New Mexico based, industrial horror metal act, Dunwich Dreams, dropped the single “A Darkness Hungers” on the 30th of December, off the soon to be released album, Rise of The Seventh Sun
Like the beginning of John Carpenter score, it all starts to get brooding and heavy all so soon, the notes scale up and down, stalking from a place of infernal pending doom. The vocals are ravenous and your very soul is in mortal peril from that which lurks.
Is it something within the darkness or is it the darkness itself that desperately wants to consume? For this is a tale of Egyptian Gods going to war, so that the sun may rise again. Who won is for you to decide, should you dare to listen to “A Darkness Hungers“, a seething industrial metal behemoth from Dunwich Dreams.
The Derision Cult was the original working name for the solo project of Dave McAnally in 2014, which became pared down to just Derision Cult. Beginning of December 2022 saw the Glitch Mode Recordings release of the EP “MercenaryNotes Pt. 1“, a guitar laden, industrial powered ride with both political conviction and questioning the moral compass of big money corporations. McAnally has friends in many places it seems having some big name talents fleshing his music out with vocals/guitars, mixing, producing and mastering. What does this mean? Great production, thumping beats and a sound that could give Ministry a run for their money. So now you should read ahead and find who these big names are, what are the outside influences and did McAnally really use his wife as a taco consuming lab rat? Mmmmmm tacos…… and don’t worry, Dave ate tacos as well.
Welcome Dave back to Onyx, though now under the guise of your project, Derision Cult.
Thanks! Yeah between this and Sys Machine its been a busy couple of years!
Originally titled The Derision Cult, you started this all around 2014. What originally inspired you on this solo musical career?
Derision Cult really came a long ways since 2014 to this EP! But it goes back further than that for me. It all started when I was in bands and working on different projects in the mid-90s. Then I took a bit of a break and ended up in Chicago for a while. I always knew I’d get back into making music, and I had a few false starts between 2004 and 2014. But in 2014, everything just fell into place and I knew it was time to start playing again. I was getting out of the triathlon and ironman scene, spending more time at home with my daughter, and just feeling like I had something to say through my art. Around that time, I was also seeing how corporate social responsibility was being twisted and used as a marketing tool by companies, and I felt like I could use my music to shed some light on that. And as I’ve been working on Derision Cult, I’ve really honed in on my message and vision for the project, especially with the release of Mercenary Notes. It’s all about using my art to make a statement about what I learned in my professional life which I feel follows in the footsteps of my musical heroes.
Previously, in an interview about your newer project, .SYSmachine, you hinted at the fact you were working on music for Derision Cult. Would this be the now released “Mercenary Notes Pt. 1”?
Yeah, I hinted at it in that interview about .SYSmachine, but now I suppose I can officially confirm that Mercenary Notes Pt. 1 is the result of those early sessions with Sean Payne! We started working on these tracks back in December and January, and it’s been an awesome experience collaborating with a producer for the first time on Derision Cult. Sean and I are planning to keep working together on all sorts of projects in the future.
The current single is “Deaf Blood”, so why was this chosen and what does it mean for you having the likes of Chris Connelly on vocals and Joy Thieves on remix duty?
“Deaf Blood” was the perfect choice for the current single because it really captures the essence of Derision Cult and what we’re all about. It’s got rock/metal sound with some Killing Joke vibes, and it was an absolute honor to work with Chris Connelly on vocals. I’ve been a fan of Chris’s work for a long time, and I was really blown away by the Joy Thieves’ album American Parasite and where it seemed like his headspace was on that. I thought Chris’s voice and lyrics would be perfect for being part of this particular story, and I was right. It was also a dream come true to have Reeves Gabrels from The Cure and David Bowie’s band playing lead guitar on the track. He’s been a huge influence on my playing since the 90s, and it was amazing to work with him and hear those leads up close like that!
