Future Radiant Shine is here. Over a year in the making, the highly-anticipated second release from
Kopaz is a stunning collection of songs carved from the dense clay of Ohio heartache. Ambitious riffs,
lilting cello and violin orchestration, soaring, intertwining vocals and thundering, skillful drumming
glisten and inspire from beginning to end. From the tight urgency of “Friend of Gwen” and anthemic
rock of “Pick Your Battles” to the elegant soundscape of “Put the Past Behind You,” Kopaz run the
gamut on Future Radiant Shine and pull it off in a style all their own.
Recorded with the gifted Jon Fintel at Relay Recording, the album began as rough demos for label
A&R who became very interested in the band in 2002. The strength of these initial recordings energized
both band and engineer to continue the journey and make Future Radiant Shine a reality.
The Kopaz story begins in 2000 when guitarist Sean Gardner (also of Denovo) answered a flier posted
near Ohio State University. At the time, Brian Hake, Kevin Davison and Nathan Keister had been playing
and writing as a three-piece, but they were seeking that additional element to expand their sound.
It took only one rehearsal with Sean for sparks to fly. The chemistry was immediate. Invigorated, the
band rehearsed frequently—motivated to create interesting, dynamic music together. One song
quickly became another and soon Kopaz was off and running; determined to conquer.
Starboard Rail was self-released in 2001 to rave reviews. Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, the
8-song record is filled with contagious songs that showcase the undeniable talent and eclectic tastes
of the band. This album, as well as an astonishing, high-energy live show, launched the band to the
forefront of the Ohio rock scene. Before long, songs from Starboard Rail like “Pacific Deadend” and
“Pressure Suit” were sing-alongs at gigs and attendance grew in astounding numbers. People were
talking and still are.
In March, the recording label WeWantAction will be releasing Future Radiant Shine.