Montpellier, France’s sludge/doom practitioners VERDUN today unleash their brand new video for “Narconaut.” The crushing track comes by way of the band’s split 12” with Seattle, Washington-based sludge bringers, OLD IRON. Initially released in Europe last Fall, the four-track offering will see release in the US via Satanik Royalty Records February 25th!
Notes VERDUN of the track, “‘Narconaut’ was a challenge for us in describing feelings, trying new things in composition/structures, and to be more intense than ever…. To let it go as when you’re on acid. Thanks to Gom Pilote for the video.”
Writes Metal Injection, “Across its eight hazy minutes, ‘Narconaut’ conjures filthy riff after filthy riff, leaving nothing identifiable in its wake.”
Forged in 2010, VERDUN made a name in the realm of slow and heavy music on the basis of a simple three-track demo, leaving a strong impression on every witness of the band’s thunderous live shows. The band has since released two full-lengths: The Eternal Drift’s Canticles (2016) and Astral Sabbath (2019). Far from simple amplifier worship, the band excels at tinting their sludge/doom roots with metallic hardcore toughness, burden-of-the-world melodies and charismatic vocals, switching between echoed screams from outer space, spoken words or mournful clean vocals. VERDUN develops its hybrid doom/hardcore through a composition of new track “Narconaut” and a very personal rendition of Morbid Angel’s classic “Dawn Of The Angry.”
OLD IRON aspires to weave sprawling psychedelic sludge tapestries. Jerad Shealey (The Helm, Heiress) and Jesse Roberts (Sandrider, Kid Congo Powers, The Ruby Doe) started writing music with original drummer Brandon Ramses during 2011 with the goal of getting loud, heavy, and weird. Later that year their first self-released full-length Cordyceps (2012) was recorded in Jesse’s basement. Current drummer, Trent McIntyre joined the ranks soon after. With McIntyre in the equation their second record came into focus. With Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Botch) at the engineering helm, Lupus Metallorum (2016) was recorded at The Red Room in Seattle and released on Good To Die records in 2016. Shealey crossed paths with Florien of VERDUN while touring with Kid Congo Powers and a lasting friendship was born. They kept in touch and eventually the idea of a split came up and the rest is history.
