Verra Cruz form the British alt-rock infused musical project of trio Marc James, Henry Cross, and Jimmy Cooke. Known for their hard-hitting anthems and signature lap steel guitar, of which they stumbled upon in a small boutique guitar shop in Memphis, TN, the three-piece band have been creating mighty, raucous tracks, laced with spiritual and personal themes.
Their latest single 'King' is about the peaks and troughs we face in our lives. Written twelve years ago when singer Marc James was working building stages for festivals and events, he would dream about one day being the person to perform on them. He confides, “It was grueling work and we were barely making it, sliding into debt. It felt like my dreams were slipping away. Things were tough for me and my family and I wanted to write a song that lifted me up above the circumstances.”
The rowdy, energetic track bursts with crashing percussion, grungy guitars and fiery vocals. Emitting an overall feel-good and empowering atmosphere, 'King' is an antidote to the constant barrage of “you are not enough,” that we are slammed with every day. Encouraging listeners to remember their worth, the band shares, “It’s easy to forget that our value isn’t in what we have achieved or what we have materially but we are of value no matter our circumstances. We can walk the royal way, hold our heads high. Put others first and pursue the way of love.. That’s how we win. That’s how we are kings.”
Taking influence from rock and roll greats such as Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Rage Against The Machine, their dark chord voicing and anthemic energy come to life in a way that provokes emotion, energy and purely authentic melancholy. The band shares, "We’re not afraid to sing out about injustice in the world. Our quest for love, beauty and music has always been a way of making sense of the world. A redemptive force that brings beauty from the ashes of pain, redemption to the suffering of life."
Verra Cruz continues to storm into the scene, surpassing sonic expectations with their flair and purely inspirational fables. With stand-out support highlights with the likes of Biffy Clyro, X is Loaded, and Switchfoot across the world stage, they’ve played at renowned venues such as the Shepherds Bush Empire, and a whole host of European festivals since the 90’s, including Download Festival.
Featuring in Kerrang! as an ‘Incoming Band’ in 2008, their first first single “Soul Collides” was spun on BBC Radio 1 and KROQ’s Jed The Fish also featured the single as his catch of the day. Needless to say, their explosive career continues to take off.
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