For the remixes, we’ve got both Joy Thieves and Martin Atkins on board, and I’m really happy with how that came out. Joy Thieves went for a dark and emotional vibe, while Martin Atkins turned it into a crazy rollercoaster ride. Plus, he recorded live drums on his infamous black Pearl kit, which is the same one he used on all those classic Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Pigface, and Killing Joke albums. It was really cool to have both Chris’s current drummer from Joy Thieves and a drummer from his past with Martin Atkins working on the remixes, and I think it adds an extra layer of depth to the single.
You also sold a cassette version of the “Deaf Blood” single, with the added extra of hot sauce…was it hot enough for the single, who came up with that idea and did you get to have some?
Releasing the “Deaf Blood” single on cassette was a total spur-of-the-moment decision, inspired by labels like Brutal Resonance who are putting out cassettes exclusively. It’s been a while since I sold a cassette, probably since 1997, so it was a lot of fun to put this one together. I’m really happy with how they turned out. As for the hot sauce, that was just a happy coincidence. When Chris sent over the lyrics with the title “Deaf Blood,” I immediately thought it would be a cool name for a hot sauce. As it turns out, my friend Chris Bengston owns a hot sauce company in Kansas City, so we started working on some recipes together. Chris would send some to me and Sean and then we’d test them out with our wives. We tested out a bunch of different ones and ended up with a garlic-flavored sauce that has a medium heat level. I didn’t want to make something that was too hot because no one would actually enjoy it, but I liked the fact that we toasted the brown sugar, which gave the sauce a black color. It’s really goth, and it’s great on chicken and jerky-type meats. We sold out of the stock we had on Bandcamp, but it’s still available on Common Descent Provisions’ website. If we go through those and the response is good we’ll do another run. It was really cool to see people buying them as Christmas gifts and everything!
The first single off “Mercenary Notes PT.1”, is titled “Bastards Of The World”, which was written after a work-related promotion encounter. Can you tell us about it?
“Bastards of the World” is all about how people’s good intentions can be turned against them. I’ve seen this happen in campaigns I’ve been a part of in the past, and it’s a tactic that works all too well. Just look at someone like Andrew Tate, who says outrageous and offensive things that enrage one group of people, but his actions make him extremely popular with another group.
A few years back, I was approached by a gun manufacturer who wanted me to help them sell a training rifle that looked like an AR-15. But instead of marketing it as a safety gun, they wanted to target ads to gun control advocates and wind them up about the audacity of a company that would make an AR-15 specifically for kids. They had data showing that every time the Daily Show or other left-leaning media outlets talked about guns, there was an uptick in ammo and gun sales. So, it made more sense for them to piss off gun control advocates and bring the gun to market rather than positioning it as a safety tool. I decided not to take the project, and as far as I know, the gun never made it to market. However, it did inspire me to write “Bastards of the World.” There’s a sample in the song that says the key to business is tapping into the irrational organs, and unfortunately, that’s often the case.
It made me feel a little ill to my stomach to think that companies that make vast amounts of money selling items like this, use these horrible actions to increase their sales. How does all this affect you personally, especially as a parent?
As a father, it’s scary to consider how my kids will grow up in a world that’s so different from the one I knew. They’ll be bombarded with messages, stories, and media that are crafted to manipulate their emotions and get certain reactions. When I was growing up, it was one thing to be told that using a certain brand of deodorant or drinking a certain beer would make you more appealing to the opposite sex. Now, my kids are going to come of age in a society where even the news is meant to make them feel a certain way, and the products they use will try to guilt them into thinking they’re immoral, racist, sexist, or misogynistic if they don’t buy them or trust their narrative. There’s a new level of anxiety and mistrust in society that kids who have grown up with the internet will have to face, and it’s crucial that they be savvy enough to recognize when and how their emotions are being exploited and distinguish between what’s rational and what’s not.
Sean Payne of Cyanotic not only appears on the EP but the label, Glitch Mode Recordings, is owned by Sean. how did you end up signing to Glitch Mode and we are gathering you and Sean are pretty tight friends?
