JOSH SMITH / NORTHLANE

Josh Smith Josh Smith
 
About:

Named after a song by fellow metalcore band Architects, Northlane took shape in 2009 in the members' native Australia. Formed in the Greater Western Sydney suburb Blacktown, Northlane played throughout the country in their early years, earning a reputation as a tireless live act. Northanle recorded a debut EP in 2010, and have since notched four impressive studio albums that showcase their instrumental and lyrical prowess.

Jackson-wielding guitarist Josh Smith is one of two original remaining members of the quintet.

Awards:

2016 album Node topped the ARIA chart (Australia’s main music sales chart) and won the ARIA Award for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album.

The Critics Say:

“On Mesmer Northlane offer a graphic meta-personal narrative couched in relentless machine-precise heaviness. Their full range is on display: dark electronic tinges offset sepulchral and soaring vocals and algorithmic riffage on “Savage”, the brazen thunder spiral of “Intuition” and the shimmeringly melodic “Fade” show impressive growth. Few bands combine razor-sharp proficiency with spine-shaking heaviness and a generalised, amorphous disaffection the way Northlane do, infusing darkness, despair and (eventual) hope into an exultant musical catharsis.” – Rolling Stone’s Jaymz Clements

Quotable:

“I primarily use a few custom shop or self-customized B7 baritone 7-strings and I absolutely love them. They’re just absolutely rock solid, stable and fantastic playing and sounding guitars.

"I have hipshot open gear locking tuners on all of them and Kalium custom strings, mostly 12-82 gauge which is big, but that’s how I like it. Kalium made me custom sets based on string tension so the way these things play is just unbelievable.

"I also have two of the cheaper X Series Soloists which I’ve spent a lot of time modifying and they’re great platforms for that, fantastic sounding guitars. I feel like the more time I spend working on a guitar the more attached to it I become, and the more fun I have playing it.” Josh Smith on his Jackson guitars

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