#pink synth doomed guy

[mindctrlaltdel]

Random Reviews: Mulholland Drive

This movie is BASIC INSTINCT, written and directed by Salvador Dali.

***

Recently, I watched MULHOLLAND DRIVE for the first time for my friend Shawn Eastridge's podcast, MISSING FRAMES (www.thenerdparty.com/missingframes/episode-103-mulholland-drive).

As I watched this odd, funny, disturbing, interesting flick, I took the following notes. Is it, as some critics say, the BEST FILM OF THE 21ST CENTURY? Here's an inside look at my viewing experience as I mulled over MULHOLLAND DRIVE...

[PRESS PLAY]

I love how the first five minutes is basically a bad late 90's Gap commercial, all swing dancing, no point...

The Mulholland Drive sign is calling to us. The street, Mulholland Drive, is Bali Hai for perverts.

Justin Theroux gets top billing over Naomi Watts??

I gotta admit, I saw one of the movie's original posters and thought "Naomi Watts AND the lady from the first MEN IN BLACK is in this? It's the triumphant return of Linda Fiorentino." When I DIDN'T see her name in the opening credits, I was disappointed. She's NO Linda Fiorentino... for this role, she's even better. AND she's a countess (seriously, look it up). Oh, and Robert Forster shows up for 10 minutes.

Not-Linda Fiorentino has some hustle in her for someone who just survived a horrible head on collision.

I like how the street signs kind of tell us where we are and what kind of world we're in. It's like a surreal, dramatic version of that Californians SNL sketch.

You mean to tell me that the red-headed older woman didn't see not-Linda Fiorentino under her kitchen table? UnbeLIEVable.

Holy crap, the wide-eyed guy in Winky's - he plays Jimmy Barrett, the comedian in MAD MEN... and MAD MEN is an interesting connection here, because everyone talks in this measured, paced deliberate way throughout that series, kind of similar to how the characters usually speak in the David Lynch productions I've seen... When I started watching MAD MEN, I thought the actors were purposely directed to speak that way, so everything to seem more "real" as opposed to that fast-talking, old-Hollywood style that you'd expect to see from outspoken, big idea-types. I imagined that Matt Weiner wanted people to seem - at least to modern audiences - the way people actually were - particularly, the inhabitants of the intelligent and cerebral world of ad men, working behind the scenes, on the fringes of show business. But then Jimmy Barrett, an old-timey comedian ALSO spoke that way. And it just didn't seem authentic to me. Anyway, back to THIS movie...

OH and that dingy woman behind the dumpster! She's like if Captain Howdy moved out West and got all LA on us. Is that Cloris Leachman covered in mud? And the music... for some reason, there's nothing scarier than the sound of an HVAC vent on full blast. (According to this article, www.vulture.com/2014/10/mulholland-drives-evil-hobo-breaks-her-silencio.html,the actress who played Evil Hobo #1 said of her audition process: "I don’t mean to brag, but David Lynch said he was looking for the most incredible face he could find. I actually met him at a Twin Peaks party, and he was like, 'Look at that face!'")

I love the X-Files-style synth strings that play over Naomi Watts (Betty) and gram-gram (Irene) as they walk through the hotel, I mean the airport... Aw, these two old people love Betty. What a different life she's living than that countess who's not Linda Fiorentino who's squatting in that redhead's apartment that Betty's about to move into.

Even then, Naomi had a good American accent. (Although I learned she's technically British but split her time between England and Australia), those Australians are great at spitting out neutral American sounds. But once I learned that Betty is supposed to be Canadian, I was very disappointed. It's not THAT authentic. Where are her "Aboots"? And she didn't put maple syrup on anything in this whole movie.

Oh my God, are Irene and her husband, riding in this towncar, ALSO going to get held up, like not-Linda Fiorentino at the beginning of the movie? Oh okay, they're not. We just followed them for no reason other than to see that they look happier than an old couple in a Cialis commercial. I guess meeting Betty really improved their sex life or something.

Coco - of course she's a fading hollywood starlet... AHHH, Coco is played by Ann Miller - good for her. She's basically that kooky old landlady from SEINFELD, the one who worked with the Three Stooges that Kramer met when he went to LA. Look at all these connections!

"Prize-fighting kangaroo who shits all over the courtyard" - do you think Naomi Watts is going to come out and say, "as an Australian, I was actually offended by this line, but I was scared into silence by that power-hungry monster, David Lynch."

The countess - who now goes by "Rita" - does kind of look like Rita Hayworth. I like the connections to old Hollywood and to noirs and how it's all wrapped together. Rita Hayworth is also a redhead, like Betty's aunt. She's of Spanish descent as well... and the actress playing Rita in this movie is of Mexican descent... Connections, connections.

I love that this casting session is basically run by a deep state shadow organization with a weird waiter in a red blazer... This is how Disney cast WandaVision.

HAHAHAH "That is one of the finest espressos in the world sir!" - this is DEFINITELY how Disney casts their movies. And Justin Theroux is the only man with integrity in this room! Does anyone have any class in this town!? They don't even validate his parking.

This is my favorite movie about making movies since BOWFINGER. And I may not be lying. And somehow less weird than THE ARTIST.

Is everyone gonna start killing each other over Ed's famous black book? This is oddly funny.

"Something bit me bad!" This incredibly long fight scene between the blond guy and secretary... it reminds me of the Uma Thurman/Daryl Hannah trailer fight in KILL BILL VOL. 2 but with less snakes.

These closeups of lingering looks on Rita's cash-filled purse are great... She's pulling wads of cash out of that purse one at a time, like Leslie Nielsen pulling eggs out of that blond lady in AIRPLANE!

I want to know what direction David Lynch gave that braless woman who's following the blond assassin around. It's like she's doing an acting exercise... like you know, when you're told to fill the space... "walk around the room, and clear your head. And now you're walking really fast. And now you're slow. NOW, imagine what it would be like to walk with your nose as the furthest point in front of you. Lead with your nose..." And David Lynch did that and told the braless woman to lead with her chest.

Justin Theroux is basically Robert Downey Jr.'s character from BOWFINGER, except NOW, he's the protagonist.

Betty is loving Rita's amnesia a bit too much. If this were my life, Rita would be the most interesting thing to happen to me too. Hell, if I was from Ontario, getting off at LAX would rock my world.

When Justin Theroux enters his glass-walled home to find his wife with another man, well... Justin Theroux may never star in something like HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, but I can definitely picture him in YUPPIE WITH A GOLF CLUB.

That slinky theme song playing in Justin Theroux's/Laraine's house is a song that I actually listen to in my tiki, lounge playlist - to give you a hint of my music tastes. What I listen to for fun, Billy Ray Cyrus puts on to drown out his love-making.

By the way, BILLY RAY CYRUS!!! WHAT? Is this how Miley was conceived??? I think yes.

Pink paint in a jewelry box! This is much better than the usual throwing-all-his-belongings-out-a-second-story-apartment-window-scene that happens in every other movie.

I wouldn't be THAT excited if I learned MY name was Diane Selwin. BUT the sexxxual tension with the waitress Diane at the diner is palpable!

So, not-Linda Fiorentino has amnesia. How does she know that answering machine is NOT her voice!?

Justin Theroux/Adam Kesher's wife is very aggressive with the large man who's so dedicated to finding Adam Kesher that he keeps calling Adam's name in vain like the secretary in my doctor's office.

I watched this movie in pieces, the first half late at night. The second half the next morning. In between, while sleeping, I had a dream where Betty and Rita were looking over a map and any time one of their hands brushed over another, their hands would turn gold. As if this was a stylistic choice made by the filmmaker directing my dream to show that there's some kind of deeper relationship between these two women. So I've started dreaming in Lynch.

I like how this film is so utterly connected to not only Lynch's subconscious, but the audience's as well. Lynch is TAPPED IN. I don't always love when a film goes all in with a surreal style, because sometimes that's just a cover for something lacking in the storytelling department. But I do feel there's more to it here, in MULHOLLAND DRIVE.

The hooded woman, Louise... I feel like I've run into her on the streets of New York. A Louise will ALWAYS find a way to give you a portent of doom that ruins your day. Friggin’ Louise.

This movie is so moody, you really have to be in the mood to watch it.

There's something magical and prophetic about the cowboy, like he's the seer that the old general sees on the eve of battle... Also, I love how the lead female role in Justin Theroux's movie is his sword of destiny. There's a glitz and gleam and nostalgia to Old Hollywood that naturally gives this movie, set in "modern" Hollywood," a total fantasy vibe.

Hahaha that "You're still here?" scene rehearsal between Betty and Rita is an excellent transition.

James Karen - the real estate guy from POLTERGEIST - is handling casting! "He moved the headshots but he didn't cast the bodies!!"

The casting direction: "Don't play it for real until it gets real." It's interesting how the characters, who work in the "business," seem to control their reality. Betty seems unsure of where the scene is going, then she gets into it. And it really speaks to her conversion from a bright-eyed new arrival to someone who surrenders to the darker impulses of the city.

HEAVY BREATHING.

Ugh friggin' Bob...

I love how Lynnie, the casting director, pulls the rug out from under that scene. There's always a jaded casting person who totally wrecks any good feelings about every audition. It's a thing.

David Lynch uses nostalgia and a latent love for Hollywood to draw the characters (and us) into his world and then subverts our expectations. A lot.

Why is the screen test just a lip-synching contest? ...I think it feeds into the nostalgia element for the movie at large but it seems like a waste of studio resources here. Early-aughties Hollywood spending, amirite?

Rita's reaction to finding the body is played very much like the reaction a character would have in an older film... The horror! The fear! The silent gaping terror while possessed with the inability to scream. I was watching the original KING KONG before this (which is may be a sign from the universe that I had to watch this Naomi Watts vehicle, as she starred in the remake), and specifically remember the scene where the director Carl Denham is coaching Ann Darrow/Fay Wray on how to act in a horror film - "now look up, and you see it, you see it in all its horror. And your jaw drops and you try to scream but you're so frozen in terror that you can't!" - I imagine that's what Lynch is doing to not-Linda Fiorentino off-camera as they filmed this scene.

