photos by Nicolas Côté
As Chicago-based hardcore/grind act NEQUIENT prepares for the release of their second LP, Darker Than Death Or Night, through Nefarious Industries in mid-March, the band’s first video from the record makes its public premiere through an exclusive at Metal Injection.
On Darker Than Death Or Night, NEQUIENT embraces even more diverse sounds than before without sacrificing their honed focus or capacity for vicious sensory assault. This is a singular breed of heavy music: tightly controlled yet satisfyingly grimy, attuned to the anxieties of an uneasy era and unconcerned about fitting into the preconceived boundaries of subgenre. Mixed by Sanford Parker (Voivod, Yob, Eyehategod) and mastered by Collin Jordan (Harm’s Way, Windhand, Pelican), the album features artwork and design by Scott Shellhamer (American Heritage, Buried At Sea, Coffinworm) as well as a guest vocal turn from Eddie Gobbo of Something Is Waiting.
NEQUIENT vocalist Jason Kolkey explains, “I don’t write a ton of lyrics about the trials and triumphs of being in a rock ‘n’ roll band, but when I heard the progression of riffs that our guitarist Patrick came up with for ‘Death Bridge’ and the revving sounds that our bassist Keenan added to the intro, it conjured a very specific image in my mind. Every band that’s ever hit the road has the experience where you’re speeding down the highway to your next show when the weather turns on you and you start having some uncomfortable thoughts about your own mortality.”
The video for “Death Bridge” was animated by Cory J. Peak of Closet Witch. Kolkey said of the collaboration, “Cory and the rest of Closet Witch are old friends of ours: We shared a bill with them in Iowa City for the very first show that NEQUIENT ever played outside of Illinois, and afterward, Cory showed us some of his hand-drawn animation. We were really excited for the opportunity to apply that creativity to one of our songs. We went with ‘Death Bridge’ because it’s a fun, thrashy tune with some great drumming by Chris and because Cory felt the lyrical narrative lent itself to a visual treatment. From there, we gave him free rein as he created the fictional band (Deerslayer!) and crafted the bizarre, hallucinatory sequence during the instrumental break. He captured the wild shifts in emotions that are inherent in the song while lending the video his unique style and sense of humor.”
Metal Injection writes with the video’s premiere, “The song spans everything from grinding riffs to more thrashy sections, ultimately providing you with a wide range of heaviness to headbang to!”
Watch NEQUIENT’s animated “Death Bridge” video first at Metal Injection RIGHT HERE.
Darker Than Death Or Night will see release on March 11th on vinyl – 250 copies on Black and Neon Green Galaxy, 150 on Orange Crush with Neon Green Splatter, and 100 on Black inside Deep Purple exclusive to the band and Nefarious Subscription Club members – as well as 100 copies on Fluorescent Orange cassette, and through all digital services.
Find digital/physical preorders at the Nefarious Industries landing page where “First Casualty” is also streaming RIGHT HERE.
While currently performing one-off shows locally and regionally, NEQUIENT will also embark on a two-week US tour surrounding the album’s release. See current live dates below and watch for additional updates to post.
NEQUIENT Live:
2/25/2022 Beer, Blastbeats, & Blasphemy @ Avenue 91 – Griffith, IN w/ Malignancy, Handsome Prick, ShitxLife, Minimum Wage Assassins
3/10/2022 High Dive – Milwaukee, WI
3/12/2022 NorthStar Bar & Grill – St. Paul, MN
3/13/2022 High Noon Saloon – Madison, WI
3/18/2022 Black Circle Brewing – Indianapolis, IN
3/19/2022 Meteor Majeure – Murfreesboro, TN
3/20/2022 Boggs Social & Supply – Atlanta, GA
3/21/2022 TBA
3/22/2022 Planet Nova – Fredericksburg, VA
3/23/2022 Century – Philadelphia, PA
3/24/2022 Gutter Bar – Brooklyn, NY
3/25/2022 Chaos Compound – Rochester, NY
3/26/2022 Annabell’s Bar & Lounge – Akron, OH
3/27/2022 MOTR – Cincinnati, OH
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