If you ever find yourself searching for directions to Goldenhammer on Google, you might end up in a bit of a dilemma. While Percy Jackson achieved his quest for the legendary Golden Fleece and Harry Potter’s quidditch journey soared when he caught the Golden Snitch, the main characters of this fantasy narrative – the Nottingham-based band Divorce – are still on the hunt for the fictitious location in question. And that’s essentially the purpose. “We couldn’t quite understand what we were striving towards,” begins Tiger Cohen-Towell of the band, encapsulating the endless odyssey the group finds themselves engaged in. “It’s quite amusing, because that’s precisely what the album’s about,” they acknowledge. “Everyone likely has their own unique way of trying to [reach it],” reflects co-vocalist and guitarist Felix Mackenzie-Barrow as well.
To an observer, Divorce might appear to have spent recent years perpetually on a tour bus or creating new music in the studio – likely due to the very nature of being a band in 2025. Nevertheless, these four industrious individuals – consisting of Adam Peter Smith (guitar, synth) and Kasper Sandstrøm (drums) – managed to carve out time to develop their most refined body of work yet: their expansive debut album, ‘Drive To Goldenhammer’. When the “happy coincidence” of the name Goldenhammer came to light – initially through a lyric in ‘Mercy’ (“My breaking voice / Gave up the golden hammer”) – the band recognized a broader significance in this imaginary term that had slipped from their collective consciousness. “It’s like a home that never existed,” Felix explains. “An elusive destination representing a place that doesn’t truly exist, which we’re always attempting to reach.”
“As one navigates through life, there’s an intrinsic sense of belonging that you seek,” he adds. “That feeling of not belonging is likely shared by many, as the world grows smaller in various ways... you grow up, you travel around. You begin to lose track of places and find your sense of belonging in the people around you. We often discovered [Goldenhammer] in each other.”
Raised in Nottingham and Derby, Tiger and Felix’s connections to their hometowns significantly influence the themes behind ‘Drive To Goldenhammer’. This “strange nostalgia for something that never fully existed” reflects their cyclical relationship with the East Midlands, according to Felix. “The East Midlands has a rich history, but at times, growing up there, it didn’t seem to hold much contemporary significance,” he continues. “It didn’t feel like the most relevant place, yet it carries immense meaning for us as the region where we were raised. Now, with some distance, I can see it more clearly. During my childhood, I despised it – I encountered a lot of backwardness in my early years, which affected me deeply.”
Tiger, who – like Felix – had a short stint in London, has always found their anchor “affected by [their career in] music,” but eventually felt drawn back. “I have a fairly positive relationship with the place,” they express. “If you remain in your hometown, you can lose track of your direction and desires. For me, stepping away was essential to develop an appreciation for it.”
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