I’ve been a fan of Cyanotic for a while, and when I was looking for production help for the new Derision Cult album, my friend Gabe Wilkinson introduced me to Sean. Since he lives in Chicago, it was easy for us to hang out and take our time working on the tracks. Sean is a great guy and we’ve become good friends. We hang out at the Glitch Mode headquarters and at shows at The Metro in Chicago. I also enjoy working with Brad Huston, the guitar player in Cyanotic, who engineered a lot of the EP. We have a lot of fun geeking out about guitar stuff. With Sean, I think our different approaches to writing music – I’m more focused on riffs and hooks and he’s more interested in vibes, feels, and grooves – really come together well on tracks like “Slaves Rebuild” on this EP. Overall, it’s been a great experience working with Sean and the team at Glitch Mode!
Payne and Connelly are not the only big name you have on “Mercenary Notes PT.1”. Can you please tell us about the others and what it has meant to you to both professionally and personally?
It’s been a real pleasure to work with some of my musical heroes on “Mercenary Notes PT.1.” Having the likes of Chris Connelly, Joy Thieves, Reeves Gabrels, and Martin Atkins contribute to the EP was a dream come true for me, both professionally and personally. It’s been amazing to see how their unique talents have shaped the sound of the record, and it’s been a pleasure getting to know them as people during the process. Working with Sean Payne as a producer has also been a fantastic experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with him and his label, Glitch Mode Recordings. And finally, it’s been a joy to work with Jim Marcus on the artwork for the EP. His understanding of my vision for the project and his ability to bring it to life visually has been a real highlight for me. Overall, “Mercenary Notes PT.1” has been an incredible journey, so I’m thrilled to share it with the world!
There is also slated, a second EP, “Mercenary Notes Pt. 2”, to be released this year, so are you able to spill the chilli beans on what and whom we can expect?
“Part 2 of ‘Mercenary Notes’ is on the way and we’re excited to bring some new surprises to the table! Originally, we started with a dozen tracks and decided to split them into EP’s for a more digestible listen. We’ve got a few potential collaborators in mind and we’re heading to Sean’s studio next week to pick up where we left off with them. The tracks on this EP are a continuation of the first, but with a more abstract and universal theme. We’re also incorporating more non-industrial elements, with one track taking on a bluesy feel inspired by musicians like Albert Collins and Buddy Guy. There are also hints of old-school outlaw country on some tracks, and we even broke out the telecasters on one. We’re still deciding on the final tracklist, but there’s one song that has an industrial twist on the style of Johnny Paycheck and Waylon Jennings. We’ll see if we can make it work!”
I often think artists and especially musicians, that are worth their salt, reflect the world as it is, not just the nice bits but the gritty humanitarian side as well. Do you feel this something you agree with that industrial music can be very political?
Definitely! I think art should reflect the world around you and in many cases, that won’t be all sunshine and rainbows. Industrial music has always been political, and I think that’s because of its punk roots. The industrial scene in the 80s was especially political, and I think that’s a good thing. Politics in music can be controversial, but I think most artists who choose to express their views through their music are willing to accept that their listeners may not always agree with them.
For me, Derision Cult isn’t necessarily political in the traditional sense of being right or left or one political issue or another. It’s about thinking for yourself and being your own filter for what’s objective and what isn’t. Whether you’re a conservative or a liberal, my message remains the same: we all live in a world where our views can be manipulated and shaped by others if we let them.
Overall, the EP is powerful and driving but do you see a silver lining behind this rage?
“Mercenary,” the final track on the EP, serves as the culmination of all the rage and intensity that precedes it. It sort of summarizes the chaotic times we’re living in, where it seems like decades can happen in the span of just a few weeks. But I do see a silver lining behind all this rage. We have the opportunity to witness and be a part of a true renaissance period, one that has the potential to bring about incredible technological and scientific advancements. While it may be scary, it’s also incredibly exciting to think about the possibilities that lie ahead. The people that will cure diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and AIDS, and even terraform new planets are already among us. We’re no longer just created in the image of a higher power; we have the power to create our own gods.
