Photo by Julianna Rose
The new single, “Coward,” from Chico, California’s noisy crust mongors Mordeo encompasses all the ugliness this band is about. The drop-tuned guitar sound is raw and savage, the vocals equally pegging into the red, the bass is a lumbering beast and the stuttering rhythm succumbs to a staticky, noise-laden outro at the song’s conclusion. This quintet of malcontents—Dave (drums), Jake (bass), Brandon (vocals/noise), Colby (guitar), Bryan (guitar/backup vocals)—take sludge and crust and make it sound relentlessly evil. Seven more tracks of equally gnarled punishment await on the outfit’s upcoming self-titled debut.
Mordeo was recorded, mixed and mastered by Chris Keene a Cutters Cathedral. It’s set for release on CD, vinyl and digitally via Hypaethral Records, Forever Never Ends Records, and Shove Records on March 27. Find preorders at the Hypaethral WebstoreHERE, the HypaethralBandcampHERE, the Shove BandcampHERE,and Forever Never EndsHERE.
Vocalist Brandon gave us the lowdown on the lyrical theme of “Coward”:
“‘Coward’ is about the bastards that trample others to get to the top. Then once they’ve ‘made it’ they start to feel remorse about the things they’ve done and attempt/commit suicide over thier guilt. They should own up to their mistakes and deal with it, as so many of the trampled had to deal with it and continue living. Or let those who were affected by their ways be the ones to facilitate their demise.”