Courtesy: Clare Shilland

They say that bands are at their best when they’re on the verge of worldwide domination. They’ve played countless live shows and have spent some serious studio time refining their craft and honing their sound, yet they haven’t been jaded by the business and they don’t quite sound too main stream.

Howling Bells is just that. The young, London-based band is on the brink of stardom and the best part is that they don’t quite know it yet. Self-described as a “travelling circus of musicians,” Howling Bells first formed in 2004 in their homeland of Australia. The band, made up of siblings Juanita Stein on lead vocals and guitar and Joel Stein on guitar, as well as Brendan Picchio on bass, and Glenn Moule on drums, quickly relocated to the U.K. in order to record their self-titled debut with producer Ken Nelson, who was working on Coldplay’s X&Y album at the time. After months of being pushed back, Howling Bells’ debut was finally recorded and released in May 2006. The wait was well worth it as the album, chock full of haunting poetry set to dark and gritty post-punk rock sounds, received favorable reviews from the likes of The Guardian, The Sun, and The Independent.

Now, nearly three years later, Howling Bells is ready to unveil their highly-anticipated sophomore album. Radio Wars continues the band’s signature sound – Juanita’s sweet, almost angelic vocals piercing over darker, melodic instrumentals, layered over one another – while experimenting with variations of that sound. Their first single “Cities Burning Down” begins with a contagious bass rift over a steady drum beat. Juanita’s voice enters assertively before the chorus explodes into a bright, harmonious display. Juanita’s vocals also serenade longingly over power ballad “Nightingale” and country requiem “How Long,” while the entire band comes together to lend climactic, choral-like vocals to the album’s title track. Perhaps the most symbolic single off the album, “Treasure Hunt” features driving accompaniment that is both synergetic and anxious while the chorus reads, “We’re marching forward, looking backward, hunting for treasure again…”

Howling Bells is currently signed to Independiente Records and is represented by Nettwerk in Canada. They recently wrapped up their tour, opening for Coldplay and Snow Patrol in North America. GLOSS was lucky to catch the live show, thanks to Nettwerk, and Howling Bells was nothing short of electric. They played mostly from their new album and their songs translated amazingly well in a stadium venue. Juanita’s sultry vocals were powerful, yet never shouty, and the band’s onstage chemistry was undeniable.

Radio Wars held a spot in the U.K. top-30 charts with its release earlier this year. The album is up for grabs in North America on July 28.