Soooo, you have done the hot sauce, what would you really love to be able to offer fans next? Will it be the can of gothic black beans to go with the chilli sauce?
I have no idea how I’d pull it off but I think what I’d really love to offer fans next is something more immersive. Something that goes beyond just buying a CD or a shirt. Maybe something like a virtual reality experience that really puts you in the world of the music. That would be really cool and there’s a lot of directions that could go. And as far as the can of gothic black beans, hahaha well I’ll have to give that some thought. Maybe we can collaborate with Common Descent and come up with some sort of gothic chili recipe. That could be a fun project. But honestly, I’m always open to new ideas and exploring new ways to connect with fans and give them something unique and memorable. So who knows what the future holds!
The night(mare) before Christmas, came in the form of the track, “The Snow Queen Is Coming” by New ZeroGod. This is the first release from the four piece post-punk band since 2019 and their lead singer, Mike Pougounas, is a stalwart in the Greek gothic/darkwave scene since the 80s.
The best description would be a sinfully sumptuous amount of jangly guitar with the vocals delightfully crystal clear. A precautionary tale to not let the Snow Queen steal you away, for otherwise, you will never see another day.
I remember Mike from the MySpace days, when we would talk of music and he sent several pictures of Athens covered in snow, which is something a lot of people don’t realise, that it actually gets that cold in Greece. The snow looks pure and beautiful, but in essence, she will slowly freeze you until your heart stops. This is the Hans Christian Andersen queen of snow, as the song says, though the title made me think of the witch queen from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. For those currently in the grip of winter, will know her icy touch but can enjoy a warm dance to this fabulous piece.
There is a lot of excitement in the electro-industrial world currently with the fact that Germans, Beborn Beton just released their new single, “Dancer In The Dark“, however the big news is that the single is linked to a brand spanking new album, titled Darkness Falls Again which is slated to drop on the 17th of March, with Dependent Records.
Wonderful, danceable beat, sprinkled light synths that harmonise with the vocals. Speaking of vocals, the last time we heard Netschio singing was on a track with Kill Shelter and it so nice to hear his dulcet tones. The electronics court with the guitar, spinning and melding into a track of perfection.
Oh, Beborn Beton…. how I have missed your eloquently smooth synthpop. There is a real human warmth in their music considering they use electronics and I can guarantee that “Dancer In The Dark” is going draw you in and satisfy your craving for beautifully crafted music.
Woohoo and the year kicked off with a bang. German industrial meisters, ROTERSAND hit the ground running with a new single, “Higher Ground” as of New Years Day 2023, on the label MetropolisRecords. It is has been exactly a year since the release of the previous single “Grey“, and though we have been able to hear the guys performing remix magic last year, the exciting news is that “Higher Ground” is heralding the countdown to a new album!
From the beginning, already, the skin is goose fleshing in anticipation with the build-up. Nikov’s vocals really are just silken and ever smooth, an observation that some people will always be a beacon of hope and sanctuary, even at their own discomfort. I even detect the strumming of an acoustic guitar. That is before it all just takes flight with that fabulous synthie pop beat and surging electronics coming at you in waves.
The Evendorff remix is fresh and intense, like a blast of concentrated ROTERSAND,which makes it pretty electric. Beautifully recorded and mastered. Also, there is the radio edit version, but that is neither here nor there as “Higher Ground” is a little piece of EBM magic
Joshua Murphy is an ex-pat Australian musician, now living in Berlin and his debut solo EP, Lowlands was released in December of 2022, on the aufnahme + wiedergabe label. Lowlands is a slice of Australiana story telling in the bleak and often unforgiving outback, where loneliness, distance, scorching heat and dead cold can easily affect the human psyche. It follows in the gritty southern gothic vein of Nick Cave, where good and evil court in the dust and sweat of yesteryear’s memories, which are long in small country towns. Murphy echoes a tradition of musicians where there is nothing that quite sounds like the Aussie post-punk scene from Cave, or the laconic late Rowland S Howard, or the hauntingly beautiful songs of the late David McComb of The Triffids. We spoke to Murphy about the EP, what lead to the writing and was involved in the recording. I will just say that as an Australian, this land leaves an indelible mark under your skin.
