A Te Kura O Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) rock band has kickstarted the year with the launch of a swansong EP. 

‘Feed the System’ - which features senior students Tommy Cotter (guitar), Toby Mills (vocals), Harrison Eastwood (drums), and Archie Bruce (bass) - is wrapping up after four years together and going out on a high note. 

A statement from the band said the members made the ‘Hello + Goodbye’ EP to “immortalise the good times”.

A fundraiser event at Rhyme X Reason Brewery in 2024 helped the band raise funds for the EP, which was recorded over three days at South Link Productions in Dunedin last year and produced by Nick Roughan, who has worked with a number of artists including Shihad and Head Like a Hole.

Vocalist Toby Mills said the Hello + Goodbye EP includes five of the band’s top tracks from the past four years. 

“From straight down the line hard rock to softer ballads, this release has something for everybody, whether you’re an old metalhead from back in the day or you would rather enjoy it at home with a cup of tea,” he said.

Feed the System also worked with the Mount Aspiring College Events and Entertainment Technologies class to finish off a music video for their song ‘Please You’. 

Watch the music video here.

During their four years together Feed the System competed in Rockquest three times and performed alongside many other acts from around Central Otago at a range of venues.

In 2023, Feed the System was selected as one of the 10 semifinalists in the Thrashmore competition run by AJ Hackett. The band also had the opportunity to record their song ‘Unicorn’ with Lee Prebble at the YAMI Sounz Summit.

Feed the System thanked the MAC music department and music teacher Mat Doyle for their support during their time as a band.

Toby told the Wānaka App all band members planned to continue to pursue music in some form beyond high school.

“The main goal with our music is to be creative and have some fun working on a number of cool projects,” he said.

Listen to ‘Hello + Goodbye’ on all major streaming platforms.

PHOTO: Supplied