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Wagemaker Shift From Doom To Post-Hardcore On New LP "Twegen"
Photo courtesy of the band. Los Angeles noise-mongers Wagemaker drop their sophomore effort, Twegen, today, October 31, via Sweet Cheetah Records. The album sees a jump in evolution, expanding into a two-piece unit and refining their sound toward renowned post-hardcore acts, while retaining elements of sludge and doom. The band is donating the first 12 months of digital sales to The Coalition…
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From The Heart of the Machine Comes WageMaker
~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~
I'm frequently overwhelmed by the number of upstart bands, side projects, spin-offs, and super-groups. The internet has theoretically leveled the playing field, insofar as it is easier than it's been in generations to record, share, and discover new music. The double-edged sword, of course, is that it's entirely overwhelming and it's easy to drown in the flood of sound and fury. On the positive side, when something unusual comes along, it's often that much easier to stand out from the crowd. Enter WAGEMAKER, a solo project from Thomas Harris, the former bassist for Yidhra -- a Los Angeles band we've had a lot of good things to say about over the years.
The first thing you'll notice about Wagemaker is it's production is stripped down, lo-fi. There's a reason for this. Harris explains:
"WageMaker takes the weight and power of doom and sludge shedding both genres long form elements to instead incorporate the utilitarian drive of punk, post hardcore, early rock 'n' roll and even folk to create a sound that is as immediate and focused as it is dense and primal. This musical approach has generated the sound of knuckle-dragging, distorted bass layered over Neanderthal drum programming topped with vocals akin to artificial-intelligence-in-revolt: hissing, and croaking back at its bewildered user."
WageMaker's songs traverse a range of issues similar to the hardcore punk scene, from "work, food, alcohol, immune systems and the psychic weight of growing up in an ancient rural village." The difference, of course, is the pace of the music, which is all very imitative of automated electronic processes. Another unique aspect of WageMaker is that the vocals stay in the backdrop -- as though we're hearing vague whispers from the ghost in the machine. It's as if the Melvins met Nine Inch Nails, but slowed things way down, with the bass as the primary driver. At times it's disorienting, even frightening; at other moments chill. The net result is WageMaker bringing us a record that engages the listener on a primitive, visceral level.
WageMaker's self-titled debut album was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Skull Seven Studios by legendary producer Bill Metoyer (Slayer, Corrosion of Conformity, Sacred Reich, Trouble) and is scheduled for wide release on September 23rd, with the vinyl 10-inch issued by LA-based Black Voodoo Records. For fans of Year of the Cobra, Swamp Ritual, and the Melvins.
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