Uh-oh, Rita is single-white femal'ing Betty now... She doesn't have a personality of her own, so she's going to take Betty's.... And now we're just getting NUDE with each other. This erotic thriller immediately turned from skintillating to Skinemax.

"I'm in love with you" - is Betty just saying that to convince herself? It feels more lusty than real. Betty's so bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Rita is gonna chew her up and spit her out!

I like the shot when they're sleeping together and, as they rest, their faces overlap thanks to the perspective of the framing. How much of the same person are they becoming? Where does one personality start and the other end?

The weird 2am theater. How'd Rita and Betty find this place? I love how this pop-up slam-poetry reading in this opera house is as terrifying to Rita and Betty as finding the dead body.

So Betty starts convulsing in her seat and then the poet disappears in a kind of old-style, cinematic I'm disappearing effect. I dig it.

Wait... is this a mysterious, magical show that just appears in LA, like Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead, that town in THE MUMMY that only shows up at sunrise on the third day or something like that? Or is this just a poorly attended Spanish-language talent show that could only afford to book this theater at 2am on a Thursday?

I love that Betty and Rita are tearing up over Rebekah Del Rio's performance (Rebekah Del Rio is a real person, by the way). Then, Rebekah faints as her voice keeps singing - is NOTHING real? Has Betty totally given into this weird world to the point that she doesn't really know what's authentic and what's fake anymore OR was Betty fake before she got to LA so it was easy for her to get acclimated.

This movie is like THE MATRIX, from the perspective of characters who only took the blue pill and didn't look back.

OOOH, Betty has the box and Rita has the key! But the box is empty except maybe its the Gom Jabbar pain-box from DUNE. Is David Lynch using MULHOLLAND DRIVE as an excuse to make good on his promise to produce a good version of DUNE.

WAIT A SECOND, the cowboy knows the dead girl? Does this even matter?

Now, wait ANOTHER second. Is Betty performing or DREAMING when she's Diane or is something else going one??

What's the BLUE KEY doing there?

"Two Detectives"??? Is she talking about Betty and Rita OR Robert Forster and the pudgy guy? OR someone else entirely - the two guy's from Winky's???

The movie became more interesting the moment the perspective shifted to "Diane" and "Camilla." When that happened, Naomi Watts really amped up her performance... reaching a level of intensity we hadn't seen since Betty's audition... it does take 2 hours to reach that point.... But then, when Betty and Rita are topless on the couch, I couldn't tell who they were supposed to be until Rita/Camilla called her "Diane."

Wait, now Rita's acting?? OH, so Rita was an actress? And Diane wasn't? Or Betty looks exactly like Diane?

The weird shifts in focus. The sad masturbating. This is the most depressing soft-core ever made!

Did Betty get killed and have amnesia too?

They take a shortcut to Eddie's house which looks EXACTLY like where Rita/Camilla was taken at the beginning of the movie by the hitmen in the towncar before that wild accident with those teenagers made her life weirder... OR less weird. You be the judge.

IS this a flashback or the future. Eddie and Camilla are having an affair?

MY MOTHER? COCO - what's real and what isn't????

The jitterbug competition.... Diane/Naomi wanted the lead so bad, Camilla got the part but in Mulholland Drive, Naomi is the star.

Then, Camilla is kissing that other blond actress who Betty watched screen test...

MULHOLLAND DRIVE is just David Lynch telling us that LA is a place for lust and jealousy and no matter what, purity gets ruined.

WHAT, the blond waitress is BETTY? And Diane hires the blond guy, who's officially labeled as a hitman.

Diane is also from Canada...

Are Diane and Betty just different versions of the same people in nearby parallel universes? I certainly HOPE so. This is too much insanity for ONE universe to handle.

The blue key will be found where the blond guy told Diane. Okay, that makes sense. But if this were to mirror real life, the key was in her hand the WHOLE time!

OH, and hobo-Cloris Leachman comes back... AND she's holding the blue box/Gom Jabbar... WHY the hell did those two old people wander out of that paper bag??? Do they represent longstanding guilt? Seems like it. Because they've just crept into Diane's apartment.

MULHOLLAND DRIVE is almost silly to the point of pretentiousness at points - at least with the last word to be uttered on screen - "silencio." That said, it does evoke the HAMLET line: "And the rest is silence," so THAT's poetic.

Sadly, Robert Forster was barely in this movie...

Oh, and Lee Grant played Louise - the old-Hollywood connections keep coming!

I can't believe this movie was intended to be a pilot?

***

Now, some final notes:

On the swapping of characters and relationships in the last 30 minutes -- my first thought was that Betty/Diane and Rita/Camilla look similar and/or they're connected by a parallel universe, and the diner is like the central hub between worlds, and hobo-Cloris Leachman is the gatekeeper between the two worlds... I buy the "dream world" explanation that some critics espouse, that's something I considered myself as I watched. But I'm not sure I believed Betty is Diane's dream version of herself. Also, I think David Lynch has a feeling about how everything fits together, yet I don't know if he's even settled on an explanation for everything. He just trusted his subconscious and he's so confident in his latent abilities, that we trust him to show us everything we need to see and take us everywhere we need to go.

I enjoy how it's a surrealist answer to SUNSET BOULEVARD. I hope in 2050, someone makes "The 405" really tying all these movies and Los Angeles roads together.

MULHOLLAND DRIVE is weird but good. Still, I don't know if, to me, it's more weird than good. It's also funny. But is it funny because it's weird or because it's actually, genuinely funny? Are these questions David Lynch actually wants me to ask or does he make it weird on impulse to cover for the fact that the film is simply just weird and based entirely on impulse? MULHOLLAND DRIVE is almost like a parody of a film noir, made by an inter-dimensional alien life-form who studied a bunch of movies from the 40's through the 90's but doesn't have a full grasp on human behavior, and DESPITE THAT, it's more of an emotional experience than a logical one. It's somewhere in between. It's self-indulgent in a way but also very giving. It's a paradox wrapped in an oxymoron wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a coffee-stained napkin covered in cigarette ash locked in a small, blue box.

***

Summing it up: I don't think there's a world where this movie would get a perfect score from me. Because ultimately, for all it's interesting and exciting moments, it's more of a passion project for David Lynch than a piece of entertainment for the audience, no matter how entertaining it may be. To me, it's a vision board more than it is a complete film. And yet, it IS a complete EXPERIENCE. And there's nothing wrong with that.

All of that said, I know David Lynch doesn't really like to give viewers a clear cut, traditional narrative. So, I had a feeling the mystery was just that, a mystery. Or even moreso, the FEELING of a mystery. It's not about where we're going, it's about the journey to the destination. And while the general atmosphere is moody and evocative and often powerful, MULHOLLAND DRIVE plays more like a 2.5 hour piece of music than a cohesive narrative. Maybe that's the best thing about it.

In the distant future, when our way of speaking has become as archaic as the words of Shakespeare are to us, it's the feeling and emotions and images of movies like MULHOLLAND DRIVE that will still have a timeless impact on the future audiences who view them.

[synthsizedproductions]

Descending Into Power Chapter Eight: Bloody Sundown

Hey hey, guys, gals, and in between pals! Glad I could finally get this chapter written in a way that I felt good showing to others. Combat isn’t my forte, so I’m never very confident in what I’m writing. This chapter is rather combat-heavy, but it’s necessary for the story. This chapter officially marks the end of the first act of our novel. Hope you’re ready for next week when we dive right into the second act. I expect the next one to be a bit slower and more character-driven than this one which is more event-based.

Hope you enjoy the show!

~ Chance/Synth

PS: Please note that I have changed “Kobold” into “Zalyk”. They are similar creatures, but not the same. I have also changed the Zalyk character from blue and black scales to red and black scales.

CW: Violence, excessive blood, strong language, burn wounds, fire, death, highly graphic description of an off-screen death, death threats, abandonment

I stalked up the hill toward the people who had stolen my kill, my broken body fueled by rage alone. My body was dangerously hot, my steps leaving burned earth in my wake. Everything was agony and anger. 

The red and black Zalyk hopped off the creature’s back, daggers drawn and teeth bared. “I’d stop there, pal. Come any closer and you’re in a world of hurt.”

A tall, slender Ursan in metal and leather armor with Sigil of Life on her chest stepped in front of the Zalyk, giving him a warning look. “Forgive my friend. He speaks rashly. I would like to discuss your grievances before anyone but this creature loses their heads.” The pads of her handset off a gentle white glow. Their friendly, confident smile faded when I continued forward with just as much rage in my glowing, bright green eyes. 

A short, stocky Gueldon with long pointed ears and copper-toned skin crossed their muscular arms over their bare chest. “Thought those new Social Powers were supposed to work, Wy. Seems like I’ll have to handle this with my fists. As usual.” They hopped on top of MY kill and shook out their shoulders, grinning down at me as their eyes burned crimson. “You shoulda listened when my friends said stop.” 

Fire engulfed their hands and the fact that their skin wasn’t burned somehow made me more furious. Why could they wield their Powers without damaging themself? Why was I cursed? What made them so special?

Nothing.

The squat Gueldon leaped at me, crimson slashes glowing on their flesh. I stopped my forward motion and tilted my head at my descending opponent, time seeming to slow down as they got closer. My eyes were drawn to two sigils burning above their head, one the Sigil of Fire, the other the Sigil of Destruction. 

Gueldon Barbarian. Dodge and strike fast.

I rolled out of the way and back onto my feet just before the Gueldon slammed into the ground, leaving a crater around them. When they turned to glare at me, teeth bared, I struck them in the mouth with my boot heel. 

Behind you.

I whipped around and landed an uppercut to a pink and purple scaled Drakyn wearing simple white and brown robes as they attempted to sneak up on me. My hit lifted them off their feet and sent them flying several feet.

