BIO

Trace Remains sonic auteur Joey Vesely has spent two decades sharpening his melodic post-hardcore vision, and recruiting the right people for the cause. In previous bands, Vesely and his bandmates have toured the country, and worked with legendary Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty. They’ve also played in beloved bands within Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s vibrant DIY scene, centered around the non-profit co-op venue The Mr. Roboto Project.

“This music is in our blood. Every opportunity we have to take the stage or have your ear is a blessing, and we make sure we throw down with maximum energy,” says Trace Remains founder/singer/guitarist Joey Vesely.

The five-piece band’s critically-acclaimed debut album, Leverage the Tides (dy/dx), is available now on vinyl, and through all streaming platforms. The 9-song record was tracked at Pittsburgh’s iconic The Church Recording Studio, and co-produced by the band with its longtime producer Dave Hidek (Paul Luc, Zao, The Clarks). In addition to its first full-length, Trace Remains has issued a pair of singles.

Trace Remains mine the frenetic artiness of post-hardcore; the moodiness of post-punk; and the tunefulness of alt-rock and indie-rock. Theirs is a melange of lacerating guitars, discordant melodies, and cathartic song arrangements which sometimes yield to stately string or piano-lavished passages. “There is an intensity and aggression in our music, but there are always earworms lurking about—we’re Beatles fans,” Vesely reveals.

Vesely’s elliptical lyrics are multi-layered, teeming with nature imagery, poetic turns of phrases, stark introspection, and a melancholy optimism. “The pain of a breakup, the elation of a new relationship, and non sexy things like frustrations with over-consumption of resources and climate change interest me as a writer,” Vesely says. “But I’m not pessimistic, and I’m not trying to get political. I’m just a student of life—I write observationally.

The group’s latest album, Leverage the Tides, has garnered rave reviews nationally and internationally. Select press highlights include coverage in New Noise Magazine, Ladygunn, Earmilk, Grimy Goods, Rival Magazine, Germany’s Kaltblut Magazine, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and Spain’s METAL. Tastemaking indie outlet New Noise Magazine has gushed that Trace Remains sounds “if Dave Grohl took over as Fugazi’s frontman.”

Trace Remains formed in 2017. The band’s name has archeological and detective work connotations, loosely referencing the practice of piecing together past debris to study lost ancient empires or make sense of crime scenes. As an added layer of coolness not lost on the guys, the words “trace remains” appear in the song “All Through A Life,” by Fugazi co-founder Guy Picciotto’s emotive hardcore band, Rites of Spring. In addition to Vesely, Trace Remains is rounded out by guitarists Joel Grimes and John Perry, bassist Jon Rigatti, and drummer Chris Hawthorne. Previously, the group has issued a pair of singles.

Standout tracks on Leverage the Tides include “Sold My Soul,” “Silent Bell,” “Over The Dying,” and title track.“Sold My Soul” is a flag-planting gesture, introducing the group’s balance of aggression, abrasion, and anthemic hooks. The song fuses self-reflection with evocative imagery, and it offers an antidote to regret. Vesely sings: Thin lines over the mist/Sold myself my devil/Looked into the river of mirrors/Chewed out glass and concrete creatures. “‘Sold My Soul’ is about trade-offs and decision-making in life. Sometimes we reap what we sow and we get it wrong, but our mistakes don’t have to define us,” Vesely says.

Vesely and Grimes have been playing guitar together since the early 2000s, and their telepathic interplay is spotlighted on the urgently catchy, “Silent Bell.” Here, the guitarists cover a lot of stylistic real estate, including pent-up palm muting, strangled lead guitar passages, soaring lyrical solo passages, and huge walls of ringing chords.

“Over The Dying” reveals a more delicate side to Trace Remains with its string section accompaniment. It’s a multi-dimensional song of loss with achingly beautiful lyrics such as: Straight towards our dying home/Holding the dying arms/It’s over/Look through the dying eyes/All through the dying heart/It’s over.

The lean and tightly-wound, “Leverage the Tides,” rips through atonal post-hardcore, scrubbed-raw post-punk, hooky alt-rock, and it features a stately string section passage. Nestled within its artfully abstract lyrics is stay-in-the-moment uplift.

Trace Remains has three new single releases planned for the first two quarters of 2025, and the group will be working on more new material in the coming months. “Even though we’ve been grinding it out for a long time, I still have a lot more to give,” Vesely states. “I don’t have a choice in the matter—I just have to play this music.”

For booking please contact: traceremains@gmail.com

PRESS

“Pittsburgh band Trace Remains delivers an epic debut album” – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Trace Remains is a captivating post-hardcore band whose music is thrilling, melodic, and explosive.” – Earmilk

“This five-piece outfit distils the frenetic energy of post-hardcore, the brooding textures of post-punk, and the infectious hooks of alt-rock into a sound that’s both cathartic and catchy.” – Kaltblut

“The [music] has the experimental style of…Fugazi…but with a clear sense of pop-melody like if Dave Grohl took over as Fugazi’s frontman. It’s angular, powerful, and yet easily accessible with it’s pop elements.” – New Noise Magazine

“Their songs are a powerful combination of rough guitars, passionate melodies, and forceful arrangements, occasionally softened by piano interludes. The band’s music is a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. Their sound can shift from moments of quiet reflection to explosive bursts of energy.” – Ladygunn

“These…tracks could easily serve as the soundtrack for a contemporary western film…Not all songs are made for movies, but these fit perfectly.” – Metal Magazine

“Musically…hard-hitting and anthemic, filled with gritty guitar riffs, grunge infused basslines and clashing rock rhythms. Soaring and climatic vocals that are unapologetic and confident…” – Earmilk

“Their [music] is equal parts mosh pit fury and introspective agony.” – We Found New Music

“Trace Remains…is here to redefine [post-hardcore] with their melodic take. Their sound isn’t just about raw aggression; it’s a captivating blend that throws in catchy hooks reminiscent of alternative and indie rock, all delivered with the raw energy of a post-punk band.” – Rival Magazine

“[The band] unleashes powerhouse sonics and melodic earworms with fiery abandon.” – Grimy Goods