Spend a few minutes talking with Kate Flanigan, founder, front-woman, and primary writing force behind electro-art rockers, Love in War, and it quickly becomes obvious that this is much more to her than just a band. She prefers the term “project” to eliminate any preconceptions that the word “band” might bring to the table. Love in War does not exist in a world of expectations or limitations. It is an artistic statement, and the musical and visual summation of Kate’s life experience.
The project started humbly enough, in Kate’s home studio, with a catalog of unfinished demos left over from a decade of formative bands. As she poured over the ideas, it became obvious that the material needed a vehicle for release, and Love in War, the solo project, was born. The songs were patiently fleshed out with a combination of organic, acoustic instrumentation and electronic loops, hinting at a new direction that would later come to define her sound. Armed with a brutally honest and deeply emotional batch of material, and free from the shackles of a conventional rock band, Flanigan dove deep into electronic experimentation. The goal of the Ante Up sessions was to capture the songs in complex arrangements, using non-traditional instrumentation and recording techniques, without sacrificing the song-craft at the heart of her music. The result is an album that brushes up against the limits of pop music, while exposing a disarmingly sincere vulnerability.
Although Love in War has existed as a concept for years, the live incarnation of the project debuted with an arena showcase performance in July [2010], after only a few weeks of preparation. Once the band lineup had been secured in early 2011, they set about deconstructing an album’s worth of densely textured electronic tracks and rebuilding them into sprawling rock epics, simultaneously crushing and ethereal. By 2012, they were performing regularly in venues all over Florida, putting on consistently head-turning shows and gathering fans. Love in War released its self-titled debut LP in March 2012, to rave reviews and more than just local attention. In August 2012, Love in War was named “Best Original Band” in SW FL by SPOT Magazine. As the months progressed, and more eyes were on them, they prepared for things to get interesting.
In April 2013, Kate Flanigan was hospitalized with a rare form of meningitis and encephalitis, effectively halting Love in War in its tracks for an indeterminate amount of time. Support poured in from fans and friends, and after 16 weeks in the hospital, Kate was released to recover at home. Determined to not let the disease beat her, she fought to regain vital skills and rejoined Love in War in November 2013.
Love in War is currently working on two more videos from their first LP and a new LP that will be available in late 2014.