You are a member of Crime And The City Solution but you have taken the time to write and record your debut solo material, in the form of “Lowlands”. What prompted you on this solo journey?
I started working on “Lowlands” alongside Producer Martin J. Fiedler in 2019. It was a sort of re-introduction to creation for me after a 5-year break. It was later that I met Simon and was asked to join Crime & The City Solution. Martin had started working with the band on their new record, and I was asked to add some guitars. Which later turned into playing some shows with the band and then joining, but joining Crime came as a result of making “Lowlands”, not the other way around.
Photo by Steve Gullick
Being the sole composer and decision maker, have you found it easier or harder?
There is something very freeing in having full creative control. I knew what kind of record I wanted to create, so having the autonomy to make decisions just meant that I could arrive where I already knew I wanted to go. It is important to say that I wasn’t alone in the process though, I had a great ally in Martin J. Fiedler, who produced, recorded and mixed “Lowlands”. Martin sat with me at the piano, in his home and listened to the sketches of songs as I was writing them, and always gently pointed me in the right direction when it was needed. He helped immensely to sculpt and realise this record. Though I wouldn’t have been able to make “Lowlands” in a band formation, its songs are singular, and deeply personal. I wouldn’t have been able to go there if the focus was one of creative exchange, this wasn’t about that.
“Lowlands” is a gritty a dark release, with many comparing it to the works of Nick Cave, where you can almost feel the dust on your tongue and it does have a lost in the open spaces of the Australian landscape quality. What compelled you to write “Lowlands”?
I’m happy if it makes you feel that. I wanted to write a record that forced, or helped, (depending on how you look at it), me to reflect and confront a lot of the things in myself. I wanted it to sound like my home of Australia, specifically the rural areas where I grew up, with that vastness that can make you feel both connected to something, and completely at its mercy. I was compelled to write a record that felt like me, both lyrically and musically.
Joshua, you make reference to ghosts or tormented spirits, which evokes images of violent and lawless times…. where did you draw the inspiration for the imagery?
“Littered with Ghosts” is about lies and the idea that living within your own fabricated reality gives birth to ghosts, manifestations of lies told, physical companions serving as constant reminders. Specifically relating to the lies we tell ourselves, which is possibly one of the most violent things we can do. To lie to ourselves, distorts everything we are, and everyone around us. The inspiration is drawn from my life, from mistakes made, and from wanting to free myself from the companions I gathered along the way.
There is something of the story teller in Joshua Murphy, so is this something you enjoy in music?
I’m a huge Country, early Blues and Folk music fan. I see these three genres as very similar, just presented by a different people, at a different time. They all speak of truth, they tell tales, there is an imagery and story to their songs, they are generally set over very simple chord progressions, and centred around a singular truth. Love, loss, regret, joy. That’s always been what songs are about for me, the centre, the tale, the music and melody are just there to relay that centre, that story, that truth told.
Do you have a favourite track off “Lowlands” and if so why?
That would be “The Fault Was Lain There Too”. I remember having the idea for the song, and the story that I wanted to tell, but I don’t remember working on it. Generally my songs go through 3 or 4 versions, a sketch, a draft, taking form slowly over time. “The Fault Was Lain There Too” was written in one sitting, recorded into my phone, put aside, and forgotten about. My friend Jesper Munk found it in my phone one night when we were showing each other song ideas. I had this song I was showing him, he kind of shrugged and started searching through my phone for other sketches, finding “The Fault Was Lain There Too”. I very clearly remember us sitting there, listening to it, and laughing about the fact that what we both believed to be my best work so far had been put aside and forgotten. I’m very thankful for that night.
