Gravas

It’s rare that a quartet comes together from 4 different corners of the musical world. The journeyman collective known as GRAVAS are on the forefront of techno, emo, dubstep, and pop punk. Forming in late 2022, the foursome came together as a ladder of musical connections starting with Sum 41 drummer Frank Zummo, and bass music stalwart, and innovative producer Fransis Derelle. “I was introduced to Fransis and we immediately hit it off and had the same vision.” Says Frank Zummo. “I was approached by Chelsea from Monstercat who said she had an artist in a band looking for work with more artists for his solo project and she thought Frank and I would be a perfect match” adds Fransis.

While working as a duo, Fransis enlisted close friend, the producer and engineering wizard CRaymak. “While trying to come up with some ideas to pitch to him I asked cray to work on it with me since we had already worked on so many songs together” explains Fransis. CRaymak expands “I always say that Franny and I have always worked good together because in places I struggle with production, he compliments and vice versa. My weaknesses are his strengths and his weaknesses are my strengths. Hence why it’s always been a fun and easy process making music together.”

The final piece of the puzzle comes from former Willows member Demitri Medina; A metal head/emo kid at heart, and closet EDM fan. It was time for his love of EDM to be exposed to the world. A longtime friend with Fransis Derelle, it was only natural for his talented voice be added to the music being created by the former triumvirate and now foursome. “Fransis eventually asked me to do some vocals on a song of his and I gladly accepted and effortlessly I was able to write to his music easier than anything I had ever worked on.” Demitri continues “We were also able to verbalize and cultivate our ideas for the sound of Gravas based on our backgrounds as rock musicians/producers. As our first song came together I began to wish that this wouldn’t be the only song we did together. I could see what potential we had as a group.”

Their first song, “Erase Me,” was an electronic song with live drums, and alternative rock-tinged vocals. Released by Monstercat in late summer 2023, it had amassed over 100,000 streams on Spotify in the first week.

Armed with their buzzy new song, they were invited to play popular EDM festival Get Freaky in Salt Lake City. While somewhat unknown in the EDM world, people were curious. Who were these guys, and how did they get such a prime slot at this big festival? As the band hopped on stage for their set, the crowd was humming with excitement. After a 45 minute set, they left the stage with the crowd exhilarated, and wanting more. They were the talk of the festival.

Gravas was energized, and their creative output flowed into their new upcoming EP, recorded in the famed Studio 606–owned by Foo Fighters’ founder, and Nirvana drummer, Dave Grohl. The resulting five song EP is the perfect amalgam Dubstep, Emo, and Alternative Rock. A true equal collaboration in its finest form.

With a newly recorded EP in the can, and a slew of festival dates planned for 2024, this is going to be the year of GRAVAS.