Look up.

I raised my eyes to the sky and rolled away from a missile of silver light. Just like the one that had taken my killing blow. Though I had begun to feel worn, my anger was stoked again by this perceived insult.

“Fuck.” A rather slight Lupine with silver and brown fur and panicked magenta eyes attempted to hide beyond the crest of the hill, but it was too late for them.

I sprinted up the hill and tackled the cowardly wolfman, holding him by his throat and slowly increasing my pressure. He clawed at my burned skin, tearing it apart like paper and covering us both in my blood. I didn’t care though. I had resigned myself to dying by the end of this fight. There was no way I was going to win.

Not with that attitude.

I was thrown from my place when an arrow buried itself in my shoulder. I snapped the end from it so the part within my body would act as a stopper for even more blood loss. I was growing dizzy from expending so much Magic and losing such a large quantity of blood. I pulled myself up to a sitting position and only barely held myself upright. I watched the blurred image of a black and silver furred Heikin approach with her bow held by their side.

She shook her head and slung their bow over their shoulder, pulling a hunting knife from her belt. “It’s really a shame things have to end this way, kid. You seem like you have a lot of potential. May Palec be kind in your passage.”

The Lupine let out a choked warning and pointed skyward. “Timurow, look out!”

Timurow only had time to look up before being lifted off her feet and hurled at the Ursan who had tried to reason with me, Samriel landing near me with his wings, arms, and chest engulfed in flames. His veins were black from the Corruption running through the Demon. 

He looked down at me, his eyes burning embers in a sea of darkness.  “Stay awake for me, okay? I have some trash to take care of.” He stalked toward the three party members who stood on the hill with us, spreading his wings as molten amber rained down from them.

The Ursan was first to her feet and grabbed a mace from her belt, standing in front of her friends with white glowing paws. “This has all been a massive misunderstanding. We can talk about this like civilized beings, right?” The waver in her voice made her attempts useless.

Sam growled at the group with bared fangs. “Things have progressed far past being civilized, Cleric. You have damn near killed my ward and you expect me to be civilized? And I wouldn’t waste your Magic on those Social Powers. I’m delighted to tell you that you cannot use your low-level Power on me. How sad for you, though.”

The Ursan stared at the enraged Demon for half a second before scooping up the Lupine and the Heikin and dashing down the hill toward the other party members. “Time for running!” There was hesitation from the other two, but as soon as Samriel lifted from the ground, they realized the danger they were in and scrambled toward the forest. A wall of flames exploded from the ground in front of the fleeing party.

Samriel quickly descended upon the party and I could hear a vicious fight ensuing below me. I laid down in the burned grass and stared at the nearly dark sky, the only real light coming from Samriel’s flames. There was nothing I could do to help. I could barely keep my eyes open, much less hold my own in further fighting. I lost the fight with my eyelids and desperately tried to cling to consciousness.

My eyes shot open again when I heard a footstep in the singed grass. The black and red Zalyk stood over me with glowing crimson eyes. He glanced over his shoulder as he pulled one of his daggers. “Your friend might destroy us, but you don’t get to live either.” I let out a weak cry of pain, tears running down my burned, bloody face. The Zalyk frowned as he wiped off his dagger and placed it into its sheath. “Don’t do that. It makes me fe-” 

He was cut short by a disc of white light when it hit the Zalyk’s back, which knocked him off of me and left a burning gash where he’d been hit. He scrambled to get to his feet, but Samriel snagged his opponent by his shoulders, flew so high I could barely make out his burning wings, and dropped the screaming Zalyk. He hovered in the air until the red and black scaled man was dangerously close to the ground, and Samriel grabbed his foot just as his short snout touched the earth. 

Sam flipped the much smaller man to hold him by his neck and stare him in the eyes. “You have doomed your entire party. I might have let some of you live, but not now. You’ve condemned them all.”

“S-sam…” I looked up at him with my eyes barely open. “Please. Don’t. Kill them. I started it.”

He stared down at me, analyzing my condition. “It doesn’t matter who started it. Normally, I would be the one finishing this, but you are close enough to Death’s door and I don’t have time for trash mobs.”

The Zalyk clawed at Sam’s hand with little effect. “You’re screwed if you let us go. We’ll just get stronger and find you later. Because we’re the heroes and you’re the villains. We win. You lose. We live. You die. That’s how the world works.”

Sam shook his head with a disgusted look. “That is how they’ve taught you the world works in your little Guilds and Alliances. The whole world has fallen for the biggest lie ever told. Heroes. Villains. It’s about perspective. Swing first, ask questions later seems to be the way of you Adventurers.” His pupils flared white and he tsked. “You have so much potential in you. What a waste it will be to kill you and the others. But I won’t just kill you and them. I will break your necks to paralyze you. I will break your arms. And then your legs. I will tear open your torsos, show you your own entrails, and then wrap them around your throats until your eyes start bulging. I’ll end your suffering by crushing your skulls with my bare hands.”

The terrified scaled man tried to put on a confident grin. “If you’re done monologuing at me, I’d let me go before my friends come back.”

A wicked smile crept across Samriel’s features. “You mean the friends that left as soon as I began describing what your deaths would look like?” Sam turned so my would-be assassin could see the quickly retreating backs of the other party members.

The abandoned Zalyk let out an enraged scream, doubling his effort to escape Samriel’s clutches. “You cowards! A pox on your Fates! I’ll see you in the Pits, traitors!” He glared at Samriel in defiance. “Well. Get on with it. You have laid your Death deal out quite plainly, Dealer.”

Sam looked down at me. “Close your eyes. You don’t need to see this.” I heard him let out a deep sigh when my eyes were shut. “You will have to excuse the sounds.” The next several minutes were filled with the sounds of screaming and breaking bones, the air thick with the coppery scent of blood. I knew it was over when there was a final, gut-wrenching sound of Sam crushing the Zalyk’s head. Sam brought the body down to the crater left by the Barbarian, dug the hole deeper with his claws, and buried the remains. 

He returned to me and picked me up with as much care as possible, all the fire and rage gone. “I can’t help with injuries this bad. We need to get you to an actual Healer.” He took off and held me tight to his chest as he sped through the air. “Just stay with me, Kindred. You’re gonna make it. I promise.”

[house-o-wax]

M

L is done and there wasn’t much of it. Now is time for M.

Magma - S/t also sometimes known as Kobaïa

Heck yes this is good. I don’t think there is anything I can say about this album that hasn’t already been said so if you do not recognize this then go listen to it right now instead of reading what some schmuck has to say about it. Do yourself that favour, you won’t regret it.

Now one little comment about the neat gatefold :

look at the little flaps at the end to close the openings and prevent all dust getting it

look at ‘em

WHY AREN’T THEY ON EVERY GATEFOLD SLEEVE THIS WAS ON THE ORIGINAL 1970 EDITION YET NO OTHER GATEFOLD HAS THAT

WHY

EXPLAIN YOURSELVES

... anywho

Michel Magne - Éléments Nº 1, la Terre

How that’s a neat coincidence : Magne is the man who turned the then crumbling castle of Hérouville into a massive recording studio with rooms and accomodation for a whole little orchestra to stay for weeks while recording. Y’know, the place where Magma recorded their most classic albums ; where David Bowie recorded Low ; where Iggy Pop recorded The Idiot ; where Stayin’ Alive was recorded, among many others. That was all started by Magne who already had quite the career going as a soundtrack composer too. Fantômas or Les Tonton flingueurs are probably not going to ring a bell if you aren’t french but that’s all his work.

In 1978, he took some time to start a series of synth, vaguely new-age-y albums all based on the classical elements, and that’s the first of them. As bad luck would have it though, he died in 1984 having only gone through Earth (pictured above) and Water. That’s quite the bummer if you ask me.

Mahavishnu Orchestre - Birds of Fire

They were better without Ponty and started running on empty after three albums, fight me. Also, Chick Corea and his Return to Forever did it better.

Birds of Fire is still pretty damn good.

Henry Mancini - Soundtrack to the Pink Panther

Talking about the unsung heroics of soundtrack composers, Mancini was quite a beast. You probably know Peter Gunn, the theme to the Pink Panther and a few other things but that’s barely scratching the surface of his work, which spands from The Creature from the Black Lagoon all the way to concerto pieces, and a total of about a hundred recorded albums and soundtracks, not taking compositions into account.

Now it does include the soundtracks to Ghost Dad, Lifeforce or the Tom and Jerry Movie but hey, accidents happen.

Oh, byt the way, you know the theme of the Pink Panther. Obviously it’s on that record. And it’s not even the best track on it.

Yeah.

Mars Red Sky - S/t

Loud and slow guys from Bordeaux. Good stuff. It doesn’t stand out massively considering that’s how everyone has been playing since 2010 but it’s still very much worth listening if you are one of the many people out there who waits eagerly for Stoned Meadow of Doom to upload new stuff. And because I care, you can have their Bandcamp : https://marsredsky.bandcamp.com/ I also have their follow-up album Stranded in Arcadia, which is really not as good.

MC Hammer - you know what the fuck this is I don’t even need to comment

Meat Beat Manifesto - Storm the Studio

This is not an easy thing to describe. Picture Front 242 and Massive Attack but with a sense of humour. Or DJ Shadow 10 years before DJ Shadow.

It’s a very confusing listen but in a very, very good way. Some describe the guys as having come up with “industrial hip hop” before everyone else and without taking themselves too seriously in the process, which is quite the achievement.

Melt-Banana - Fetch

Hell

YES

I should get more Banana. I should get all of it. Cutest band to get to the OEF and somehow also the loudest. Go figure.

new album when?

pls

Midnight Oil - Countdown

No it does not have Beds are Burning. But it’s better than the album that has Beds are Burning on it.

If you can take being preached to for 35 minutes that is.

