Dais Records announced the release of Carnival, the new EP from Fort Worth heavy metal shoegazers trauma ray, set to drop on February 20. Following their debut album Chameleon, the EP highlights a more collaborative effort among band members, with core songwriters Jonathan Perez and Uriel Avila incorporating diverse influences into their sound. The artwork—featuring a deserted amusement park photo by drummer Nicholas Bobotas—mirrors the band’s spontaneous creative process. Lead single “Hannibal” is now streaming, with the EP available for pre-order in various vinyl formats.
As the band reflects on the darker and more cerebral tones of this EP, it raises the question: How do shifts in personal experiences and creative collaboration influence the thematic direction of music, particularly in genres like heavy metal and shoegaze?
