Mest has just put the finishing touches on their brand new album, “DESTINATION UNKNOWN,” set for release August 14, with the album’s debut single, “Cadillac,” which features hip-hop legend Young MC, cruising into radio the first week of July.
Produced by Goldfinger’s John Feldmann and recorded at his Marina Del Rey studio, “DESTINATION UNKNOWN” is the latest step in the Illinois-based band’s journey across the punk-time continuum.
Comprised of singer/guitarist Tony Lovato, bassist Matt Lovato, guitarist Jeremiah Rangel, and drummer Nick Gigler, Mest drew national attention last year with their debut album WASTING TIME. The new album fulfills all the promise of their premiere… and then some, with songs like “It’s Over,” “Cadillac,” and “Mother’s Prayer.” Says Tony Lovato, who also writes the band’s songs, “I drive around in a ’66 Cadillac listening to the radio all day, because I don’t have a CD player. So on our album, you’re gonna hear traces of Goldfinger, Green Day, Blink-182, Deftones, Outkast, Sublime, Bob Marley. We’re gonna start calling our music Confusion Rock, because sometimes we’re like what the hell are we doing.”
Grounded in melodic, adventurous punk, Mest hails from Chicago’s South Side (the working class suburb of Blue Island to be exact). The band originated when cousins Matt and Tony began playing together at age seven. Nick and Jeremiah joined them during high school, releasing the band’s indie debut album MO’ MONEY MO’ ’40’S in 1996. Once they drew the attention of Feldmann (a long-time idol of the band’s), Mest was on its way to a major label deal with Maverick. Since then, they’ve toured with No Doubt, Lit, Good Charlotte, Black-Eyed Peas, Goldfinger, and will soon launch a 2001 summer tour with Blink-182 (details to follow).
Mest will kick off their new album, DESTINATION UNKNOWN, with a show for their fans and friends in Chicago at the House of Blues on June 21st.