Janelle Monáe - The Archandroid

Man, remember the two years after this came out and every single prententious twat would not shut up about how this was the logical conclusion to “sci-fi in music and music in sci-fi”? I sure do. t’was fun to see people who hadn’t heard of Sun Ra go on and on about the imagery of the album ; or on the opposite end of the spectrum, people who dismiss Earth Wind & Fire as some lame disco band go one about the same thing.

Still, this is a good album. It’s just not the be-all-end-all it was made out to be. And it lead to the neverending dissapointment that is Monáe’s resolve to not actually finish the narrative she started with the Suites series because hey, that cow ain’t gonna milk itself. Until she decided to just give up and record Dirty Computer.

But hey, I guess that’s on me for being the only sucker who cared about what was going on.

I feel cheated, man.

[dustedmagazine]

Huata — Lux Initiatrix Terrae (Seeing Red)

Lux Initiatrix Terrae by Huata

One shouldn’t use the term “prog” lightly. Prog rock is sort of like libertarianism: a social space dominated by white guys with big, carefully groomed beards, smug opinions and a pronounced interest in things like “strategy” and “mastery.” Yikes. Huata manage to lace Lux Initiatrix Terrae with a significantly proggy vibe, but they don’t seem to get any of the attendant pedantry or prudishness on them. Lux Initiatrix Terrae indicates a big shift in the band’s sound, away from the truculent worship of volume that dominated their last full length, Atavist of Man (2011). Huata has trimmed its ranks since that record, from four dudes in robes and cowls to two: Ronan Grall, who sings and pounds skins, and Benjamin Moreau, who provides the hugely resonant bass thrums and guitar chords.  

The results are as mixed as the LP’s moods. At its worst, Lux Initiatrix Terrae can tend toward a fussier version of the tired bundle of execrable sounds called “stoner rock”; see buzzy snooze that is “Child of the Cosmic Mind.” But at its best, the melodic and ponderous array of tones can build to some pleasantly massive intensities; the second half of “The Golden Hordes of Kailash” shows off the band’s chops at their most compelling. As a whole, the record tends toward repetition of the formula, as if the band keeps trying to find ways to pay metallic homage to “In the Court of the Crimson King.” That’s not a bad sort of mission, and this record points Huata in what feels like a productive direction. But the direction needs to locate some more varied sonic terrain — and really, guys, lose the robes.  

Jonathan Shaw

[recommendedlisten]

This week really made us wonder if Lana Del Rey is the real deal as her excellently written and produced new album Norman Fucking Rockwell paints, or if maybe she’s the same confectionery sugar-gazing pop star industry plant we originally met upon entering with Born to Die who is never content even with her praise. Beyond the lives of the rich, beautiful, famous and ungrateful, independent music always comes through, as very exciting new listens out of Brooklyn from experimental noisemakers ESSi, House of Feelings’ new disco prince ANDREW and indie rock thinkers Bethlehem Steel. Yaeji made her first appearance of the week by doing Robyn justice on the beach, Hovvdy had us riding for a better community, and UK hardcore risers Higher Power already gave us one good thing to look forward to come 2020. Right now, though, we’ve got world problems to solve and goth energy in every direction.

Here’s the best of the rest from the week of September 1st, 2019…

Bethlehem Steel - “Govt Cheese” [Exploding In Sound Records]

It was just a sec ago that we caught up with the promising outlier rock of Bethlehem Steel leading into their eponymous sophomore effort, due out on September 13th, with their second single “Empty Room”, and the Brooklyn four-piece already has another to consume in “Govt Cheese”. This one comes with a video directed by co-vocalist Rebecca Ryskalczyk, depicting her and the band’s other voice Christina Puerto in deep choreography with another after their dead stares kills off a dirty looking dude trying to steal their center, and for good reason at that, as the listen -- a hook-heavy jostle between rough, cranking riffs and clean electric solos -- is about pushing away toxic bodies from your life and leaning on the support system of those with only the best of intentions for your personal growth and success in life. “I must take care of myself,” rings out the mantra in its chorus, even if it takes spilling some blood to do so.

Billie Eilish - “all the good girls go to hell” [Darkroom / Interscope Records]

There was a great discussion started on Twitter this past week by Speedy Ortiz and Sad13′s Sadie Dupuis that stated, “no one seems skeptical about any pop music anymore and it is bizarre.” Through poptimism, pop music has circled back to being what’s on trend while oddly enough, the underground where most innovations in both sound and style tend to spawn first is no longer regarded as the cool place to be. Leading the pack for the next gen of pop stars is Billie Eilish, a Los Angeles rich kid coming from a family with industry ties who this site has actively observed from a distance, but reserved itself from speaking on until we saw how everything shook out for her. Looking past her possible plant status, the thing that’s the most alluring about this teenage prodigy is how she’s bringing goth-pop to the masses with her brother Finneas O’Connell as her right hand in creating beats weird, yet digestible enough to make this bad guy climb to #1. The latest single from her recent breakout debut WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? doubles as a call to arms about the global warming epidemic and coincides with the United Nation’s Climate Action Summit upcoming later this September in New York. In the visuals, Eilish emerges as an oil spill-covered angel walking a scorched earth ominously. There's shade against modern pop here when it strives to be something greater than itself...

Charli XCX feat. Clairo and Yaeji - “February 2017″ [Atlantic Records]

The long road that has, since 2014, been leading to Charli XCX’s long-awaited third full-length album Charli ends next Friday, and before its drop, she’s hyping it with arguably one of the album’s strongest previews yet. As has been case with its predecessors featuring Lizzo, Christine and the Queens, Sky Ferreira and HAIM, the UK pop star is flanked by two more women making music with the future in mind in lo-fi pop widescaler Clairo and electronic house producer Yaeji. The result is a near-perfect offering of owning up to your fuck-ups while being grown-up enough to ask for forgiveness with “February 2017″. Produced by A.G. Cook and Planet 1999, the song is characteristically carbonated with synth-pop bubbles and soft pink hues abound with the listen breaking off into an island that gives Yaeji her own moment to press her fingerprints all over it with a minimalist scale-back and transforming the context into her own tongue.

Chelsea Wolfe - “Deranged for Rock & Roll” [Sargent House]

With Birth of Violence, the forthcoming acoustic-laden album from Chelsea Wolfe arriving on September 13th, even the dark spirit songwriter can’t completely escape the heaviness that has devoured her recent works of doom and metallic weight, and perhaps Birth of Violence’s final reveals why. The song is Wolfe’s homage to music -- A tragic love story so to speak in the sense that often times what becomes our passion can become the thing that makes our lives a little maddening. Being a hobbyist music blog is a fine example of that, and as an artist, one can only imagine putting your entire body and soul on the line in your work can be an expression of personal freedom, but also the thing that traps you once it’s put out there in the world to have. In the quiet rapture of the listen’s accompanying visuals directed by Gilbert Trejo, Wolfe plays a performer in the nowhere outskirts dive bar destined to play the same song over and over as revelers coming through for the first time seemingly experience it all as new. You can be complicit to this when Wolfe’s fall tour starts this October.

Grimes and i_0 - “Violence” [4AD]

Grimes continues to be a baffling enigma who you can’t be too sure if her personal happenings are just a way to fuck with the media or a detachment from reality due to fame and star status, but with a new album on the way called Miss_Anthrop0cene, a new single created in collaboration with producer i_o is at the very least something to talk about when trying to figure out what it exactly it all means in the context of her art. Aesthetically, Grimes -- when she’s not veering into chintzy nu-metal detours -- is a mood when she inhabits the space she’s discovered for herself between the ethereal and virtual, and doing so in the dark night with morbid imagery. “I am like, begging for you baby / Makes you wanna party, wanna wake up / Baby it's violence,” her voice blurs through gauzy synths and digital stardust. “You feed on hurting me, off hurting me.” Whe you take into account the damaged personal relationship here represents that of the Earth and humans, the horror of “Violence” has the power to haunt us all.

Kal Marks - “Science Is Science” [Exploding In Sound Records]

Like their local peers Pile, who put out a phenomenal effort earlier this spring with Green and Gray, Bostonian subterranean rockers Kal Marks have been keeping the otherwise white, basic and overpriced city surroundings of the Hub weird and loud for the better part of this decade with their own brand of fired up and twisted indie rock. Coincidentally, they’ll be releasing a new EP on September 27th entitled Let the Shit House Burn, and characteristically, it’s filled with grim thoughts from frontperson Carl Shane such as its latest preview “Science Is Science”, which premiered originally on The Alternative. Like Billie Eilish, the climate change chaos is on these DIY scene staples minds just as well, and their song is a heavy-stomping and head-woozy condemnation against those defying the hard facts of our Earth’s sad reality out of greedy motivations. “As the shit house burns down / I’ll be there to fan the flames / Let the record show there’s no sign of hope,” Shane sings. All evidence points to that being true, too.

Let the Shit House Burn Down by Kal Marks

Portrayal of Guilt / Soft Kill Split - “Sacrificial Rite” / “The Foil Drop”

Portrayal of Guilt have not stopped being busy since releasing their breakout debut and heavy listmaker Let Pain Be Your Guide last year. At the end of August, the Texan screamo progressives released Suffering Is a Gift, a six-song bashing of heavy crosses to bear that pushed the abrasive corners of their sound even further out. They’ve already got new music as of this week, though, through a split single alongside the Soft Kill, the long-standing doom pop project of Blessure Graves’ Toby Graves, who released a doubling last year with the album Savior and Just a Body EP, and are setting out on tour soon with VEIN as well as one of this week’s aforementioned highlights, Higher Power. The Venn diagram between these two artists overlaps in the dark, but other than that, Portrayal of Guilt’s offering “Sacrificial Rite” is another smoldering gut punch while Soft Kill’s “The Foil Drop” turns the atmosphere upside and brings the stars down six feet under with dreamy despair.

portrayal of guilt / Soft Kill Split by portrayal of guilt

[sometimesalwaysmusic]

EL ORCA

We caught up with Richard Girard (guitar, bass), Doug Wilkinson (drums, guitar), and Kristina Kamichaitis (keys) of Ottawa band El Orca. We talked influences, top albums, favourite live shows, and their upcoming album.

