Cardinals Pride

Cardinals Pride is a Canadian metalcore group formed in Quebec City in 2010. The band named itself after the <a href="spotify:artist:53RsXctnNmj9oKXvcbvzI2">Alexisonfire</a> song "Young Cardinals," citing its themes of youth, freedom, and not being "old crows." The band is fronted by Mathieu Guay and Alexis Paré on vocals, with Nicolas Sénéchal on drums, Antoine McNulty-LaSalle on bass, and Didier Archambault and Nicolas Doiron on guitars. After original bassist Gabriel Gagnon left to pursue the culinary arts, McNulty-LaSalle took over bass duties and his spot was filled by Doiron in 2012. Although the bandmembers speak Quebecois French, they sing in English.

The band initially leaned toward a punkier sound before winding down a distinctly heavier path. Their self-produced 2011 debut LP, For the Fallen, For the Weak, was a strong display of metalcore from the young band, with both vocalists alternating between deep bellows and throat-shredding screams. Lyrical themes of despair, disillusion, frustration, and non-conformity complemented the heaviness of the music.

With consistent touring throughout Canada and spots on the Warped Tour, they developed a modest following and released the four-song Priorities EP in late 2012. In the nearly two years between releases, the band’s sound evolved from straightforward metalcore brutality to post-hardcore that incorporated melodic singing, pummeling drums, and rhythmic riffs. <a href="spotify:artist:6DBkBms91dfkKPWyqSI6SW">Joey Turner</a>, of dreamy folk band Go to the West, contributed vocals to EP highlight "Materials," unleashing a surprisingly convincing screamo performance that rivaled both Cardinals singers.

In addition to the release of the "Parallel (Carte Blanche)" single in late 2013, the band focused on relentless touring in 2013 and 2014. Their 2015 EP, Those People Will Never Die, was recorded at Atrium Audio in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with producer Jordan Valeriote (<a href="spotify:artist:1Tsag5J854qxeOo2apszug">Silverstein</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5LyRnL0rysObxDRxzSfV1z">Counterparts</a>), and was released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22New+Damage+Records%22">New Damage Records</a>. The EP included five songs that built upon the sound introduced on Priorities. The crushing riffs and bloody screams carried forward, while the harmonies improved with emotional urgency and the band’s instrumental interplay tightened. Although the music and vocals remained outwardly aggressive, the group’s focus on hope and brotherhood still infused the sound and heart of the band.

In March 2016, the band announced that Guay would be amicably parting ways with the band, with Pare assuming full vocal responsibilities. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi