Return to Dust Release The Black Road + Video for “Cellophane”
Photo Credit: Matt AkanaThe Los Angeles grunge trio Return to Dust have released their debut EP The Black Road via Jim Kaufman Productions (Everclear, Danny Worsnop, Night Riots, Helmet). They have also shared the official music video for one of the tracks off of the EP, “Cellophane”.
After racking up over 2 million views on TikTok in just one weekend, the band’s following grew quickly. The TikTok that had such success featured the single “Belly Up”, where they are saying they’re to “make this band thing work.” Little did they know, it would end up working very quickly after they posted that video. They have nearly a million streams, 70K monthly listeners on Spotify, and 70,000 followers across all socials.
While still being on the high of selling out the Viper Room at the EP release show, the band’s previous single “Losing Faith” gained approval from Allison Hagendorf by including it on an episode of her podcastSound’s Advice. The trio continues to catch fire as none other than Matt Pinfield showcased the band on KLOS’ “New And Approved”. Now with the success of the EP, it comes as no surprise that the band are returning with more cinematic content.
“Cellophane is about fabrication. Whether it’s you trying to be someone you’re not or someone portraying you falsely, there is always a truth somewhere below the plastic. The video highlights feelings of entrapment whether it’s fighting heavy chains under water or more extreme examples like an entire bedroom being covered in cellophane.”
“We all pushed ourselves far out of our comfort zones to create the best visual we’ve made. The track has such depth and darkness to it that we wanted to reflect that on the screen as well as channel feelings of discomfort, hopelessness and rage in the viewers. We really leaned into visually representing the lyrics on screen and created an underwater world of darkness, rooms wrapped in plastic and bloody hearts.”
Return to Dust is heavily inspired by Alice In Chains, making it easy for them to find themselves with a cultivated reputation in the Los Angeles music scene even before they released The Black Road. With the help of their remarkable cinematic approach, the band is bound to have a year of heavy success through touring and new music
“The band throws a new twist on 90s-sounding riffs bringing the listener back in time. The groovy guitar with dark themes in the lyrics holds over every song on the EP.”
““Black Road” is the perfect vehicle for Return to Dust to showcase their remarkable cinematic approach. This is a band with a stupendous future.”
“Return To Dust veer into entirely distinct sonic territories... one likely pivotal for long-term success. Overall: 90/100”
“Combined with formidable talent and unmatched dedication, Return to Dust are ready to truly hit the ground running with their debut EP, The Black Road”
The Black Road Tracklist:Black RoadBelly UpAnyway I DieCellophaneLosing Faith
Return to Dust is made up of Matty Joseph (vocals/guitar), Graham Stanush (vocals/bass), and Sebastian Gonalez (guitar). Together they have scripted a saga that travels back decades all while clearly planting its foot into the future. While listening to their music you should feel like you’re living in the 90’s grunge era. Their sound is inspired by and reverberates with the echoes of legends Deftones, Alice In Chains, and Nirvana. They draw inspiration from a much wider and more diverse palate than this, however. They blend in bits of The Cure, Metallica, and Cage The Elephant, molding them into their own unique sound.
They breathe new life into a genuine and traitor-made sound that creates nostalgia for the fans. Their music can be described as a mix of the old and the new - a conjuring that is distinctly theirs. Joseph and Stanush have clashing vocals that presents raw emotion and easily keeps the flame of grunge alive.
Once Return to Dust began working with Jim Kaufman, they were destined to be his next big star. During the dark and dreary days of the pandemic, the band used this as an opportunity to create something profound. The result was the upcoming EP The Black Road. It was created out of labor of love and plenty of dedication that not only overcame the obstacles of personal growth but also etched the band’s name into the future of rock.