VITALS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elorcaband/

BandCamp: https://elorca.bandcamp.com/

Latest Release: Going, Going, Oregon  (Single, Jan 2019)  

Upcoming Shows: Stay tuned! 

SA: How did El Orca come to be as a band? DW: The four of us have had an on and off musical relationship for over ten years. El Orca morphed into its current form when Matt, Richard and I started playing together more or less regularly in 2015. K joined this year.  She helped out with a gig, after which we realized we wanted her to be as full-fledged as possible. 

SA: What bands or musicians would you cite as the biggest influences on your sound? KK: I would say, if I had to pick one, it would be Operators/Handsome Furs. Searing guitars and fat, chewy synths - yum.

DW: I think we have a family resemblance with bands like Do Make Say Think, Godspeed You, Black Emperor! and maybe some Pink Floyd. 

RG: Dynamics. I think that any music that brings drama and dynamic changes into their arrangements have had an influence on us. Without lyrics we need to tell a story and convey emotion with musical ‘feel’. All the bands mentioned above as well as the Rheostatics, Byrne/Eno (My Life in the Bush of Ghosts), and maybe even some Zappa.

SA: Thus far in your career, what has been your biggest success? DW: Probably our one show, opening for Atlas:Empire at Pressed in May.  It was short, but super fun. Our friend, Paul, helped us out on guitar. Richard and I also got to speak a couple of times with tic, a DJ over at CKCU.  He’s great. 

SA: On the other hand, what is the biggest challenge you have faced, and how have you dealt with it? DW: Maybe scheduling. We’re all middle-aged parents with non-musical day jobs. 

SA: How do you guys approach the song-writing process? DW: Basically we find a melody or beat that stands out and try to make a song out of it.  Sometimes we’ll pick an unusual time signature and go from there, other times a band member will arrive with a completed tune. Both our albums were recorded over many months.  A series of jams, with a lot of final takes happening between 9:45 pm and 10 pm.  Then the whole thing is handed over to Matt and after a week or two it’s done. The third album is on the way, but with K on keys, which is opening lots of cool doors.  You can hear a little piece of something new here.  

SA: What are your thoughts on the Ottawa music scene? KK: I wish more bands came through - wish there was a decently large place downtown, for them to play. But it’s a chicken and the egg thing right? I think the scene is improving, though, and what I love about Ottawa is how everyone is so supportive, positive - there is no pretense.

SA: What is the favourite show the band has played, and why? DW:  By default, our one and only show, at Pressed. It was great to test out the music on stage.

SA: What is the favourite show you have seen, and why? KK: Really hard to pick, but one that definitely stands out is PJ Harvey at Metropolis a couple years ago. Wow.

DW: I saw Apostle of Hustle at Zaphods, about 10 years ago.  Unbelievable sounds. 

RG: Too many to whittle down to just one. David Byrne at Cityfolk last year for the incredible choreography and performance, St. Vincent at Ritual for the raw unbridled guitar wizardry and Gil Scott-Heron at the Mercury Lounge circa 1997 for the legend. 

SA: A question for fun: your three desert island albums. What would they be and why? KK: For me, it might have to be Glenn Gould playing Beethoven’s piano sonatas. It has got me through many, many tough times - his interpretation, touch, spacing is pure genius. 

DW: Veedon Fleece, by Van Morrison. It’s reliably mesmerizing, which would distract me from the doom of being on the island. Cosmo’s Factory, CCR. 

RG: A Love Supreme, Coltrane; Stubborn Persistent Illusions, Do Make Say Think; Who’s Next, The Who.

SA: Finally, what comes next for El Orca moving on in 2019 and beyond? Best of luck! DW: New album, hopefully before 2020.  And maybe another show.  Or maybe more stuff like this. Thanks, Pierce!

[houstonlocalus-blog]

Depth Charge: The Best of The Week

DJ Shadow, Photo: Magnum PR

  The summer sun has definitely risen over Houston, and it certainly doesn’t feel like it will set any time soon. Fortunately, this week you have more than enough options of cool events to choose from where the atmosphere is light and the air conditioning is on overdrive. Sets from DJ Shadow, Reckless Kelly, and Matthew Sweet will all be on hand while locals like Ruiners, Talking Forever, and Days N’ Daze will all fill the spaces in-between. Houston, here’s how to spend your paycheck this week.

  Wednesday you can get started at Toyota Center for the Korean hip hop of G-Dragon. Probably because I don’t listen to pop radio, I wasn’t really aware of this guy’s existence until now. However, he’s a pretty big deal based on his collabs alone with the likes of Diplo and Missy Elliot. His last release was 2013’s COUP D’ETAT, and he’s known for a crazy live show. The all-ages show has doors at 7 pm and tickets between $65.50 and $219.

  Over at Walter’s, Chicago’s High Spirits will bring their charged-straight-ahead rock sounds to life. Playing about as traditional metal-toned rock as it gets, these guys are known for a high energy live show. Their latest, Motivator, is pretty solid, and it should remind you of the band Scorpions. The metal of Chicago’s Bible Of The Devil will be on as direct support, while Houston’s The Satanic Overlords of Rock N’ Roll will bring their high energy on as openers.  The all-ages show has doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.

  On Thursday you can get started over at The Secret Group for the video premiere party of Pecos Hank’s new video for the track “Drive Under The Moon.” There will be other videos leading up to it as well. It should be pretty cool as he is a storm chaser, so who knows what the video is like. The Free show is all ages and has doors at 6:30 pm.

  Behold The Brave, Photo: Big Hassle

  The gritty indie pop of Nashville’s Behold the Brave will bring their infectious sound upstairs to White Oak Music Hall. Sounding like a more youthful version of Kings of Leon, this four-piece dropped a pretty catchy record this year called Behold The Brave that you should definitely give a listen to. Colorado-based alt rock two-piece In The Whale will bring their high energy, garage-infused sound on as direct support as openers for the all-ages show, with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $10 and $13.

  Out at Joke Joint Comedy Showcase, the always funny Joe List will bring his Boston-based comedy to town.  List is a total riot. He’s been on Last Comic Standing, Conan, and The Late Show with David Letterman, and his latest album, Are You Mad At Me?, is a laugh from start to finish. As per all of these shows, two of Houston’s better comics will serve as feature act and host. The 18 & up show has doors at 7 pm and shows throughout the weekend as well, with tickets between $11 and $16.

  Only Beast, Photo: Overholser Photography

  Over at Satellite Bar, Austin five-piece Darkbird will bring their catchy sound to all who attend. This band defines themselves as a traditional rock band, but with the synths on their latest release, I Remember Feeling My Fingers Slip, they’re nothing if not a rock band with a catchy sound. Their singer, who has mesmerizing vocals, is alone worth making it out for. The electrifying energy of Houston’s Only Beast should captivate all as direct support, while Slow Future will go on prior. The Dream pop of Houston’s Quel Night will open the all-ages show that’s free for adults or $5 for the kids, with doors at 8 pm.

  Continental Club will host the blues-heavy sounds of Danielle Nicole. You wouldn’t know it by looking at her, but she’s an award-winning blues musician that can really bring it, and her album, Wolf Den, definitely backs that honor up. The 21 & up show has doors at 9 and tickets for $10.

  Reckless Kelly, Photo: New Frontier Touring

  On Friday you could begin at The Redneck Country Club for the alt-country of Austin’s Reckless Kelly. Around for right at twenty years, these guys have become well known for their energetic shows and deep tracks. Their latest album, last year’s Sunset Motel, was their most focused to date. There’s no word of support or openers, but that could change on the show with doors at 6 pm and tickets between $35 and $45.

  Over at Revention Center, you can catch the massively popular hip hop of Logic. Geez, what happened? It seems like a couple of years ago this guy was playing small nightclubs and now he’s getting bigger and bigger by the day.  His latest, Everybody, does hold some strong rhymes, and his live show is pretty legit. Brooklyn’s Joey Bada$$ will be on as direct support, while Big Lenbo will open up the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $105 and $129.

  The Cave Singers, Photo: Big Hassle

  Rockefeller’s will have a barn burner when Buxton returns for a show at the iconic venue. The five-piece has never really disappointed in a live setting, and while they’re starting work on a new album sooner than later, their last release, Half A Native, was one of the best albums to come off the New West roster in years. The beautiful, melodic harmonies of Seattle’s The Cave Singers will be on as direct support and openers for the all-ages show, with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $12 and $15.

  In the ballroom at Warehouse Live, Nigerian-born Afro-Pop rapper Mr Eazi will bring his sound all the way from Ghana. Here in support of this year’s Life Is Eazi, Vol. 1-Accra To Lagos, this guy drops true jams that should get the whole room dancing. There’s no word of support or openers, but that could change on the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $30 and $40.

  At Dan Electro’s you could get all psych heavy when VaudeVillain swings by to perform. The Houston four-piece mixes bluesy undertones into their traditional psych sound, and they’re definitely worth checking out. Houston’s Bernie Pink will be on as direct support and opener for the 21 & up show with an $8 cover and with doors at 9 pm.

  Sherita Perez, Photo: Overholser Photography

  In the Foundation Room at House of Blues, you can have some fun times with the Gulf Coast indie folk of Sherita Perez and The Cosmic Cats. Possibly one of the hardest working artists in town right now, Perez will sing songs from her latest release, H-Town Love, alongside favorites old and new. The 21 & up show has a closing set from DJ Simyu. The doors are at 9 pm and it’s free.

  At Continental Club the long running get down series of Fistful of Soul will take place. Dropping some of your favorite soul jams, the show has DJ sets full of feet-moving jams that are hard not to adore. The show is free, it’s 21 & up, and it gets going around 10 pm.

