Originally known as Knives, Gloomsday is a noise-influenced doom-pop hard-rock duo featuring Justin Cota and Lori Sokolowski. Willing and able to hold their own alongside other full piece bands, Gloomsday brings a head banging groove with some hip shaking rhythms. The effect of baritone guitar running through dual amplification brings a huge sound that is accented by big, driving beats.
Born from socially conscious commentary, Cota is a multi-instrumentalist who played guitar and provided backing vocals the grind-core band Forever is Forgotten. Sokolowski's varied musical background began with trombone and folk guitar, until she met Cota and the two started Gloomsday.
This first incarnation of the band had Cota on drums and Sokolowski on bass, with a third member on guitar. Once Sokolowski took up the drums along with guitar, they started a post-punk dance-rock band with a third member on bass.
In time, the two decided to break away and focus on a two-piece project under the name Knives. After playing locally under that name, they decided to change it. A self-titled, four song EP was released in 2010, followed by their debut full-length.
A second album was released in May 2013, Paradise Tossed. At the time, Cota and Sokolowski also played together (on different instruments) with a trio called Gateway Hues, and Cota fronted Deep Sea Thunderbeast. Within the next couple of years, Cota also founded a band called Bosswitch.
In 2016, Cota co-founded Dream Burgler with Lia Dearborn (Uniform Victor, Mittens) and Josh Rudiger (the Cardielles).