RHEA are living proof that rock & roll is alive and well! The Belgian quintet still appreciate the powerful riff, but on their new single ‘Creeping Through My Head’ they explore it seamlessly! – the seductive effect of rhythm. Adding funk vibes, bass licks, Hammond organ and wah-wah pedals to their hard rock sound, they tap into an exciting new vein of creativity. It’s RHEA and Kravitz!
“Creeping Through My Head is a song about complex and ambivalent love, but at the same time it is about accepting the situation you find yourself in, immersing yourself in it and feeling comfortable, no matter if it hurts,” explains singer Jorge Van De Sande . “In general, I would say it’s about our ability to enjoy self-destructive behavior. Plus, it’s the funkiest we’ve ever been as a band. Working with someone like David Bottrill was truly inspiring, and together we managed to reinvent this band, while at the same time staying true to ourselves and our musical identity, which turned out to have almost a therapeutic effect on us as a band. “It is the perfect start to a new era.”
‘Creeping Through My Head’ was recorded with legendary producer David Bottrill (Tool, Placebo, Smashing Pumpkins). It is the first in a series of songs that will air in the coming months. RHEA will test the new material with an extensive ‘back to basics’ club tour in Benelux and France.
Since 2015, RHEA has been building it the old-fashioned way. Writing better and better songs, playing show after show after show, and turning casual listeners into rabid fans. In 2016 they reached the final of the leading Belgian alternative radio talent show De Nieuwe Lichting, Studio Brussel, but it wasn’t until the release of the single ‘Stuck In The Middle’ (2020) that everything fell into place.
The song gained massive radio support in Belgium and the band was invited to play at major festivals, but then Covid hit. Literally one day after the final recording of the ‘Lust For Blood Pt.2’ EP, Belgium went into lockdown.
This was a hard blow for both the band and the singer Jorge Van de Sande, who was already going through a bad streak. Dreams and all sense of direction vanished, leaving only doubts and the band in the background. But they recovered and when ‘Rather Be Nothing’ (2021) topped Belgium’s most popular alternative charts, he acted as a catalyst. The band was invited to perform as the opening act for Royal Blood and got a spot on the main stage at Rock Werchter.
He reunited the band and made plans for new music. Van de Sande began writing songs again after an unusual one-year hiatus, taking inspiration from the difficult time he and the band had been through, but focusing primarily on the resilience to get back on their feet. He also inspired the band to explore existential questions, in a very ambitious and un-Belgian way: don’t think too small, show boldness, risk your neck. By questioning higher powers, both political and religious, RHEA is ultimately putting humanity back at the epicenter of everything.
RHEA’s new single ‘Creeping Through My Head’ is available now via [PIAS] Recordings.
