FUZZ RECORDS
REAPER'S GONG "SUBDUCTION"
Regular price
$17.95
Rather than shy away from raw reality, Reaper’s Gong stare head-on into the abyss, absorbing darkness musically in an intense ebb-and-flow. As such, their jagged fusion of noise rock, sludge, and hardcore proudly wears its scars above a haze of ruddy distortion and cathartic wailing. It’s the unnerving and undeniable work of experienced extreme artisans, namely vocalist Zoe Koch [fmr. Dirt Woman], guitarist Spencer Hazard [Full Of Hell], drummer Alex Oatman, and bassist Gabe Solomon [fmr. Dirt Woman].
Now, the alchemy between these musicians drives Subduction (Side A) [Fuzz Records].
“We’ve become better songwriters together,” notes Spencer. “We’re just trying to play and record as much as possible. We’ve started to understand each other’s musical language more than ever though."
Reaper’s Gong initially formed back in 2020, beginning with jam sessions between Spencer and Alex. As Gabe and Zoe entered the fold, they nodded to a myriad of influences. Spencer goes on, “I’m bringing slower noisier punk ideas. I’ve always been a fan of bands like Flipper and No Trend, so I wanted to jam something in that realm. Alex is way more into grunge and things like that, but he can understand the lineage between our influences."
2021 saw the band drop Demo (Side B) highlighted by four tracks. They notably started the stage with the likes of No/Mas, Jarhead Fertilizer, Hirs, Cloakroom, Eye Flys, and Chepang. Additionally, they earned looks from the likes of Brooklyn Vegan and more. The three tracks on Side A, alternate between moments of stress and release. Opener “Parched Flesh” hinges on a hummable hard-hitting riff and an ominous earthquaking groove. “Onyx” storms out of the gate with relentless pummeling as Zoe issues a warning, “No one is safe.” Then, there’s “Bloodroot” where distortion echoes over a slow percussive trudge beneath a haunting vocal.
“I’m pretty much writing different lyrics until we record, but they all follow similar themes,” notes Zoe. “Writing helps me cope with how unnatural our world has become. My lyrics typically stem from feeling extremely uncomfortable or trying to process the harsher realities of being human.”
Those realities prove insidious and identifiable all at once on Subduction and more to come from Reaper’s Gong.
TRACKLIST
1. Parched Flesh
2. Onyx
3. Bloodroot
4. Force It (Remaster)
5. Oracle (Remaster)
6. Bed Of Mutilation (Remaster)
7. Ruins (Remaster)
PRESSING INFO
100 - Grey & White w/ Red Splatter
175 - Clear w/ White & Red Splatter
225 - Opaque Red