Flat Black, featuring former FFDP guitarist Jason Hook, shared 2 new songs!

Guitarist Jason Hook is storming out of the gates with his new band FLAT BLACK. The former Five Finger Death Punch guitarist has recruited a trio of young and talented turks, and the band has signed with Fearless Records for its debut album, the details of which are TBA. The album, produced by Hook, was recorded at both Hooks home studio and The Hideout. 

Last week, FLAT BLACK have shared two new songs: “It’s Your Lack of Respect“ and “Halo.”

“It’s Your Lack of Respect” has a raging, gnarly fire in its belly. With its percussive thrust, chunky riffs, shreddy guitars, and sheer attitude, the song will ignite mosh pits from the first note. The alternately snarled and sung vocal add a hefty dose of dynamics to a song that’s already got plenty of grit and girth. It has a defiant energy — and what’s more rock ‘n’ roll than that? 

“I didn’t want to play it safe with the first release,” says Hook. “Sure, there are other songs on the album that are more geared towards radio, but to me, ‘It’s Your Lack of Respect’ makes a statement. It’s unapologetically defiant, which is how I feel as a songwriter and we feel as band in today’s seemingly homogenized rock landscape.”

“Halo” is a mid-tempo rock anthem that demonstrates all of Flat Black’s hallmarks. You’re in for rapid fire riffing, soaring and thickly layered choruses with emotive clean vocals, and searing solos. The band doesn’t scrimp on deep grooves, as the song is teeming with them.

“I love ‘Halo’ because the song sets a dark, sinister mood,” Hook explains. “‘Its charm is all about the contrast between the piano part and the guitar riff, not to mention the big chorus and guitar solo — to me, that’s the FLAT BLACK sound.”

“I feel like FLAT BLACK is a secret I’ve been keeping for three years,” Hook says. “It’s finally time to unleash this band on the world. I’m grateful to Sully from Godsmack for giving us the chance to get out on the road and play for such an amazing group of fans.”

Despite having reached a commercial summit with his prior band, thanks to multiple platinum certifications, sold-out arena shows, and a string of No. 1 singles, Hook remains as hungry for musical blood and thunder as the day he first picked up a guitar at the age of six. He is eager to not only replicate but to surpass his past successes with his new band.  
Having left his prior band in February 2020, which was right before COVID-19 put the entire world on pause, Hook wanted to assume creative control and let his musical free spirit soar in a project that was truly his. He opted to gamble on himself. With great risk comes great reward and the decision to form FLAT BLACK clearly worked out in his favor.

Hook shares:

“As a musician, I crave freedom and I wasn’t ready to stop creating. Life is short. We all want to feel satisfied and happy with what we are trying to accomplish in life.” 

The pandemic shutdown allowed him the opportunity to assemble the right musicians and carefully craft their debut album. FLAT BLACK are armed with an arsenal of riffs that’ll rattle your teeth loose from your gums, stadium-sized hooks, arena-ready anthems, and choruses that are guaranteed to touch a nerve. All of those factors combined make FLAT BLACK poised for success.

The origin stories of the rest of the players are indicative of a lifelong love of music and plenty of road-worn experience. The desire to play courses through their veins and propels them forward, which is why they all meshed so well with Hook.
Singer Wes Horton was introduced to music at age 13, thanks to his sister and Guitar Hero. He honed his vocal chops by playing in local bands and making online videos. Various music industry friends and acquaintances would become the connective tissue between himself and Hook. Horton knew he wanted to be a frontman, and FLAT BLACK afforded him that opportunity. Wes loves the fact that his bandmates prioritize songcraft — and that allows him to be the singer he has always wanted to be. 

Bassist Nick Diltz, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, is the son of a legendary rock music photographer who brought him to concerts during his formative years. He recalls being inspired by watching a VHS video of U2 performing at legendary venue Red Rocks. Seeing fans clamoring for a piece of Bono in the footage is a vision that never left his head. This first exposure to the power of a true rock icon solidified Nick‘s destiny as a live performer.

Drummer Rob Pierce hails from Nashville, aka Music City. His dad was a race car driver and his grandfather was a pastor. He grew up racing go karts and at first, wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps until he joined the fourth grade band and was bitten by the music bug. He chose the snare drum over the saxophone and from that moment on, music was the only thing that mattered. Rob got his first drum kit at age 11, which he set up in his dad’s car shop. He learned to play his instrument next to 1,000 horsepower engines, which influences his highly energetic style to this day.

The chemistry between the players in FLAT BLACK is palpable. And while FLAT BLACK‘s songs are built to take up real estate in the brains of fans for weeks at a time, the true nature of the band’s material is meant to be experienced live. FLAT BLACK are now ready to hit the road and bring these brutal bangers to the masses live and in the flesh.