As a multi-instrumentalist, what instruments were used to create “Lowlands”, especially some of the more jarring sounds that give a harsher effect?
I decided on a list of instruments before starting to record “Lowlands”, the idea being that limitations would help retain the narrative of the songs, and also create a narrative in the production of the record itself. Between Martin, Jonathan Dreyfus, and myself, we played all the instruments on “Lowlands”. The voice, piano, guitar, synthesiser, double bass, cello, voila and violin. Anything you hear on the record is made using these instruments, including the percussive sounds. Some of those harsher effects are synthesiser, or the sound of the instruments themselves being hit in a percussive manner.
There is a seductive beauty about dark places whether that is man-made, natural or in the minds and hearts of men. What draws you to the darkness?
I don’t really have a definitive answer to that. Musically I know that I like the sensuality of darker music, the chords and progressions used. I like the violence of the attack, and tension in the instruments played. The danger of the rhythms, the fact that everything sits on the back foot rhythmically, and when done correctly, I find it all to be, as you say, seductive. Although lyrically I’ve always been drawn to hopeful stories. The coupling of dark delivery and hope is something I find to be very human. That sentiment that even though we might be at the bottom, we are looking up. I believe people are hopeful, even if a little dark at times. “Lowlands” is a hopeful record.
For myself, Australian post-punk music has a certain sound or aesthetic you can hear that sets it apart. Do you think this is the case?
I do. I’ve thought about this a lot over the last years. My friend and Producer Martin always comments on the Australian touch, or sound. The chords we use, the way we approach songs. He describes it as uniquely Australian. Beautiful, yet violent, equally sad and hopeful. I’ve come to agree with him, I think it comes from the country itself. Australia is a very unforgiving place, both in the climate, and the people. It can be very harsh and desolate, isolating and lonely, it’s people can be quite rough and violent. On the other hand, It’s also visually stunning, it’s full of impossible landscapes, beautiful and endless. I think it’s the combination of this violent, rough isolation, and the most beautiful, peaceful and endless landscapes I’ve seen, that must take root in us somehow, and ultimately shape the way we play, and this Australian sound.
Photo by Steve Gullick
The German label, aufnahme + wiedergabe is heavily associated with the German post-punk, industrial and dark arts scenes. How did you end up signing and are you still pinching yourself being on their label?
Philipp Strobel (the head of the label) is my best friend. We’ve known each other for 10 years, and have spent a very large portion of that time together. While I was making “Lowlands”, we would sit together, speak about the record and listen to the demo’s, rough mixes and final mixes. The idea was never actually to release on a+w, I actively told him many times through the process, this is not for the label, I just need your opinion on something. It got to the point that he had to sit me down as the record was being finished and say to me. I know you don’t want to release on a+w, but I want to release the record. We both laughed a lot that day.
You have said that the beauty of music is the most important thing on this EP and that it can change for the live shows. Can you explain that a little more?
I think you may have misunderstood me here. What I actually said was that I think that the songs are the most important thing on the record. Everything begins and ends with the songs. Making everything else, whilst it should be beautiful, ultimately interchangeable. What I mean is that, the lines, the instruments, they should be beautiful, and they play a huge role in the delivery of the song in that specific recorded form, but the song exists with or without those elements. These elements can, and should be changed for live shows. I’ve done shows where the songs have been played on an electric guitar with a sampler and loop pedal, I’ve done shows alone with an acoustic guitar. I have played them many times alone on piano, at different tempos, in different keys. I love the music we created for the record, I’m proud of it, and I think it’s very beautiful, I enjoy listening to it very much. I don’t plan to be tied to it though, not in the same way I am tied to the songs. A song is a living thing that can change as we change, it would not serve the song to present it, night after night as some sort of rehearsed theatre piece. A song is not that.
