Published: July 1, 2024
Experimental metal/electronic duo MOIII will release their eponymous debut on August 2nd via the newly resurrected Someoddpilot Records.
MOIII is a study of opposing forces. Born sometime in 2018, and parented by Chicagoan Scott Shellhamer and Austenite Jason Butler, “dark-light, pink-black, soft-hard, sunny-stormy” are all descriptors that would apply to their self-titled offering.
Shellhamer (most noted for his work in American Heritage and Ghosts And Vodka) and Butler (under his Thee Conductor moniker includes Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Glenn Kotche) come from opposite musical worlds but have somehow created an inspired body of work complimenting each other’s strengths in their respective writing approaches. They recruited Thor Harris (Swans) and Surachai in the studio to round out the impressive soundscape.
Inspired by Swans, Caspar Brötzmann, and Einstürzende Neubauten, this is a record that’s difficult to classify. Ultimately, it’s heavy and dark, manipulated by an industrial hand, complemented by kids making music with toys. It's free and independent-minded, tough and gritty, loud and delicate. Truly an original sound, and a completely original record. Enough to resurrect the long-mothballed Someoddpilot Records for a worldwide digital and limited 12” vinyl release.
Through intuitive experimentation they’ve organically found something new, snapping disparate ideas into place like an old puzzle you’ve never seen before, but one you instantly recognize. That is the feeling of what the best new music does. It’s like art sprung from the void between musical categories. Nasty guitar soundscapes juxtaposed with light finger picking mixed with dark-ambient electronics shape this album into a catchy and dirty sailboat ride into a storm of uplifting particulates.
Comments Shellhamer, “The album as a whole is an effort to join two disparate music worlds. One member who fancies metal, punk, ambient, and industrial. The other who prefers more thoughtful orchestrated pop/folk and the likes of Vince Guaraldi. We got in a living room with modest equipment and one microphone and MOIII was the result.”
In advance of the record’s release, today the band unveils first single, “Turtle Legs,” noting of the track, “This song started in a pretty standard way for us. We just kept on adding layers. Too many. Once we started using Surachai's parts, the song really took on a whole different form and feel. Thor Harris hit the studio with us and tracked the real drums on this one. He is a very delightful human.”
Moiii was recorded at Gimme A Second Studios, engineered by Scott Shellhamer with drums recorded at King Electric Studios. The record was engineered by Justin Douglas, mixed by Andrew Hernandez at Arroyo Audio, mastered by Jeff Wojtysiak at Spiral Sound Mastering, and features artwork by Antonio Bond.
Moiii will be released on digital and vinyl formats. Find preorders at the official MOIII Bandcamp page
Moiii Track Listing:
1. Tangled Chords
2. Turtle Legs
3. Shhhhhhhhhhhh
4. You Won't Be Alive To Feel It
5. Scarab of Ra
6. Moition Picture
MOIII:
Jason Butler – guitar, drums, sounds
Scott Shellhamer – guitar, bass, synth, sounds
Guests:
Thor Harris – drums, percussion
Surachai – modular synth
