After touring extensively in support of their debut album
“Immute: Jackals”, the Sydney-based experimental groove metal trio,
Kunvuk, retreated
to their Shadow Mekanik Studios for six months to carve out their
stomping and screaming sophomore punch-in-the-face. Recorded,
engineered and mixed again by the band’s guitarist and singer David
Hart “Consume Rapture” represents a leap forward in intensity and
volatility for the band’s sound.
“When we started writing the new record we wanted to bring into
focus our rhythmic strengths – writing bigger grooves, ripping out
crazier time signatures and twisting bone-rattling tempo shifts to
mangle song structures in the most moving and devastating way”
comments Hart. “Basically we wanted to draw into sharper focus the
essence of Kunvuk and the sounds we are working on.” The band,
rounded out by bassist Luis Barra, guitarist Oz Slater and drummer
Matt Meli, do just that on Consume Rapture creating a monster that
stomps around and around in your head long after the record
stops.
The album was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music
(DEATH, SWANS, MASTODON, CONVERGE, BARONESS, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE
PLAN, CLUTCH) in New Windsor, New York. The man responsible for
bringing so many great albums to the finish line was more than
happy to lend his skills to sculpting the final sound of Consume
Rapture. As Hart states “Alan was an easy choice for us – we’ve
admired his work for a long time so it was a dream to have him kick
this record to the next level. The intensity of the songs demanded
his extensive knowledge and the result is pure and dynamic aural
overload.”
The nine tracks that form Consume Rapture contain the band’s most
diverse material yet; demonstrating Kunvuk’s complex and
contrasting sound scapes. Whether it be through hyperventilating
thrash crashing into back-breaking breakdowns (“Become Monster”),
agitated structures interbred with downright hostility (“Rapture Pt
1”) or colossal rhythmic structures scarred with angular discord
(“Teeth Swallower”, Taped”) the album pumps and breathes in some of
the most unexpected, energetic and captivating ways.
In conjunction with the release of Consume Rapture, Kunvuk have
announced their support for the “Save The Tasmanian Devil Program”.
For the duration of the album cycle Kunvuk will donate 50% of
profits made from the sale of the album to the cause to raise
awareness and funds for the plight of this endangered Australian
animal. “Devil Facial Tumour Disease threatens the existence of
this incredible animal and we are putting our money where our mouth
is to help save this most metal of all creatures. Every record you
buy will not only be supporting us but supporting an Australian
icon that is in danger of being wiped off the planet if we don’t
act quickly.”
To spread the stomping noise of Consume Rapture Kunvuk will be
taking their fierce live show to the furthest flung areas of
Australia and internationally. No stranger to long jaunts across
the earth, Kunvuk are sharpening their teeth in anticipation of the
supporting tours for the new record. “We live for playing this
music live. Many bands say that but we actually mean it. We get
sick when we don’t play. We get weak when we don’t scream. A Kunvuk
live show is a physical and mental exorcism. We load in, sweat,
bleed, howl and then load out for the next show. We aren’t here to
fix our hair and pat each other on the back. We are here to explode
and that is all we are interested in.”
Discography:
Consume Rapture (2012)
Immute: Jackals (2010)
Genre:
Math/Groove Metal
Band members:
David Hart - Vocals & Guitars
Luis Barra - Bass & Backing Vocals
Oz Slater - Lead Guitar
Matt King - Drums
Based in:
Sydney, NSW