Marc Urselli brings together doom metal and an international cast of throat singers to create SteppenDoom.
SteppenDoom is the new project from Marc Urselli, the well-known audio engineer, sound designer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist who has worked with a broad array of top bands. The idea is to invite and unite “eminent musicians from the doom metal genre and legendary indigenous singers employing ancient throat signing traditions from around the globe.” That’s right. Doom and throat singing. It is the perfect combination. The artists involved include heavy metal veterans Matt Pike (Sleep, High On Fire), Aaron Aedy (Paradise Lost), Steve Von Till (Neurosis), Christopher Juul (Heilung), Dave Chandler (Saint Vitus), and Scott “Wino” Weinrich (The Obsessed), as well as renowned throat signers Alash Ensemble, Batzorig Vaanchig “Zorigoo”, Huun-Huur-Tu, Tanya Tagaq, Albert Kuvezin (Yat-Kha), and Alexey Tegin.
The main release has six tracks. Here are the full details so you can see who is involved. 1. “Etugen Eke and Od Ana” featuring Matt Pike and Batzorig Vaanchig “Zorigoo”; 2. “Garuda Khuresh” featuring Aaron Aedy and Huun-Huur-Tu; 3. “Agloolik Igaluk” featuring Johannes Persson and Tanya Tagaq; 4. “Tamag and Ocmah” featuring Steve Von Till and Albert Kuvezin; 5. “Imdugud in Shambhala” featuring Massimo Pupillo (Zu) and Alash Ensemble; and 6. “Peri to Ela Guren” featuring Trey Spruance (Secret Chiefs 3, Mr. Bungle) and Erdenebat Baatar (Erka). If you buy the artbook or boxed version, you also get the bonus tracks 7. “Sedna and Eliduc” featuring Lori S. (Acid King), Utelo, Karen Panigoniak and Maria Illungiayok, and 8. “A-dkar Theg Pa” featuring Dave Chandler, Anders Møller (Ulver), Norman Westberg (Swans), Scott “Wino” Weinrich and Alexey Tegin (Phurpa).
What does this sound like? If you have heard throat singing before, then you can put this together in your head. When you actually hear it, though, it is more amazing than anything your imagination can conjur. I would put this music in the folk doom category, but whatever anyone might call it, these exceptional musicians working together produce synergistic results. Some of the music is haunting, some of it frightening. To me, all of it is moving, and, since doom is my favorite metal lane, I was enthralled the entire time.
SteppenDoom is out on Friday, November 18th through Magnetic Eye Records. Check out the label link below to see all the varieties. If do recommend getting a version that includes the bonus tracks because the final one is a 33-minute-long life-changer. Highly recommended.
Links.
Bandcamp, https://steppendoom.bandcamp.com/album/steppendoom
Marc Urselli website, http://www.marcurselli.com/
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/marcurselli/
Magnetic Eye Records, https://en.merhq.net/en/Artists/Marc-Urselli-s-SteppenDoom-spkr/Marc-Urselli-s-SteppenDoom-SteppenDoom.html
© Wayne Edwards
Flying Fiddlesticks Music Blog 