Collateral

Originating in Ramsgate, Kent, the ensemble Collateral coalesced in 2016 around an arena-scale rock approach steeped in 1980s influences and reminiscent of Bon Jovi, thereby placing the act inside the New Wave of Classic Rock circle. Lineage traces to 2014 and the Angelo Tristan Band, where frontman Tristan and bassist Jack Bentley-Smith spent roughly two years hunting for suitable musicians to round out a quartet. Once guitarist Todd Winger and drummer Ben Atkinson arrived in 2016, the unit adopted the name Collateral and logged more than 100 annual U.K. shows while traveling in a red ex-Royal Mail van, eventually landing a Roulette Records agreement.

The pop-leaning debut single “Midnight Queen,” issued in May 2018, signaled Tristan’s admiration for Bryan Adams and joined the 4 Shots EP that November; the collection also housed the yearning power ballad “Just Waiting for You,” a track Tristan had penned at age 14. Following the May 2019 launch of “Lullaby,” live activity intensified: that summer brought appearances at Hard Rock Hell’s Ibiza Road Trip, a headline slot at Camden Rocks Festival, support slots for idol Danny Vaughn, and a berth on Jon Bon Jovi’s Runway to Paradise cruise, after which Hard Rock Hell named them Best Newcomer and Get Ready to Rock shortlisted them as Breakthrough Act.

The self-titled debut album surfaced in February 2020, previewed by its hard-charging opener “Mr. Big Shot” when the track arrived as a single in October 2019. Mixing was entrusted to Romesh Dodangoda, whose résumé includes Bring Me the Horizon and Funeral for a Friend; March was spent supporting Phil X & the Drills on the road.