BLACK ROSE MOVES

"I lose myself, with every step that I take, In this dark, twisted world, my senses slowly awake.”

There are bands you discover, and bands you enter. From the iron-grey depths of Birmingham’s industrial sprawl emerges a sound that feels less born than summoned. Black Rose Moves arrived with the weight of a ritual awakening—guitars striking like collapsing steel, melodies coiling like smoke around a midnight flame.

At the centre of this gathering force stands vocalist Grant Leon, commanding and otherworldly, while guitarist Mark Neat shapes vast, serrated soundscapes that rise and fall like black monoliths shifting in the dark.

Their eruption began with Summer Of Sorrow in June 2024, a first stir in the darkness that set the tone for what would follow. Ghost Town arrived two months later, its signal echoing further outward. When their debut EP Death Dance followed in June 2025, the four-track descent spread fast across the UK, the US, Australia, and Europe, its limited copies vanishing as curiosity turned into momentum.

By mid-2025, the ritual stepped from studio twilight into the live arena. Support slots with Gene Loves Jezebel, Clan of Xymox, and UK Decay confirmed what audiences already sensed: Black Rose Moves were not simply emerging—they were ascending.

With their latest release, the 2025 single Club Of Sin, the duo descend further—into desire, devotion, and the perilous beauty that flickers between them. The track offers a glimpse into their 2026 EP, promising deeper shadows, sharper contours, and a fusion of ritualistic energy with unmistakable gothic force.

Now as the lights dim, the shadows gather, the first step that is ours to take is to sit down with Grant Leon for a deeper look into Black Rose Moves.

Grant, as the world dims and the darker hours claim their space, allow me on behalf of Peek-A-Boo to thank you for stepping into this nocturnal encounter with us.

In the dead of night, you tell me that you don’t love me—as you sing in Summer Of Sorrow. Now tell us, in that death of night, how did Black Rose Moves ascend from the shadows?

Really, Black Rose Moves began in a rough patch I was moving through and an afternoon at the Cruel World Festival in California. I’d felt a bit lost without music—like a part of me had gone quiet for too long. I was there with a longtime friend, the kind who remembers who you were before the armour. During one of the sets he said, “You should be up there again. This is where you belong.” It hit harder than I expected and shook something awake.

On the flight home, I reached out to Mark—someone I’d played with before and always trusted creatively. I told him I felt this pull to make something dark, heavy, and deep again. Something that could hold everything I’d been carrying. Part of that pull was wanting to bring back a dark, heavy goth sound, and to get onstage again with music that has real attitude—raw, dramatic, unapologetic. So, between that friend reminding me who I was and reconnecting with Mark, the project rose out of that spell. Out of the quiet. Out of the need to let the darkness breathe and take form.

Tracing your journey even further: the music that found you in your youth— which artists or bands formed those early foundations, who do you look up to, and which artists have become defining influences on you as a musician?

Early on I was drawn to the darker and mysterious side of music. The Doors, The Cult, Scott Walker—those artists, and anything shadowy or dramatic, shaped how I hear and create music today.

Summer Of Sorrow was Black Rose Moves’ first introduction to the fans back in June 2024. Although it wasn’t released that long ago—over a year and a half ago—what does this single mean to you personally, how do you reflect on it today, and what can you share with us about how the track was created?

"Summer of Sorrow" is a defining track for us and the perfect introduction to Black Rose Moves. It successfully captured the rawness and emotion we were aiming for, directly nodding to our roots and influences. It was created quickly, prioritizing that urgent, raw energy. We use it to start every live set because it immediately tells the audience who we are. Even now, we feel it will continue to grow and evolve alongside us as artists.

On a lighter note, to get a feel for your personal tastes—after a show, when you finally slip into the green room, what snack or drink would instantly make your night?

Ha! I’ll happily always have a whisky on the rocks does the trick and calms you down.

Talking about live shows—Black Rose Moves has already shared the stage with some strong names in the scene, including UK Decay, Gene Loves Jezebel, and Clan of Xymox. How was that experience for you as an emerging artist?

