photos by Ale Gasso
Gainesville, Florida-based melodic sludge trio, THUNDERCLAP, presents their new two-song Morkkis 7” EP, out today through Ashtray Monument.
Uniting Todd Rockhill, Ale Gasso, and Salmon Nason – veterans of the Florida punk/underground scene who have collectively played with the likes of Discount, The Draft, Unitas, The Future Now, House On Fire, Black Cougar Shock Unit, and others – THUNDERCLAP melds elements of doom and punk into emotive and impassioned music that has the potential to cross genres and reach multiple audiences. In 2019, THUNDERCLAP released their Inebriocean debut LP through Financial Ruin to positive reactions from fans and media alike amidst solid runs of East Coast shows with Meatwound and more. Trying to maintain some of that positive traction when the 2020 lockdowns went into effect, the band went to work on new material.
Featuring the lead track “Morkkis” and B-side track “March Of The Wombats,” the new 7” captures the band’s mood as the world was raging with wildfires, protests and riots, racism and bigotry, and the onset of a deadly global pandemic. The songs feature hints of the members’ punk roots, blended with the usual THUNDERCLAP style of heavy, melodic, doomy riffs and tones. There is anger, there is sadness, and there is a hope and longing for a better future. Morkkis was produced by Roger Lima of Less Than Jake at The Moathouse in Gainesville.
Ale Gasso delves, “Morkkis was our way of dealing with the horrors of reality. It is a product of the current environment. Writing this record amidst lockdowns, riots, and death lent to the uniqueness of its sound. At a time where life was instantly different and the future was unpredictable, we were mentally in a different place and our music reflects that. Life is fluid and ever-changing. If art reflects life, our music should change with us. We’re not static beings and our music represents that.”
THUNDERCLAP’s Morkkis 7” can now be streamed in its entirety now at THIS LOCATION.
Morkkis is available today on 7” vinyl and digital platforms through Ashtray Monument at the label webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
Also watch THUNDERCLAP’s video for “Morkkis,” which was shot and edited by the band during the pandemic in 2020/21 to showcase some familiar Gainesville bars and venues as they struggled to find ways to stay open during the toughest times, playing HERE.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAiD05i8Ab0?feature=oembed&w=860&h=484]
Having recently returned to playing live in recent weeks, THUNDERCLAP has confirmed several new shows across Florida in September and October, including the massive 19th installment of The Fest in their hometown joining Hot Water Music, Frank Turner, Baroness, Good Riddance, Samiam, Torche, and dozens more. Additional live dates and more news will be issued throughout the remainder of 2021 as the band continues writing material for their second LP.
THUNDERCLAP Live:
9/24/2021 The Bark – Tallahassee, FL w/ Unico, Swamp, Torchmouth [info]
10/16/2021 Lucky You Tatto – St. Petersburg, FL w/ Horsewhip, Vacancy [info]
10/23/2021 Monufest – New Port Richey, FL [info]
10/31/2021 The Fest 19 – Gainesville, FL [info]
“…a catchy sludge-pop song that recalls THUNDERCLAP‘s fellow Florida brethren Torche.” – BrooklynVegan on “Morkkis”
“The laconic vocals of Todd and Ale complement each other as their guitars do; with drummer Salmon Nason percussion being a study in restraint… Heavy and melodic with the slightest hint of the punk roots of its creators, Morkkis is a fine way to fill the time before Thunderclap return with full-length album number 2.” – The Razor’s Edge
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