Los Angeles-based alt rock band Lunarcode have formed in 2020 and have been quick to gain recognition, taking home awards such as “Artist Revelation of the Month” and “Rock Song of The Month” with their first releases.
“Parasite” is their third single and a worthy follow up to the previous two, “Cutting the Cord” and “Heartbreak”. In fact, all three songs seem to follow the theme of coming out of a destructive relationship and breaking ties with what turned out to be a toxic person.
What makes Lunarcode so distinctive is how incredibly catchy their songs are, while retaining the energy of a true rock band.
In “Parasite”, pop melodies mix with rock energy, powerful vocals and dramatic chords progressions in a tight arrangement adorned with Spanish guitar interludes and quirky alien-synths, to create a memorable and compelling piece.
We don’t know what the band’s influences are, but they seem to be varied. To our ears, “Parasite” sounds a little bit like Muse, Nothing But Thieves, King of Leon, with a little bit of Ricky Martin to spice things up.
The song starts with a brief-static noise, introducing the scene. The tone is further set with a high-powered guitar riff and an outlandish synth that is bound to draw attention, and reminds us of ‘Exo-Politics’ from Muse. The whole song seems constructed, lyrically and musically, with the aim of conjuring a dynamic imagery, almost like a condensed action or spy movie, with Vincenzo’s powerful vocals driving forward the narrative.
The vocals showcase great strength and range, particularly in the choruses, where the sustained high notes reveal a subtle tinge of classic rock vibrato, and in the ad libs at the end.
The varied sections are effective at keeping the listener’s attention engaged, in a song that is almost 4 minutes long. For example, the second verse turns briefly into an acoustic affair, with the kind of back beat strummed guitar, often found in mainstream pop, before returning to the full band arrangement. Generally, the instruments have well-defined, melodic parts that fit together like a puzzle, and don’t overplay, which is a sin that sometimes bands can find themselves guilty of, but not Lunarcode.
The band have also released a high-quality music video, that does a great job at complimenting the song:
Follow Lunarcode on the socials to keep updated with their releases:
Julia Tache is a musician, social media enthusiast and writer. She releases music under the moniker Jewelia, is the founder of IndieGems and co-owner of Dual Productions.