Photo by Taylor Spence and Chris Eichenseer
Nine Circles is currently streaming the eponymous debut full-length from experimental metal/electronic duo MOIII. The premiere comes on the eve of the record’s official release Friday, 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 [sound designer, mixer, and audio engineer] Surachai in the studio to round out the impressive soundscape.
Writes Nine Circles in part, “This project manages to find the ideal overlap between industrial and dark ambience, with plenty of other influences layered in there that one could certainly point to…ridiculously captivating.”
Stream Moiii, alongside an interview with the band, exclusively at Nine Circles, at THIS LOCATION.
Watch MOIII’s video for “You Won’t Be Alive To Feel It” HERE.
Inspired by Swans, Caspar Brötzmann, and Einstürzende Neubauten, Moiii 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.
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 HERE.
MOIII:
Jason Butler – guitar, drums, sounds
Scott Shellhamer – guitar, bass, synth, sounds
Guests:
Thor Harris – drums, percussion
Surachai – modular synth
https://www.instagram.com/moiiiband/
https://www.facebook.com/moiiiband
https://moiii.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/someoddpilotrecords
https://someoddpilotrecords.bandcamp.com