Battle (British band)
| Company type | Indie rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | mid-1990s |
| Headquarters | Lewisham, London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
| Website | www |
Battle was an indie rock group from the UK, recognized for their distinctive fusion of post-punk elements, expansive guitar melodies, and rhythmically driven beats suited for dancing. Their style often invited comparisons to bands such as The Cure and New Order/Joy Division. As their music evolved, it adopted a more natural and atmospheric quality, drawing inspiration from The Smiths, the Remain in Light period of Talking Heads, and Arcade Fire. The band's name reflects the concept of striving passionately, a motif frequently explored in their songwriting. They ceased activities around October 2007.
Formation
Vocalist Jason Bavanandan and guitarist Jamie Ellis first connected during their school years in Lewisham, located in South East London, during the mid-1990s. After enrolling at the University of Kent, they established a band called Casper Jack, initially influenced by groups like Oasis and the Small Faces. Subsequent changes to the lineup included adding bassist Tim Scudder and drummer Oliver Davies, which coincided with a shift in their musical direction toward sounds inspired by The Strokes, Joy Division, and the Pixies. The band underwent name changes from Morphic Fields to Killing Moon.
Early singles
Their first single, "Isabelle," was issued on 25 April 2005 through Fierce Panda Records. This was followed by "Demons," released on 26 September 2005 via their main label, Transgressive Records, which sold out all 1,500 copies within a single day. After offering the track "Wicked Owl" as a free download, their chart-eligible single "Tendency" reached number 37 on the UK Singles Chart. The following release, "Children," gained significant attention from Radio 1 presenter Zane Lowe, who declared it his 'hottest record in the world today.'
Back to Earth - Mini-album
On 23 October 2006, Battle unveiled Back to Earth, a seven-track mini-album that included reworked versions of "Wicked Owl" and "Tendency". Despite receiving positive critical feedback, it did not achieve commercial success. Several songs were produced by Gareth Jones and were originally planned for inclusion on the band's full-length debut album. Tracks like "I Never Stopped" and "Easy to Listen to" were produced collaboratively by the band and Jeff Knowler in June 2006. Additionally, "Beautiful Dynasty" was released exclusively as a vinyl single alongside this mini-album.
Break the Banks
In June 2006, recordings produced by Gareth Jones surfaced unofficially under the title Break the Banks, believed to be intended as Battle's debut album. Although this collection was never formally released, multiple tracks found their way onto Back to Earth. The band explained that delays were due to refining their songwriting process and enhancing productivity. The official album Break the Banks was eventually released on 3 September 2007, preceded by the single "The Longest Time" on 2 July 2007. Another single from the album, "Paper Street", followed on 13 September 2007. Most of the album's material was composed within six months prior to recording.
2025 Activity
In 2025, original members Jason Bavanandan and Jamie Ellis introduced new social media profiles along with an official website dedicated to Battle, celebrating the band's legacy and suggesting potential future developments.
Band members
- Jason Bavanandan – lead vocals, guitar
- Oliver Davies – drums
- James (Jamie) Ellis – guitar
- Tim Scudder – bass guitar
Albums
- Break the Banks (released 3 September 2007)
EPs
- Back to Earth (released 23 October 2006)
Singles
- "Isabelle/Feel the Same" (released 25 April 2005) UK chart position: No. 98
- "Demons" (released 26 September 2005)
- "Tendency" (released 13 March 2006) UK chart position: No. 37
- "Children" (released 5 June 2006) UK chart position: No. 60
- "The Longest Time" (released 2 July 2007)
- "Paper Street" (released 13 September 2007)
Artwork
The artwork for Battle’s initial four singles and their debut album was created by Melissa Bavanandan, who is the sister of frontman Jason Bavanandan.