  On Saturday you could start off at Cactus when Buenos Diaz swings by to perform songs from his new album, Buenos Diaz. Currently switching between guitarist for Alejandro Escovedo and solo artist, this guy makes music that’s catchy, almost like if Elvis Costello was born on the Gulf Coast. And with jams like “San Fransymphony,” and “Move On,” he might be your favorite Houstonian turned Austinite. The all-ages event gets going around 3 pm, there’s gratis beer for the adults, and it’s free.

  Ruiners, Photo: Keith Hatch

  Later on at The Secret Group, the Berkeley pop punk of Mom Jeans will swing by to play.  The popular four piece who has two new things to plug like this year’s Split with Graduating Life and last year’s best buds, has become known for a fun and energy heavy live show. Fresno’s Graduating Life will be on as direct support while the lo-fi sounds of Houston’s Cancer Kittens will go on prior. The highly energetic punk of Houston’s Ruiners will also be on hand while the emo of Houston’s Talking Forever will blow the roof off the venue by opening things up.  The all ages show has doors at 6 pm with tickets between $8 and $10.

  At Walter’s the acoustic crust punk of Days N Daze will be on hand to kick off yet another tour. This band tours more than pretty much everyone else in Houston, and since they’ve travelled across Europe to high praise, you should at least check out their latest release Crustfall.  The punk of Giant Kitty will be on hand as direct support while the power violence of D.D.A. will go on beforehand.  The hardcore of Houston’s Crawler will open the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets for $7.

  If you’d rather chill, then you could head to 3708 Main above Tacos a Go Go to shop for vintage wares at the Milk+Honey Vintage Grand Opening party.  Alongside carefully curated items, Rowdy Leather, Space City Mod Vintage, Lee Lewis Designs and many more will have items for sale.  There’s also gratis Topo Chico and Oasis Brewery beer on hand (more information here), with things starting around 7 pm for the Free event.

  Warlung, Photo: Kevin Adoor

  Satellite Bar will host the controversially named throwback desert psych metal of Portland’s Black Pussy. Here in support of this year’s Power, I’d be lying if I said that these guys weren’t impressive live. One of the strongest new bands in town, Warlung will bring their stoner metal on as direct support, and they’re a band you need to see for yourself. The doom metal of Houston’s Doomstress will get things started for the all-ages show with doors at 9 pm and a free cover for the adults, or $10 for the kids.  

  Over at Numbers you can catch the dark industrial electronica of Pig. A mainstay of the Wax Trax label due to the work with KMFDM, Pig never really got that big, but instead had a devoted fanbase that never waned. Their latest release, last year’s The Gospel, is their best to date, and it should be interesting to catch in person. California’s Julien-K will be on as direct support, while the electro pop of Florida’s Ghostfeeder will open the all-ages show with doors at 9 pm and tickets between $16.50 and $20.

  On Sunday you could head to House of Blues to catch the one and only DJ Shadow. Possibly one of the best — if not the best — modern era DJs to scratch a record, this guy drops the hammer when he performs. His latest release, The Mountain Will Fall, is his best in a good while, and it’s definitely worth making it out for. Mophono will bring his San Francisco hip hop on as opener for the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets for $25.

  Cymbals Eat Guitars, Photo: Eric White

  Upstairs at White Oak Music Hall, the indie rock of New York’s Cymbals Eat Guitars will swing by. Since their critically acclaimed debut in 2009, these guys have remained pretty solid in their albums, and their latest, Pretty Years (2016), is as solid as it gets. Not to mention, their live shows are always worth making it out for. The indie pop of Austin’s Palo Duro will open the all-ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $10 and $13.

  At The Heights Theater nineties alt rock favorite Matthew Sweet will swing by for the first time in a very long time. I’ve long maintained that Sweet is one of the most underscored artists of the nineties, with hits like “Girlfriend,” and “Sick of Myself.” In fact, his albums 100% Fun and Altered Beast are two of the best albums you’ve probably never heard. He’s back with a new album, this year’s Tomorrow Forever, that’s pretty amazing.  Maryland’s Tommy Keene will open things up for the all-ages show with doors at 7:30 pm and tickets between $22 and $34.

  Astragal, Photo: Astragal

  Satellite Bar will have the indie rock of Brooklyn’s Oshwa. Full of gritty guitar and some of the strongest vocals you’ll hear in a good while, there’s no wonder that critics are in love with what she does, especially on last year’s almost symphonic release I We You Me. Houston’s Two Star Symphony will bring their lushly crafted sounds on as direct support, while the energy-heavy indie rock of Astragal will get the all-ages show started. The doors are at 8 pm and the show is free for adults or $8 for minors.

  At Rudyard’s the San Antonio-based garage rock of The Rich Hands will be on hand to perform. These guys make music that’s a bit like fifties doo wop mixed with garage, and their album Take Care from this year is hard not to love. San Diego’s Bad Kids will bring their surf punk on as direct support, while California’s Fake Tides will open the all-ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets between $8 and $10.

  Sleeptalk, Photo: The Artery Foundation

  On Monday the indie pop rock of LA’s Sleeptalk will bring their latest singles to life at Walter’s. Those singles, tracks like “Bright Eyes” and “Young,” to name a few, are super catchy to say the least. The alt rock pop of Houston’s Moth Wings will be on as direct support, while Dallas’ Quiet Please will open things up. The all-ages show has doors at 7 pm and tickets between $10 and $12.

  That’s about it for this week. No matter what you decide to do, remember to stay hydrated, stay dry, and that drinking like an adult is what’s best for everyone.

  Depth Charge: The Best of The Week this is a repost

[doomedandstoned]

Pale Keeper Deliver a Smörgåsbord of Doom

~By Willem Verhappen~

Artwork by Denis Chelnoko

One would think that with the Doomed & Stoned in Russia compilation just being released, one would be up to speed with what's up and coming regarding the doomy goodness coming from the world's largest country. Well, think again, because here comes PALE KEEPER. Formed in 2019 and hailing from Moscow, the trio released their self-titled debut EP a mere week after the release of what is arguably our most crushing compilation to date.

Pale Keeper managed to grab my attention right away with vocalist Mark Davydov's old school guitar sound and ditto riff. After a while the rest of the band, drummer Denis Sulimkin, who's also responsible for the synths on the record, and Denis Chelnokov on bass, join in to give the doom riff some extra oomph. It doesn't take long though, before the track takes a turn to a more progressive sound, reminiscent to the likes of Pallbearer. It's clear that these guys know how to write a dynamic doom track. If there's one way to introduce your band, "Tower Lord" is the way to go.

On the second track, "Sylvan," the band takes a turn towards a Pink Floydian ambient soundscape. It's a well executed piece of music, transporting me towards the tundras in seconds, but it's also a harsh break from the thing they started on "Tower Lord" and continue on the following "Getting High."

This track immediately found it's way into my (quite extensive) list of great doom tracks because of the absolutely neck-breaking intro. The over the top guitar solo is just icing on the cake. It also makes me more forgiving towards the "demon voices" throughout the track. These take some of the focus away from the musical skills which are portrayed here.

Pale Keeper by Pale Keeper

"Emerald Grave" is the darkest track on this EP, emitting some of that Windhandian sense of melodic dread. The band finishes things off with another instrumental track, "Placid," which feels like a peaceful, almost optimistic finish of a dark and dreary debut.

The only comment I have on this record is that it's a collection of songs that doesn't feel like a coherent whole. Then again, EPs rarely do so. What the EP does do is showing us what a talented pack Pale Keeper is. They show that they know what makes a good song and have the skills to hit it home by combining elements without blatantly copying them. I hope they will continue down this path. I foresee great success for these guys if they flesh out their sound a bit more. Make sure to keep an eye out for them!

Follow The Band.

Get Their Music.

[doomedandstoned]

French Occultists Hua†a Deliver Cryptic Final Masterwork

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

Review by Billy Goate

Think you've heard it all and you're confident about closing the books on 2018 and putting out your best-of lists? I advise you to hold your horses, my friends, because you haven't heard this yet. Get ready for what is without doubt the grandest album of 2018. Guttural rumblings of bass collide with sublime organ tones, shooting holes through the dank chamber like laser rays of radiant sunlight. Soon this feast of sound will be joined by damning riffs and strangely majestic voices that layer melodies in shifting keys, one upon the other, until a spire is created like an ancient ziggurat.

The latest offering by French occultic doomers and Roadburn Festival alumni HUATA is like none other. The band, which recently made an appearance on our 'Doomed & Stoned in France' (2018) compilation, often configures as a five-piece. However, the consistent heartbeat of the project has been founding member, Ronan Grail, and long-time bassist Benjamin Morea -- both of whom constitute the backbone of the now 12-year old act that hails from Rennes.

Long renowned for their stirring live rituals, Hua†a have two extended-plays, two splits, and one previous full-length to their name already, the brilliant 'Atavist of Mann' (2011). However, nothing prepared me for the power of their crowning achievement, 'Lux Initiatrix Terrae’ (2018).

I find myself struggling for points of comparison to entice the reader to become a listener. Shall I draw parallels to the imposing architecture of Ufomammut, the sweeping compositional vision of Slomatics, the ardor of Inter Arma, the airy psychedelic soundscapes of Pink Floyd, the sanguine tenor of Pallbearer, or the harmonic resplendence of Chrome Ghost? At the risk of losing some of the faithful doomers, the most fitting association to the size, scope, and most importantly spirit of Lux Initiatrix Terrae comes not from the realm of metal, but from the world of classical music. I'm thinking of one ambitious work, in particular: Ferruccio Busoni's massive Piano Concerto in C Major, Opus 39 -- one of the most ambitious works ever written in its genre class. Like Hua†a, Busoni laced his work with cryptic references to the occult, ancient orders, and esoteric knowledge.

