One of folk music’s most rapid success stories, The Trials of Cato seemingly arrived from nowhere in 2018. They sent the folk roots world into a tailspin with a startling debut album that just a few months later clinched the coveted ‘Best Album’ title in the 2019 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

“Fascinating stuff” – Cerys Matthews, BBC Radio 6

The edgy verve and sheer originality of the Trials’ debut album Hide and Hair catapulted the Welsh/English trio onto folk’s centre stage as they served up adventurous new takes on the traditional folk repertoire whilst throwing down the gauntlet with their own arresting, genre-hopping self-penned tracks.

Now they are poised to release their sophomore album (November 25) with a new band member (Polly Bolton) and a renewed ambition which looms large as the giant from which the album takes its name – Gog Magog.

Still flying the flag of folk music, Gog Magog sees the band pull harder than ever on the genre’s familiar frame to create something utterly arresting and modern. Capitalising on their enforced closeting during the pandemic, the band have undoubtedly evolved during this period, boiling down the energy of their early years into a bold new sound. The resulting album presents the broadest spectrum of their collective talents yet.

Inspired by their current surroundings the album title tune is taken from the Cambridgeshire chalk hills of the same name, trodden by the outsize feet of mythical giant Gogmagog.

Says Jones: “The album has been a long time coming but we are so pleased with the result. Lockdown gave us a chance to really look at what we are about as a band and what music we wanted to create. We wiped the slate clean and challenged ourselves to create as much as we could without outside influences. Our beautiful and sometimes mysterious Fenland surroundings helped to realise this album and although we’re now delighted to be back on the road, this was a space in time that certainly helped us to create this music.”

Gog Magog is released today (November 25) and The Trials of Cato are currently showcasing the album on tour:

Dec 2 – Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham

Dec 3 – The David Hall, South Petherton

Dec 9 – Junction, Cambridge

For further information please visit: www.thetrialsofcato.com