RHEA are living proof rock 'n' roll is alive and well! The Belgian 5-piece still cherish the mighty riff, but on their brand new single ‘Creeping Through My Head’ they explore the alluring effect of the groove. Adding funk vibes, bass licks, Hammond organ and wah-wah pedals to their stomping rock sound they tap into a new and exciting vein of creativity.
The band explained, “'Creeping Through My Head' is a song about complex, ambivalent love, yet at the same time it’s about accepting the situation that you’re in, immersing in it and getting comfortable, regardless if it hurts”, singer Jorge Van De Sande explains, “In general, I would say it’s about our ability to enjoy self-destructive behaviour. Also, it’s the most funky we have 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 almost have a therapeutic effect on us as a band. It’s the perfect kick-off for a new era.”
The new track was recorded with legendary producer David Bottrill (Tool, Placebo, Smashing Pumpkins). It’s the first in a series of songs that will hit the airwaves in the next few months. RHEA will road test the new material with an extensive ‘back to basics’ club tour in Benelux and France.
Since 2015 RHEA have been building it up old school. Writing better and better songs, playing show after show after show and converting casual listeners into rabid fans. In 2016 they made it into the final of Belgian’s leading alternative radio Studio Brussel’s talent competition De Nieuwe Lichting, but it wasn’t ‘till the release of single ‘Stuck In The Middle’ that everything clicked.
The track got massive radio support in Belgium and the band got invited to play the biggest festivals, but then covid hit. Literally a day after the final recording for the EP ‘Lust For Blood Pt.2’, Belgium went into lockdown.
This was a major blow for both the band and singer Jorge Van de Sande, who was already going through a rough patch. Dreams and all sense of direction vanished, leaving only doubts and the band at rock bottom. But they got back on their feet, and when ‘Rather Be Nothing’ (2021) topped Belgium’s most popular alternative chart list, it acted as a catalyst. The band got invited to open for Royal Blood and got a slot on the main stage of Rock Werchter.
It brought the band back together, making plans for new music. Van de Sande started writing songs again after an unusual one-year hiatus, drawing inspiration from the difficult time he and the band had gone through, but mainly focusing on the resilience to get back on your feet. It also inspired the band to explore existential questions, in a very un-Belgian ambitious way: don’t think too small, show audacity, stick your neck out. Questioning higher powers, both political and religious, RHEA are ultimately putting humanity back in the epicentre of it all.
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