ANKOR Signs with UNFD and Debuts Fiery New Single 'Embers'

ANKOR are an Alternative Metal band based in Catalonia, Spain, fast becoming one of the rising stars in the European contemporary metal scene.

The multicultural quintet, consisting of vocalist Jessie Williams (Bristol, UK), drummer Eleni Nota (Athens, Greece), guitarists David Romeu, Fito Martinez, and bassist Julio Lopez (Catalonia, Spain), have grown steadily since their origins in Els Pallaresos, a village near Barcelona, back in 2003.

From these humble beginnings, Ankor have built a worldwide fanbase and a reputation for being an absolute powerhouse live, through headlining tours of mainland Europe and Asia. But it was with the December 2022 release of breakthrough single "Prisoner" that a new era begun.

With over three million streams and counting, "Prisoner" has triggered a sonic and aesthetic (r)evolution for Ankor, their musical and visual worlds ascending to new creative heights ever since; The conceptually bound singles "Oblivion," "Darkbeat," "Stereo," and "Venom" that have followed have seen lyrical narratives, sonic aesthetics, and self-directed and edited music videos flow together to reshape Ankor in a playful, energetic, and refreshing new form: a fusion of Asian pop-culture, contemporary metalcore, and a dash of Spanish heritage.

Today, the band announces its signing to premier metal and alternative label, UNFD, with the release of their first single under contract, "Embers."

Jessie says, "'Embers' is the sixth chapter of our latest singles and story. A song that mixes EDM with classical Ankor melodies. A song about dealing with loss and grief. We recorded the music video in a beautiful church in London, and we believe it sends the exact message of the track."

She also goes on to explain the narrative behind the accompanying video, directed by bandmate David. "'Embers' is a journey through the mind of someone living an alternate reality. Dreaming of what could have been...but the truth is much darker, that's why we represented it with both dresses. It's a ceremony of what could have been a wedding and ends up being a funeral, in which she dances alone, knowing none of it will ever happen. It can hit as a negative song, but in her sadness there is hope, as she'll always be connected to her loss," she states.