Photo by Audrey Wilson
Stream SHUN’s “Aviator” HERE.
Everything Is Noise presents an exclusive premiere of “Aviator,” the latest single from North/South Carolina-based heavy rock outfit SHUN. The song precedes the release of their long-awaited new full-length, Dismantle, set to drop next month on Small Stone Recordings.
SHUN released their self-titled debut to positive critical acclaim through Small Stone in 2021. Three years later, Dismantle continues several crucial threads from the debut in terms of songwriting and the returning production of J. Robbins (Jawbox, Government Issue) – who also contributes percussion, guitar, and synth to the record – while expanding their scope with a more refined crunch and drifting, ethereal outreach. It is heavier and paints a broader landscape in Matt Whitehead’s vocal and guitar melodies, able to take a prog-metal chug in “Horses” and reshape it as the backdrop for weighted post-rock while refusing to sap its own vitality in service to shoegazey posturing.
Bands such as Cave In and Hum feel like touchstones as much as Sabbath and whom, or whatever, may have inspired the crush tucked at the end of “You’re The Sea,” and while Dismantle may hint as a title at notions of things coming apart, there’s as much being built in its ten tracks as is being destroyed. What results from the trio of Whitehead, bassist Jeff Baucom, and drummer Rob Elzey (Bo Leslie has since joined on guitar, re-completing the lineup) is material varied in its purpose but drawn together in traditional fashion by the electricity of its performances. The band-in-the-room feel in the methodical rollout of opener “Blind Eye” is more resonant with the debut having been remotely assembled during plague lockdowns.
Does that make Dismantle something like a second first album? Not really, but if it helps you get on board, you probably won’t get a ton of arguments. While Whitehead’s past in Small Stone denizens Throttlerod is still relevant to SHUN in some essential and riffy ways, SHUN steps forward with Dismantle and declares their meld of styles in tracks like “The Getaway” and “Interstellar” which can push, pull, crash down loud, or recede into float as they will. That they’d wield such command in their craft likely won’t be a surprise to those who took on the self-titled, but among the things Dismantle undoes, it strips the listener of expectations and replaces them with its unflinching creativity and refreshingly forward-looking take. Fans of Torche, Cave In, Alice In Chains, Failure, ASG, and huge riffs, pay heed.
With the new single, Whitehead reveals, “The main theme for ‘Aviator’ came from a song I had recorded on my phone in February of 2019. It always felt overly complicated and never felt as fun as I heard it in my head. Earlier this year, I took a sledgehammer to it and simplified it which seemed to give it a new life. Usually, I like to treat songs as current journal entries, but this is a rare example of holding on to an idea for years until it feels right.”
Writes Everything Is Noise, “While their sound as a whole falls under the musical umbrella of alternative rock, you can expect healthy dosages of psych/noise/stoner rock alongside shoegaze and grunge; fans of Cave In are in for a treat! These stylistic flavors alongside succinct compositions make for an immensely satisfying and almost hypnotic musical experience. The second single to Dismantle, ‘Aviator,’ is direct evidence that shows that simplicity outclasses (unnecessary) complexity.
Stream SHUN’s “Aviator” at Everything Is Noise RIGHT HERE.
Dismantle, which features artwork by Alexander Von Wieding, will be released on CD, limited LP, and digital formats through Small Stone Recordings on July 19th. Find preorders at THIS LOCATION, where first single, “Drawing Names,” can be streamed.
SHUN has booked several release shows for Dismantle across the Carolinas including Asheville July 19th, Greenville July 20th, Columbia July 26th, and Brevard August 2nd. See all confirmed dates below and watch for additional live updates to post over the weeks ahead.
SHUN – Dismantle Record Release Shows:
7/19/2024 The Odditorium – Asheville, NC
7/20/2024 Swanson’s Warehouse – Greenville, SC
7/26/2024 New Brookland Tavern – Columbia, SC
8/02/2024 185 King – Brevard, NC
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