sky, underwater temples and all-out amphibian warfare, Chrome Manta Ray cheerfully unite quirky storytelling with crunchy riffs, somehow managing to cram all their inspiration into a mere one minute and forty seconds.
The band, made up of Danny and Jacob Stuart, Samuel Harrison and Sam Dong, have been making music around Liverpool in various guises over the years – you may recognise some of them from previous projects including Pale Horse and Girls With No Faces. After forming Chrome Manta Ray, they hit the ground running, kicking off 2024 with an intimate show at the Kazimier Stockroom to showcase their brand new songs. This was quickly followed up by support slots with the likes of Mike Stoyanov and Last Reserves, as well as hosting their own lively DIY nights throughout the year.
School of Catholic Fish is the band’s appeal for religious acceptance. Though you’re more likely to hear it at a sweaty lock-in than a carol service, this short and sweet message of tolerance and inclusion hits a positive note for the festive season, even as screams ring out towards the end of the track. Plenty more live shows are up their collective sleeve as they prepare for the launch of their debut EP. At the time of writing, it’s not possible to predict whether the release will run with the band’s rock or indie side, but we’re looking forward to finding out.
Stream School of Catholic Fish now.
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Orla Foster
