Decibel Magazine is hosting an exclusive premiere for Chicago-based esoteric sludge/doom metal trio I KLATUS, formed by members of Yakuza, Indian, Lair Of The Minotaur, and more.
Featuring guest vocals from Valentina Levchenko and cello from Alison Chesley (Helen Money), ‘Solstice Of Wind’ is the opening song to the band’s impending fourth album, Targeted, nearing April release through their own Dead Sage label.
I KLATUS’ Tom Denney offers with the ‘Solstice Of Wind’ single, “Air as an element is often associated with breath, life, communication, and the holy spirit connection. The solstice is when a star reaches its solar maximum. As far as we are concerned here on Earth, the Sun is our Lord, governing agriculture and survival. We revere and celebrate the abundance of life it brings. The tribal drums and ancient sonic tools (such as the bullroarer) used to make the rhythmic patterns of this song symbolizes the breath of life, a petition to the Lord. The lyrics channel the chaos energy of the dragon, a war cry. A vow to conquer the unknown and to meet the challenges of daily survival through the breath and the beat; petitioning the light to awaken the dawn of actualization. We beat the drums in hopes to open a portal to a place of reverence. An altar where the sonic ritual brings us to timelessness, which may end our suffering.”
Decibel writes with the song’s premiere, “More of a noisescape/soundscape than a ‘song,’ ‘Solstice Of Wind’ sounds like it was made for an episode of Twin Peaks.”
Inhale I KLATUS’ ‘Solstice Of Wind’ first through Decibel Magazine now at THIS LOCATION
I KLATUS will release Targeted through the band’s own Dead Sage imprint next Friday, April 1st, digitally and in a limited run of cassettes. Find preorders at Bandcamp HERE
I KLATUS is embodied by drummer Chris Wozniak (Lair Of The Minotaur, Earthen Grave), bassist John Bomher (Yakuza, Indian), and guitarist/vocalist/visual artist Tom Denney (renowned artist for Soilent Green, Kylesa, Weedeater, Black Cobra, Rwake, Samothrace, among countless others).
Immediately on the heels of their 2017-released Nagual Sun album, I KLATUS went into seclusion in the cold mountain town of Snoqualmie, Washington to write and record a follow-up. Fourteen sunless days went by and in stark contrast to the Summer-sun-filled experience of Los Angeles which inspired Nagual Sun, and the band forced themselves to write without any distractions from jobs or family, without any sunshine or warmth. Just cold rain and troll spirits.
The entire concept of I KLATUS’ Targeted is about fear, addiction, and psychosis, confronting the self-obsessed fears often faced by those with mental health challenges such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Often, these unfortunate victims of their own minds are terrorized by unseen entities which cause them to turn to drugs and other strange behavior to cope with the daily horrors which plague them. An irrational fear of being followed, tracked, and hunted. Fear of being implanted with microchips while unconscious; injecting shadow entities into their nightmares; nightmares which bleed into daytime realities. The psychosis is infectious, affecting who you’re able to trust. Here, the band confronts the harsh reality that we’re face-to-face with when these kinds of struggles affect our loved ones, and we find ourselves in a position of needing to protect ourselves from these unseen forces which are very real to the victims of such maladies.
Mixed and mastered by John E. Bomher at Berwyn Recording, with layout/artwork by Tom Denney, Targeted also features guest performances by Alison Chesley aka Helen Money (cello on ‘Solstice Of Wind’), Valentina Levchenko (vocals on ‘Solstice Of Wind’), Joseph Starita (violin, cello on ‘Shitback And Halfway Damned’), Patrick Hamilton (gongs, robots on ‘Opium Cyborg’ and ‘Targeted’), and guest lyricist Michael McEvoy on ‘Dance With The Skulls In The Church’.