I hasten to add that Hua†a's magnum opus is not symphonic metal, though "symphonic" seems a most fitting adjective for it. Let's think of it as a rhapsodic fantasy marrying epic and gothic doom to atmospheric, surreal heaviness, whilst subtly flirting with spaced-out domain of psychedelic and occult rock. Some tracks ("The Golden Hordes Of Kailash," for instance) usher in surreal scales and unusual chord progressions that remind me of the creepy grandeur of the mutant worship service in Beneath The Planet of the Apes (1970).

This modern day Tower of Babel aspires to reach the heavens with a power, elegance, and resolute will encountered so rarely in the realm of metal or, for that matter, anything else across the many genres of contemporary music. During its exalting 70-minute run-time, I felt I was bearing witness some incredible modern cantata. This was more than my usual audit of a new promo; this was an all-absorbing listen and an altogether moving experience.

After hearing this record, I'm convinced that Hua†a have definitely given Batushka a run for their money at Psycho Las Vegas over the summer. No Vinyl Stage for these guys, though. Take them straight to The Joint, fellas! A sounds this large is worthy of the same immense theater that brought us Enslaved, SUNN O))), Godflesh, and Indian this year; Candlemass, Yob, Electric Wizard, and Sleep in the years prior.

I've been avoiding using well-tread power words like epic in much of my reviewing this year, but it's time to pull this one off the shelf. This is a special occasion, for Lux Initiatrix Terrae is the band's final work as Hua†a -- an emphatic punctuation to a long and fruitful career. You'll not encounter a band as fascinating as Hua†a or an album quite as majestic as the one before us this year, perhaps not even this decade. Make no mistake, Hua†a's strange, bold chef d'oeuvre will be discovered in this crowded year of excellent releases and, with any luck, reach wide appreciation. At the risk of sounding orgasmic, this record is a triumph.

Right now, you can sample two singles from the album -- its opener, "The Mystical Beast of Revelations" and the third track, "The Solar Work." Both will make you hungry to hear this regal heptad of hymns in all its fullness. On November 23rd, Hua†a's Lux Initiatrix Terrae will see a physical release on a very limited run of 200 cassettes via Sludgelord Records and Seeing Red Records, with vinyl available via French label Music Fear Satan.

To satiate the appetite while we wait, Doomed & Stoned is pleased to bring you the record’s finale, "Third Eye Nation." Though belying in the trippy ambience of its opening moments, the 16-minute monolith soon overtakes the soul.

Give ear...

Lux Initiatrix Terrae by Huata

Interview by Shawn Gibson

with additional question by Billy Goate

Recently, I sent away for Hua†a's new cassette and can't wait to get it! I already have 'Open the Gates of Shambhala' (2010) and 'Atavist Of Mann' (2011), but 'Lux Initiatrix Terrae' (2018) is my first preorder. I must have listened to album's opening track, "The Mystical Beast Of Revelations," four of five times in one sitting already. I play it as loud as I can during my daily commute. It's an amazing song that takes me to places not of this earth! The vocals sound different than the first two albums. The music sounds more sharpened and honed, though still very much the Hua†a we know and love. The organs add to the uniqueness and mesh well with the heavy, doomy vibe of multi-faceted gem of doom, ritual, occult, and psych metal. It was high time we interviewed the band, I thought. Following is my recent exchange of words with , in which they take us behind the veil of secrecy for a rare look at the musical minds that make up Hua†a.   (Shawn)

☿

I used to have a radio show and played "Diving In The Swamp" and "The Imperial Wizard," which I absolutely love. Your new album comes out on November 23rd, which happens to coincide with a full moon. That's a great time to release an album, intentional I would imagine. I'll make sure to listen to 'Lux Initiatrix Terrae' under the light of the full moon and be transcended!

Ben: Thank you for those kind words. We like "Thee Imperial Wizard," too. It was a good song to play live, really deep and slow, as we enjoy.

Who is presently in the band?

Ben: I play bass in Hua†a and also guitars on Lux Initiatrix Terrae, plus fx and synths. I am responsible for a lot of the musical arrangements and composed both the music and lyrics with Ronan.

Ronan: Currently, Ben and I remain in the band, but the last album was recorded with David Barbe on drums and Gurvan Coulon on organ. At this point, we must say it's hard to hold Hua†a alive. We've had a lot of lineup changes. As the founder and last remaining from among the original members, I played with dozens of guys. I don't feel proud of it at all and I can't deny the help and devotion we had from many of the former members. I just wish I had not to deal with these lineup changes.

"At this point, we must tell the truth. There won't be Hua†a anymore."

So Hua†a is now a two-piece? What does that bode for the band's future?

Ronan: At this point, we must tell the truth: there won't be Hua†a anymore. This album will come as a posthumous album. This is due to musical disagreement and I now realize why many bands used the same argument and how it's difficult to explain! I personally don't want to stop playing music like Hua†a, because it's a strong thing I need to do in my life. Like, making it real, see? The thing is, Benjamin is at least as much in Hua†a as me and I can't deny it. So what I want to do now is make music again and all the ideas that could help me to make music like Hua†a did would be welcome.

Ben: As Ronan says, we weren't on the same page, musically and emotionally speaking, anymore after 10 years of doom worshiping to continue this project. We started to write this album in 2013, record it in 2015, and release it in 2018. This lapse of time weighted on us very much, in terms of how we wanted to continue this band. Our wills, visions, and expectations have changed throughout this hiatus and this split is for the best. Now I'm focusing on my other project, Fange, which grew up fast and good, as well as a new experimental hip-hop act called Bienveillance.

Lux Initiatrix Terrae by Huata

Who did the artwork for Lux Initiatrix Terrae?

Ronan: Ben has done all the artwork in Hua†a, from our first release onward. He did all the T-shirts, too, all of Hua†a's imagery remains his vision.

Related to that, when you’re not making music what do you like to do?

Ben: Creating visuals, having nice drinks and meals with friends, playing board games, watching the NBA, and listening to music, obviously.

Ronan: I am currently training for adults undergoing kite to become a Cook. I had a lot of jobs before. I'm like a regular guy; I like to eat, to drink. I like those good things we can take in this world, as I tend to be epicurean. For example, I like to drink and discover a lot of IPAs.

What's a damn good book you've read?

Ronan: I am now reading, again and again, 'The Morning of The Magicians' (1960) from Bergier and Pauwels, and I can tell that the power of this book remains in the themes it tackles. Hörbigers’s Welteislehre, especially, retains my fascination.

Ben: 'The Morning of the Magicians' is definitely inspiring and so is 'The Secret Doctrine' (1888) from Helena Blavatsky. A few books from Robert Charroux were also big inspirations for us in the writing of Hua†a's lyrics and philosophy. Otherwise, ‘2001, A Space Odyssey’ (1968) from Arthur C. Clarke is brilliant, as is the Kubrick's movie adaptation, my favorite of all.

What makes you laugh?

Ben: Monty Python, The IT Crowd, Black Books, Ricky Gervais, etcetera. English humor is the very best. Ace Ventura is also one of my favorites, along with Les Visiteurs.

Ronan: Monty Python! I love the absurd humor.

I love to cook and eat. What are some good French foods you love?

Ben: All of it, man. Don't mess with French people about food. This is more than a cultural institution here; it's a freakin' religion! (laughs) French gastronomy is a masterpiece -- from meats, cheeses, and wines, to fishes and seafood, to even offal, snails, and frogs. All are great, without mentioning the quality of our pastry. But if I had to choose one stuff it would be the bread. Everywhere else's bread is shit.

Ronan: (laughs) Well, I'm actually learning a lot about this topic, as a future Cook. I'm now attending to make a "Poulet vallée d'Auge," a chicken flamed with calvados -- yummy! -- cooked with onions, fresh cream from Isigny, mushrooms, cider, and all of this with roasted potatoes and a good Merlot from our many varieties of wine grapes.

What are your influences musically?

Ben: The first bands I ever listened to as a child were Magma, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, and a lot of '70s rock, thanks to my father, so these records really influenced my musical approach. Black Sabbath is the obvious one, because I'm devoted to the art of the riff. Also John Coltrane, Karlheinz Stockhausen, John Zorn, and Trent Reznor are some composers I really admire, among many others. But for Hua†a, my influences were much more from the '70s psychedelic era than the doom-stoner one.

Ronan: I hear from my childhood rock, blues, folk and pop music. I'm not that much into metal music; I mean, not all of it. I'm now exploring some progressive rock music.

Hua†a is from Rennes, so I'm curious about some of the bands from area that you guys dig?

Ronan: I love Eat Roses. What they did was so deep and beautiful. Totorro also does good music. I'm not that much into thrash or death metal, but Hexecutor or Cadaveric Fumes are doing an excellent stuff. And the wave of garage rock bands -- I'm from Rennes -- is quite cool too, I even found Le druide du Gué Charette, which is from this wave and also wear monk robes like we did!

Ben: Eat Roses was the best, but DEAD and You, Vicious! are also quite good in the post-punk scene in Rennes, along with my mate, folk singer Dany von Del Baüt of Malaad Roy, and Straw Hair, who play hip-hop.

How is the metal scene in Rennes?

Ronan: There are the Roazhon Underground productions, Black Karma's new festival, and of course the "Tendresse et passion" scene. A lot of foreign bands visit the Mondo Bizarro or Terminus bars.

Ben: There was a big hardcore scene in Rennes in the late-'90s 'til the mid-2000s, but the metal scene didn't really grow up here. Can't say that there are obvious bands or venues, except the Mondo Bizarro, to really federate everyone, but some promoters are doing a good job to make it live.

What has been an awkward moment as a band?

Ben: Too much to remember, but most of them were more funny than weird moments, which makes good anecdotes, at least!

Ronan: There are so many I can't tell!

Your music has always had religious overtones, thematically and especially instrumentally -- namely through the use of organ. Do any of you have background in Christianity and Catholicism? I'm imagining, perhaps, the music of the cathedrals of your childhood, the grandiosity of the organ music there.

