Entiset Agalloch-jäsenet perustaneet uuden yhtyeen
Yhdysvaltalainen progressiivista metallia soittava Agalloch ilmoitti toukokuussa lopettavansa uransa. Kolme yhtyeen neljästä jäsenestä Don Anderson, Jason Walton ja Aesop Dekker ovat nyt perustaneet uuden Khôrada-nimisen yhtyeen viime vuonna uransa lopettaneen Giant Squidin laulaja-kitaristi Aaron John Gregoryn kanssa. Facebookissa julkaistu tiedote aiheeseen liittyen on luettavissa tästä:
”FORMER AGALLOCH MEMBERS ANNOUNCE NEW BAND KHÔRADA WITH AARON JOHN GREGORY OF GIANT SQUID
Following the split between the three members of AGALLOCH (Don Anderson, Jason Walton, Aesop Dekker) and John Haughm, the former three remained committed to working, writing, and playing together and immediately began considering a fourth member to complete a new project. The three agreed that Aaron John Gregory whose band – Sacramento/Bay Area based, progressive, doom-rock outfit, GIANT SQUID – would be perfect to work with. GIANT SQUID had recently wrapped up a 12-year long career with farewell shows last October, so the timing for everyone couldn’t be better.
Guitarist Don Anderson explains: “Actually, the first person that came to all of our minds was our good friend Aaron. AGALLOCH played with GIANT SQUID years ago and we’ve remained fans and friends ever since. Aaron is a strong and dynamic vocalist with the necessary guitar chops and was all too perfect for a new project.”
Bassist Jason Walton further elaborates: ’We didn’t want AGALLOCH to end—sure, there were definitely changes that needed to be addressed, but Don, Aesop, and I had every intention to tour in 2017 and spend the remainder of 2016 writing new AGALLOCH material for the 6th record. We don’t see why John splitting from us should stop us from playing and writing together. It wasn’t even an option.’
Regarding his longtime relationship with the guys from AGALLOCH, Aaron says: ’In my many years of playing heavy music, there are few people I’ve met with more heart, modesty, talent and ambition than these three dudes. I’ve known Don and Jason since our early days as label mates on The End Records, and had the privilege of getting to know and bond with Aesop when GIANT SQUID and LUDICRA toured in 2007. For years now, I’ve watched with great pride and admiration as their collective careers sky rocketed and as their music continuously touched thousands of people’s lives. Regardless of our existing friendship, to get the call from them asking to join up and build a new beast, is a massive honor for me, and certainly one of the most exciting opportunities of my musical life.’
The band insists they have no interest in repeating the sound of either of the former bands. ’There is no way I’d want to do that’ Anderson insists. ’We respect the legacies of both AGALLOCH and GIANT SQUID too much to exploit them. Obviously, some of those sounds might creep in, but as far as intending to channel that style—no way. We all want to do something new.’
Gregory agrees, adding that: ’All of us were so excited to hear what this could sound like, that we immediately started demoing within the first week after they reached out to me. We’ve all gotten chills after hearing some of the results. There is something incredibly powerful and monstrously heavy happening here, and we can’t wait to see it take full form.’
KHÔRADA has dug in deep into the writing process for their debut album, and will finalize things in the near future.
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/khorada
Photography by Cody Keto: www.facebook.com/CodyKetoPhotography”