Cowardice has been played on NTS shows including ARRHYTHMIA, with Aphelion first played on 17 September 2024.

Bandcamp

Cowardice is a hardcore band from Tacoma, WA signed to West Coast World Wide https://www.facebook.com/cowardicewa

Formed in 2008 by Final Coil's Phil Stiles, Cowardice is a solo project. Taking influence from a huge list of wide-ranging acts from the Levellers to The Cure, Oysterband to The Manic Street Preachers, Cowardice mixes elements of art-rock, folk, alternative and punk to an often unsettling effect.

The first ep: "Suicide by degrees" was put out over the internet in February and was recorded and produced entirely by Phil. The Ep marks the start of a trilogy, the second part of which: "Failure" is due out shortly after Easter.

At this stage it is unlikely that Cowardice will become a live prospect, although Phil has hinted at one or two acoustic shows in summer 2008. What is certain is that Cowardice is an on-going project and that Phil has plans beyond the trilogy currently being recorded.

Cowardice is not "easy" music. Dark, personal and often bleak in outlook, it is described by Phil in the website biography as "…. the sound of not sleeping enough and staring bloodshot into the dawn each morning. It is the nicotine and beer stained aftermath of a party and it isn't pretty. Nor was it meant to be." This would appear to sum up Cowardice perfectly and, if the first ep is the sound of desintergration in the time-honoured fashion of bands such as The Cure, then the second ep is the sound of collapse, apathy and (perhaps) redemption. Cowardice still has a lot to surprise listeners with.

March 2008