The EP is written from an Australian perspective but do you think in a way, living in Berlin inspired that Australian Identity?
That’s a really good question. I think it has. There are some things about yourself that you don’t see until you look at them from afar. This was certainly the case for me in relation to music and living overseas. That distance in living on the other side of the world for the last decade has shown me that I am fundamentally, whilst I don’t see myself as singularly Australian, I am, in fact an Australian Musician. The parts that come out of me musically, are, at their core, Australian. I’ve also realised that I like that part of myself. I am drawn to an Australian musical Identity.
You have made your life in Germany currently, but do you miss Australia and do you ever think of coming back?
I’ve lived in Germany since March 2013, I have loved my time there, but I don’t think I will stay there forever. I don’t know exactly where I will go next, but I don’t plan to go back to Australia. I loved living in Australia, but I’m not a nostalgic person, I don’t miss it, and I probably won’t miss Germany once I leave. I try to be very involved in what I’m doing, and where I am while it’s happening. Once it’s over I try not to reside there anymore.
Photo by Steve Gullick
What music/bands inspired you when you were younger and have your tastes changed since then?
Growing up I was a guitar player, I was obsessed with notes and that form of expression, it was all Jimi Hendrix, John Frusciante, Eddie Hazel, Omar Rodriquez Lopez. Then I started to move more towards early blues, which is guitar and song, or tale based, people like Howling Wolf, Elmore James, Lighting Hopkins. Around this time I also started to realise what a great lyricist Jimi Hendrix was, I read an article that Jimi always used to carry a book of Bob Dylan lyrics around with him, that took me down the road of Country and Folk music, and that’s when I first got obsessed with stories, what they could do to you, a song with a good story is like a book, it can be devastating, or comforting, and it’s full of imagery and worlds. People like Gillian Welch, Leonard Cohen, Paul Kelly, Nick Cave, P.J. Harvey. Finally it all came back around to people like Rowland S. Howard, who uses the guitar in the way that I love, but also tell stories and write songs, I don’t think too many people do that. That’s what I want to try and achieve, music and songs that are both parts beautiful.
Can we be expecting an album at some point?
For sure, I’m working on the next release already, I’m half way through writing the songs, I’ll keep writing for another half a year and then start recording. I’m planning to have it finished this year in order to release in 2024. That’s the plan, but I don’t want to rush things, it will take as long as it takes.
Soooo, this is the fun bit. You are asked to contribute a cover song for a compilation and you can have guest musicians on it. What song are you going to cover and which musicians are you going to include, remembering that we don’t mind a bit of necromancy here when it comes to music and are willing to dig up a few souls?
Dead Radio, featuring Rowland S. Howard!
Thank you Joshua for being a good sport and talking to us today.
US musician, Richard D. Ruttenberg, has attended the Berklee School of Music, is a composer of film scores and is involved in two trans Atlantic projects, RIZE and Delicate Droids, both signed to the Superfreq Records label, but recently he brought forth, his latest solo album, Raviv 6000.
You might ask yourself what qualifications do I have to talk about jazz. Erm, well I was brought up on old school jazz such as Benny Goodman, Count Basie Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Miller, Fats Domino and a lot of Fats Waller (because we’re all bums when the wagon comes, I mean, thisjoint is jumpin’). Thus, I am on my musical adventure and decided to choose a few tasty morsels, also known as tracks, as well as facts to share with you.