Some of us have been baptized and/or followed catechism class as children, but this has nothing to do with our reason for using an organ in our music, even if we are very impressed and enjoyed by organs in churches. There is nothing about religion in Hua†a, but there is spirituality and the will to cite many cults and convergences between ancient beliefs and occultism throughout history.

For this recording, what did you work with, organ-wise? It sounds like one of those incredible, elaborately piped church organs.

We would have loved to record a proper piped church organ, such as the one you can see on the alternative cover of Lux Initiatrix Terrae, but as with previous albums, we just recorded with a 1961 Hammond Organ -- which actually was used in a church in Brittany, back in the day. We chose to add an organ to our music because of our '70s musical background, but you're not completely wrong by saying that the majestic tones and serenity brought by the organ tones fit well with our musical purpose!

I'd love to probe the depths of each song, because I'm sure there are all kinds of fascinating details there our readers would love to know about. That said, I can understand if the band desires to preserve some mystery and leave it to the prerogative of the listener to search these things out. Certainly there are many rabbit trails to explore, not the least of which is the band's name.

Our lyrics and universe are very deep, indeed, and we do like to let our audience get into this if they want to. There is a big part of our work which remains hidden -- that's the purpose of the occult. To be honest, only a few really dug the lyrics, which are written in an ancient German code in our records, so you have to unscramble them in the graph way and by their meaning and references.

That is truly fascinating. Also, I noticed there were quite a number of contributing artists credited on the record.

We have had so many musicians throughout the years that it might be difficult to follow, I admit! We recorded Lux Initiatrix Terrae with a proper line-up, but summoned several extra-musicians to help us in expanding our musical palette. Their collaborations were even very mysterious, as we didn't meet in person with any of them -- except Laetitia, whom Ronan knows. They all recorded their own parts. We've only reached out to them with ideas of what we wanted and they managed to write what we were expecting.

I imagine there was a deliberate rationale for this?

Nothing extravagant, I'm afraid. They were just living in different areas of Brittany and the recording process took place in several spots over a two-year period. But it definitely fits the purpose not knowing who they are and having no interactions with them.

Not to end on a sour note, but I’m saddened to hear this is perhaps Hua†a's last album!

The decision to split apart was quit recent, but we were already in a hiatus for three years and no ceremonial activities in four years. As you may have gathered, we're a bit outside all these preoccupations we had back in the days, but it's always interesting and a pleasure to picture the whole frame of Hua†a with new disciples!

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

[doomedandstoned]

Week of Wonders: Kurokuma

Doomed & Stoned is kicking off what we're dubbing the "Week of Wonders," featuring free Bandcamp giveaways every day, with the mighty KUROKUMA. It's hardly the first time we've featured the Sheffield band in these pages, but now they're back with good reason (besides the freebies): a new EP. Actually, it's the first installment of a new series of recordings on the oh-so-English Off Me Nut label casting a spotlight on the new blood of the heavy music scene. 'Sheffield's Best Metal Bands Vol. 1' (2019) is the record before us, which Kurokuma has dubbed metal with a twist for the eclectic variety displayed on the record (including a surprise cover -- I won't spoil it for you).

Despite the diversity, I never for a moment felt I was listening to any band other than Kurokuma. Their hard-driving rhythmic style with its obsessive drumbeat and relentless riffcraft. Though I've never had the pleasure of witnessing Kurokuma do their thing live, from the sweaty, shirtless pics I have seen it's apparent that these guys are serious about their music making and thus gigs get very, shall we say, intense. You can certainly feel the visceral nature of the music making throughout these tracks, which travel like a bugged-out snail across the razor's edge of doom, oozing on into contemporary sludge and even synthwave territory.

We were lucky enough to get drummer Joe E. Allen to break down each of the tracks on the new record. If you like what you hear, please show the band some love!

Kurokuma Speaks!

The idea for the EP began when we were in Japan. Our mate Tich (who runs Off Me Nut Records) was at the Tokyo show cos he was playing there on the same day, which was pretty nuts. He said he wanted to put us out on OMN and we joked about calling it Sheffield's Best Metal Bands, and here we are cos it ended up happening. It's a release inspired by a collection of creatures that are perhaps shunned or misunderstood by society at large, and heavily affected by our time on the road over the last year or so.

RVN

Sheffield's Best Metal Bands Vol. 1 by Kurokuma

We chilled a lot with Gestur from the doom band Morpholith when we were in Reykjavík last year. We were at his place once and he showed us this Icelandic folk song called “Krummavísur.” There was a haunting Scandinavian melody and simple lyrics about the raven. When you're in Iceland there's a really strong connection with the natural world, especially its more brutal and cold elements. That's what I felt anyway. When we got home we tried jamming around with the main riff, and at first it just sounded like Viking metal, as you might expect, but we twisted it more and more and eventually ended up with the first track on this EP.

The first half is pretty heavily psychedelic and we've had a lot of people comment it sounds like Pink Floyd's "One of These Days" or Primus' "Here Come The Bastards." There are ravens cawing in the background at the start. It locks into a pretty nice groove once everything kicks in. Live it's all played by us obviously, but on this release we let Tich recreate the bassline with a John Carpenter-style synth and it works really well.

Last summer when we were in Eastern Europe we got to play with a lot of legit black metal bands, which was something new for us to be honest. Watching Belphegor from the side of the stage in the Transylvanian mountains was a pretty special experience and we definitely brought something of that feeling to the second half of this song. It changes completely at that point and then the vocals between Jake and George start to trade off.

For the lyrics I wanted to keep it somewhat in line with the original folk song, and so the first line is exactly the same. Then it branches off into this manifesto on basically being in a gang of ravens, which is technically called an "unkindness," hence the line "An unkindness of the land." It goes really well with the riff, I think. We hammer that for a while, then there's a type of crescendo with the ravens cawing making a return. Live we play this ending differently with a lot more blast beats and a black metal feel, but on the recording we ended up going for a slower approach with a fatter version of the main motif.

Wasp Nest

Sheffield's Best Metal Bands Vol. 1 by Kurokuma

This is a track that came to life in the production of it. It was based on an old interlude that we'd only ever played live once, I think. It was originally meant to sound very basic and repetitive when we were writing it, like some old school hip hop beat. We thought it would make a good interlude on the EP. Some people in reviews have called this filler, some have said it's their favourite track on the release; I like how it turned out a lot. It's pretty unique in my opinion. Old Necro Deathmort stuff and beats by producer Alchemist was a big influence on how it ended up sounding.

I think we called it Wasp Nest cos some of the sounds when we were first jamming it sounded like buzzing, and it just had that vibe. The wasp sample at the start sets the tone nice. Me and George just jammed this one out live in the studio, then we picked the best parts and cleaned it up a lot. Jake put some big chords down on top of it, then we added some extra percussion like the dusty tambourine and the drum fill sample. There's also a screaming sax sample on every first three beat. One review said it "simmers for four minutes, threatening to spill over but never doing so" and I think that's a good description.

Deeper Underground

Sheffield's Best Metal Bands Vol. 1 by Kurokuma

Yes, this is a cover of Deeper Underground by Jamiroquai. We've played this live for a while now and I can count on one hand the amount of people who've recognised it. Most people don't realise, which probably shows how much we messed with it.

The original has one of the best basslines in the history of music, and it was pretty big in the UK when it came out in 1998, along with the Godzilla movie. I remember loving it, and it's more evil than Jamiroquai's other material -- the synth intro has to be one of the darkest things to ever enter the charts. We wanted to take those elements to the extreme in our version. We'd always talked about covering it from the start of Kurokuma, and we finally decided to try it after our Japan trip. I dunno why but Jake came up to me in the changing room at a public baths in Meguro and said "Let's do that cover of Deeper Underground". He must have been inspired by finally being in Tokyo...

As a nod to the Godzilla connection we started this track with a sample from Godzilla 2000 in Japanese. On this EP as a whole we wanted to bring in more sounds and samples so the whole thing would flow and blend, a bit like a mixtape. The voices say "The stampede of science has been born. Why did you appear?" "He's a monster birthed by humans." "So Godzilla is inside all of us?" And then the riff drops.

We did take that synth intro to the extreme, probably the slowest, most funeral doom thing we play. It builds for a long time based around George's bass riff and effects before the main riff kicks in. This song is our longest as well, at over 10 minutes. The whole thing is meant to feel laboured and cumbersome, like a giant lizard.

When the vocals kick in we simplified the main riff down to a sludgey core; it feels like a Crowbar riff to me. Of course the drums are very straightforward as well. Jake does all the vocals on this one cos his style suited it better. The chorus was the toughest part to make work. Even in the original it's unconventional with its time signature and feel. Eventually we tried it with an inverted drum beat, no vocals and loads of reverb on the guitar while the bass keeps the flow going.

The bridge also took a while to perfect. It has the "I'm going" vocal in the original, but we ended up implying that with a Sleep-esque guitar riff instead. Always enjoy playing the cowbell here. The whole track ends with a Geiger counter fadeout.

Wasp Nest (Memphis Edit)

Sheffield's Best Metal Bands Vol. 1 by Kurokuma

Working with our producer, Tich, and putting this out on Off Me Nut we couldn't miss a chance to have him remix one of our tracks. We're all fans of the 90s Memphis rap sound and that was basically the brief, and Tich did us proud. It's pretty authentic with some nice tape distortion and 808 cowbell samples.

The Great Kurokuma Giveaway!

Who will be among the chosen few to yoink one of the 15 Bandcamp codes below? Choose one and try your luck! Redeem here.

82fc-5f9n vka9-gpce 7y9z-3ns3 v2tu-hmxs fmzv-vgad lby8-6buc cvut-yxmx cf5y-uq8p cd7z-j9bn ph5n-kt4j rc7v-6njy asw7-kjzr 6kda-cb5z k3q8-xwng ka83-ew5u

Follow The Band

Get Their Music