I believe we gave it the rock show every time we played and enhanced the night. We brought our passion and energy. Feeling that audience exchange night after night has certainly helped shape us as an emerging artist and we believe we can play with anyone to any audience and show that we are a great live band. We also deeply appreciate those artists and the longevity in their music and for giving us the opportunity to share the stage. It’s inspiring to see their commitment to the scene over the years, and we were truly grateful for the platform they offered us.

What can you tell us about your upcoming live plans—are there venues you hope to play, or bands you’d love to share the stage with?

Regarding our upcoming live plans, we are excited to let everyone know that we have some shows and festivals booked for 2026 already! We're planning to make 2026 a very busy year. With the release of our new EP in the year, look for many more to be added and some big opportunities to come our way as the year progresses. We are focused on expanding our reach and getting our music out to more fans.

As for the bands in this scene we would absolutely love to play with, The Cult and The Mission are definitely at the top of that list. Sharing a bill with either of those legends would be an incredible honour and a career highlight for Black Rose Moves!

Before we get into the new EP, let’s talk about your debut EP Death Dance, released in June 2025. It includes your first single Summer Of Sorrow, as well as three original tracks: Lips Taste Blood, Shadow Dance, and Jessica. It was received very well—did you expect that kind of response, and what makes this release special to you?

I will say I believe in the music. We worked hard to make these genuinely good songs, and we always appreciate great reviews and people showing love to what we believe in. I think it's special because it's the first piece of a collection of work we have done, setting the tone for everything that follows. It's great having it in physical format too; it really solidifies that first major step.

Your band’s name has a naturally mystical aura—like the movement of the black rose. How did you come up with this name, and what is the story behind it?

So, I’ve always liked Black Roses through being the opposite of your normal rose—something a bit darker and more thought-provoking. The "Moves" part came to me when walking the dog, and I seen flowers moving in the wind and thought, "Yep, Black Rose Moves". It’s about the darkness of a black rose but still with that danceable energy. So, yeh, Black Rose Moves it is. I think it suits us.

I’ve heard you’re into boxing—so let me throw you a fun one. If you could choose a Black Rose Moves track as the walk-in song for one of your favourite boxers, which song would you pick, who would the boxer be, and… would you step into the ring yourself?

That is a fantastic question! For the song, it would absolutely be Club Of Sin. I think that would be a good ring walk song—it’s got that driving rhythm. The boxer would have to be Dmitry Bivol. He is a beautiful technician and a master of the sweet science. I just love watching someone so good operate at the top of their game.

And yes, absolutely I would step into the ring! I’m actually a 2nd Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo and have done boxing on and off for years. I love that competitive spirit!

Speaking of Club Of Sin, it marks a powerful new chapter for Black Rose Moves. You mentioned earlier that a new EP is on the way—does Club Of Sin connect to what we can expect from that upcoming release, and is there anything you can already share with us about the new EP?

Absolutely. Club Of Sin is a perfect indicator of where we are heading! The new EP you can expect it to be heavier, rawer, and more rocky than Death Dance. It feels like a natural progression for us and is much more in line with our live shows. When we hit the stage, that energy and grit come out, and we’ve channeled that directly into this upcoming release.

If Death Dance was the introduction, the new EP is us turning the amps up and digging in. It still has the groove, but with a lot more muscle behind it.

One last question. Imagine Black Rose Moves as vintage collectible figures—you and Mark immortalised in miniature. What would the two figures look like, and would they come as a limited-edition package with a black rose inside?

Ha, that has already happened... think that's a good enough answer (laughs). Black rose and a goblet! (see photos above).

Grant, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. On behalf of Peek-A-Boo, we wish you and Mark an amazing future—one in which the black rose will continue to move. Before we let you enjoy a well-deserved whisky on the rocks, the final word is yours.

Thanks to you for taking the time to do this interview with me and everyone should always remember no eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn.

• Black Rose Moves | Official Website
• Black Rose Moves | Bandcamp

Hayley CLX
12/12/2025