Coming from an island 36 miles long, 14 miles wide and 5,000 miles away from your governing mainland instantly makes you different. For Peace Band embraces their island roots as they activate the masses through conscious reggae music. The only artist from Guam currently active in North America and abroad, they have honed their sight on fans from across the globe, delivering authentic island reggae with the spirit of “inafa’maolek,” meaning everyone is welcome.
Formed in 2012, Freddy Bordallo (Drums/Vocals), Jacob Iosa (Keys/Vocals), Danton Cruz (Bass/Vocals) and Ronald "RJ" Pereira (Guitar/Vocals), quickly gained prominence at home, winning the 2014 Island Music Awards for Best Original Song, and 2015 Island Music Awards for Best Reggae Band. July 27, 2018 marked the release of their sophomore album, Always Love, via the Rootfire Cooperative. This latest offering presents the listener with top-shelf reggae music amplified by high-quality production and enough island vibes to leave you searching for land in your own living room. Tapping influences from The Police to The Doobie Brothers to Earth Wind and Fire, For Peace Band has embraced the importance of quality songwriting since their early days. Undeniably infectious melodies are met by a band recognizably comfortable in their role as the new guardians of island roots music.
Always Love consists of 13 tracks revolving around themes of self-awareness, honest love, and homage to the culture the band has grown up in. The title track opens the album with a clear message “Don’t let no one tell you what you’ve got to be. Just be yourself, do what is right for all to see…” The first single from the album, “Rarest Flower,” speaks to a muse “I never ever thought that I would meet a beautiful woman so extraordinary,” and subsequent tracks feature guest vocalists Star (The Steppas) on “Revival,” remembering the legends who came before them, including tributes to Gregory Isaacs, King Yellowman, Burning Spear and more. The final guest vocalist, friend and contemporary Nathan Feinstein (Iya Terra) sings on “Judgment Day,” featuring a heavy, driving rhythm over a powerful declaration that one’s actions will speak louder than their words when Judgment Day comes.
For Peace Band is on tour now. In their own words: “For Peace is a process, a movement, a way of life. We live it everyday. And we strive to keep the practices and customs we learned growing up alive in every aspect of our band.”