Unsigned Band of the Week: Gladiators Eat Fire

Photo by Jenny Miller

Gladiators Eat Fire is an organic, psychedelic, hardcore group from the heart of Seattle, WA, on a sonic journey in search of identity and freedom of self-expression.

In January 2011, the band celebrated the official release of their debut full-length album. The self-titled album marks the culmination of over two years of work and identifies the band as an emerging new sound in the Seattle music scene.

The group, founded by vocalist Mark Blazer and guitarist Brian Kim, quickly found a kindred spirit in drummer Joseph Wilkinson. After writing 2008’s Keep The Beat Alive EP, the band recruited friend Taylor Weston to play bass guitar. The band played constantly in Seattle and embarked on several tours around the Northwest and down the West Coast, writing new material, before finally entering the studio again in February 2010.

In April, after writing and recording a majority of Gladiators Eat Fire, Weston left the band. Soon after, the band had all of the original album artwork and promotional materials stolen. Despite this, and many other setbacks, Gladiators Eat Fire continued onward. Close friend and musician James Erwin was available to fill in on bass guitar immediately, and much of the lost artwork was recreated or salvaged to some degree. After a month-long promotional and viral campaign that caught the attention of local press, a successful run of local shows, and a month-long summer tour, the band officially announced Erwin as their bass player in October with big plans for a bright future.

Currently, Gladiators Eat Fire is at work on a new full-length album as well as a new EP in conjunction with Salem, OR band, Electric Cities. With the release of their full-length debut – after almost a year of struggling to survive – Gladiators Eat Fire is ready to go all in all over again.

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