SARATTMA: Decibel Magazine Premieres Psychedelic “Socotra” Video; Escape Velocity LP By Current/Ex Brian Jonestown Massacre, John Zorn, Cleric Members Out Now On Nefarious Industries

photo by Lenore Romas

Philadelphia-based instrumental/progressive post-metal duo SARATTMA – drummer Sara Neidorf (Mellowdeath, ex-Brian Jonestown Massacre, Aptera) and guitarist Matt Hollenberg (Cleric, John Frum, John Zorn, Titan To Tachyons) – presents a kaleidoscopic video for “Socotra,” a sprawling, nearly nine-minute track found on the band’s debut LP, Escape Velocity, out now on Nefarious Industries.

SARATTMA’s first video from Escape Velocity, created for “Socotra,” features performance footage of Sara Neidorf shot by Marco Bianciardi in Berlin and of Matt Hollenberg shot by Naeemah Maddox in New York City, merged with outdoor footage filmed by David Brenner/Gridfailure who directed and edited the entire video.

Neidorf reveals, “‘Socotra’ was the one song on the album that came about completely spontaneously in the recording studio. Not a single lick of it was written beforehand. The rhythm was my impulse, over which Matt laid continually expanding melodic motifs during an extended jam. We named the song after the island which has been referred to as the most alien place on earth, with its dragon’s blood trees and baobabs-the trees we featured on our album art. In many ways the song heralds that there are always alien surprises nearer than we think, more to unearth, tensions to dig something harmonious out of.”

Hollenberg adds, “‘Socotra’ was the most spontaneously performed song on the album and is one of my favorites. The fact that there was no agenda stylistically from the conception of the song really opened the music up, once the rhythm took hold, the piece sort of had its own life with regards to the phrase variations which was a wild ride. Moments like this with music, it’s hard to tell if the music is playing you or vice versa. The tonal landscape that resulted from this improvisation reminded me of Malian music, which informed some of the dub elements that would emerge in the bass overdub session that happened much later. We did very few overdubs other than the bass to keep the integrity of the interaction of the performance.”

With the video’s premiere, Decibel writes, “Psychedelic? Experimental? Avant garde? All of the above? Yes, yes, and also yes. Prepare for sensory overload when feasting your eyeballs and earholes on the latest video missive from Philly prog weirdos Sarattma, ‘Socotra.’ The nearly nine-minute track is an epic sprawl of all manner of guitar meanderings—from twiddly-widdly to chunky-chunky—and off-kilter time signatures.”

SARATTMA’s “Socotra” video is now playing exclusively through Decibel Magazine at THIS LOCATION.

Escape Velocity is out now on LP in a run of 250 copies on Black vinyl and through all digital providers via Nefarious Industries HERE.

The follow-up to their 2017-released Inner Spaces EP, Escape Velocity sees SARATTMA delivering an entrancing, psychedelic, apocalyptic journey through extraterrestrial landscapes. The band weaves an intricate fusion of modern improv, punk, jazz, djent, avant/psych-rock, and prog, calling to mind the works of Frank Zappa, John Zorn, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dysrhythmia, Don Caballero, Stinking Lizaveta, and more. Their visually arousing music is a cinematic space punk anthem for those grimy enough to have survived the end of days.

Dedicated to Jill Neidorf (1957-2020), SARATTMA’s Escape Velocity was recorded in July 2019 at Black Spine Studios, mixed and engineered by Matt Hollenberg with additional mixing from Steve Roche, guitar re-amping engineered by Kevin Antreassian at Backroom Studios (The Dillinger Escape Plan) and mastered by Colin Marston at The Thousand Caves (Dysrhythmia, Gorguts). The striking cover artwork was created by Caroline Harrison and the layout handled by Erich Kriebel.

Watch for additional videos and more to be issued over the weeks ahead.