When The Blood Brothers broke up in 2007, Johnny Whitney and Cody Votolato weren’t sure if they were ever going to get back into the game. After a few shows in the mid-2010s and some time to process everything, the reunion was in full swing in 2024. What happened during that tour changed everything, and led to the creation of post-hardcore project Evil Island.

“I felt we needed to do more with that kind of style of music,” explains vocalist Whitney. “The tour felt really empowering, and the energy I was getting back from everybody, we just felt we were at was the best version of The Blood Brothers that we had ever been. I was somewhat hopeful that we would be doing more after that, but not everybody was into that.”

Pivoting, Whitney and guitarist Votolato brought in drummer Mark Gajadhar (The Blood Brothers), bassist Autry Fulbright (OFF!,  …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead), and second guitarist Todd Weinstock (Glassjaw). Now, just barely two years into this project, they have released their debut album, Terraform the Afterlife, via Blowed Out Records. What started as a brief recording project turned into an expanded five-month effort.

“We had this period where we were trying to think of how to introduce the band to the world,” shares Whitney. “It’s really not that fun to play to a captive audience that loves your old band, who don’t know any of your new material. Instead of hitting the road and playing a bunch of shows to people that don’t know the songs, we just piecemealed the best songs, made some really cool videos, and introduced the world of Evil Island.”

The end result of that decision speaks for itself in the aesthetic vision that they brought together. After sitting on this record for a bit, it was worth the wait to be in a phase where they released the album, and now get to perform and be a real band. Sure, they’ve all been staples in the scene, but this project was different. Whitney says Votolato was let off the leash for this one.

“I never looked at it that way,” he says. “It was just me; these are the songs I made. It felt nice to feel like I could direct it in a certain way, but the most exciting thing for me was when Mark sits behind the drum set on these songs, I know it’s going to take a whole new life, and when Autry plays on it, he puts his flourish in it. Those are great things to me that take a good song and make it great because you have a touch of different perspectives and influences that can create something you just can’t do on your own.”

Evil Island already played their first full-band show last month at Club Tee Gee in Los Angeles, and have a smattering of shows lined up for this fall. The future is anything they can make of it, and to be honest, it’s one that is going to be very bright. They know what they need to do, and have a strong past of successes that will push them in the right direction. For Votolato, he’s just happy where they are right now.

“Having that open heart to let the music become something more than just what I think it should be was really good. Being able to craft songs from start to finish, I’m proud of the songs on this record.”

Terraform the Afterlife is out now via Blowed Out Records. Get the album here. 

Photo courtesy of Richie Valdez