Cardinal

Cardinal is a five-piece rock band from Richmond, VA, that grew out of a mutual love for the dark, often brutal imagery of emo and the heaviness of post-hardcore. Vocalist and guitarist Frank Roberts and lead guitarist Zavi Harman met through a mutual friend in 2015 and started a three-piece emo math rock band that experimented with layering overdriven sounds, unorthodox tempos and dreamy soundscapes.

These fundamental components to the band’s identity are still evident through Harman’s dynamic guitar leads and Roberts’ gloomy compositions. However, the band has evolved over the years to embody a more straightforward sound that evokes an indie rock sensibility through Roberts’ intimate, haunting lyrics and an homage to his singer-songwriter roots. This new sound can also be attributed to the addition of vocalist Megan Paul, a former high school classmate of Harman’s. Her impassioned harmonies both complement and cut through Roberts’ raw, untethered vocals and weave in a key addictive pop element.

In 2017, the band fortuitously met drummer Jesse Marcus, who soon became a foundational member of the group. Newest member Jono Stewart augments with skillful bass lines- a final, necessary piece in solidifying the band. With vivid lyrics and compelling instrumentals, Cardinal is a genre-defying band that creates an obscure yet eerily nostalgic musical experience like tuning in to the faint transmissions of past lives.