Raviv 6000 has many notable guest artists helping out. There is Jimmy Haslip, whom is the bassist for the Yellowjackets, has worked with other famous musicians and been nominated for twenty-two Grammys, winning three of them. Engineer/producer, Joe Berger, is a rock fusion guitarist with forty years in the industry, also playing with and mixing some major talents. Teacher and recording artist in his own right, Eddie Kohen is a Berklee taught bassist, whom is also a sought after session musician. If you have seen SmokeyRobinson live or noticed the sax playing in a Salt’N’Pepper or Mary J. Blige song, then it is a good chance you have been listening to Carl Cox. He has played over the years with a myriad of artists. Just how many more horrendously talented people could appear…. well there is also guitar whiz Nick Kellie, whose debut album was released on Steve Vai’s label, Digital Nations. Another skilled music educator, Igor Fedotov, a saxophone player and recording artist, with a degree in music from the Russian Federation and there is the highly coveted session bass player Andrew Austin. Last but not least is Peter Dutch with programming and Ruttenberg’s co-conspirator in Delicate Droids. He is a DJ, recording artist and also a humanitarian.
Joe Berger features on “Ice Flames (A Wizard’s Tale)!“, which bubbles like a cauldron, with the popping electronics and Berger’s guitar slides and twists in a most extraordinary way, summoning musical magic into the air. There is the psychedelic groove of ” Double Secret Octopus!” and the curious electro wow sound that is your constant companion, while the guitar sings in the seabed of a foreign ocean, which again is Berger. The funky vibes are strong when you have “Visitors In The Backyard“. They might be here to probe you but before that happens, you have Fedotov laying down the smooth saxophone with what I think is the Korg Karma. So, it is a journey into both space and sound as the sax sweeps you along on the journey.
It is an album that is both experimental and futuristic, combining rock, 6 electronica, with a bit of funky psychedelia as the glitter on top. Some people who are unfamiliar with jazz tend to think it all horns and changing rhythmic time signatures, but there is a lot more to it. Without jazz, we would not have rock music, nor some of the amazing musicians that have influenced generations. The recently departed Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones originally started as a jazz drummer, and it is of note that many of their tracks would not have sound the same without his wonderful talent and technique. This is true of Raviv 6000, with its beautiful production and flawless execution by the musicians. I encourage you to have a listen to this jazz fusion by Ruttenberg because you just never know, you might find yourself on a flight of a lifetime. Post script – do check out the cool videos for all the tracks!
I had heard of The Singularity,and then when the name Julian Shah-Tayler was connected to this project… I believe my brain went into a series of loops of thinking, wait, isn’t he an actor? He is, if I recall correctly. Well, if you are not familiar, British born Shah-Tayler is The Singularity, now based in the US, and his latest album, Elysium, was released on the 24th of October, recorded between the Bird of Paradigm studio and the TARDIS studio….. but is it bigger on the inside?!
Photo by John Travis
This album seems to have been about a year in the making due to the gradual release of singles, and this could be due to issues in the past two years, i.e., the plague but also from my perspective, a lot of effort and attention has gone into each track. And with fourteen tracks on offer, there is a lot to get into, so we thought we might draw your attention to some of the singles.
“Melt” is about being with the person that truly makes you weak at the knees and yet light as a feather. The general ambience reminds me a lot of Duran Duran in their period of 1993, with their self-titled album that had the amazing “Ordinary World” and “Melt” has that same flow. Chris JOlivas of Berlin fame supplies the drums.
David J. is a solo artist in his own right, but best known as a member of Bauhaus, and he also appears on the track, “The DevilKnows,” laying down the bass, in this rather funky song. The music video is also well worth checking out.
The track “Kintsugi” is breathtaking in both its conviction and sound. A whirlwind of guitar and drums, again percussion by Olivas, with Shah-Tayler singing these beautiful lyrics. For those unfamiliar with the concept of kintsugi, it is a Japanese tradition of not throwing away broken pottery, however, using gold to repair the vessel, which in turn makes it more unique and precious. A metaphor for a once broken heart.
Shah-Tayler doesn’t have to make music, as the acting gig makes far more money than being an alternative musician, but it is very evident he does it because that is where his heart is at. His passion for the avant-garde and darkwave artistry is very deeply ingrained. This then draws together the talents of David J. and Chris J Olivas, as well as MGT, Gene Micofsky,and others. Elysium is a bit synthwave, a bit post-punk, and most importantly, never boring.
Onyx Music Reviews 