[photo by Exploding Lens]
PopMatters is now streaming the entire Inebriocean debut LP from Gainesville, Florida-based THUNDERCLAP, on the eve of the album’s release through Financial Ruin.
The trio’s members are Florida punk scene vets having collectively played with the likes of Discount, Army Of Ponch, The Draft, Unitas, J.Page, House On Fire, Black Cougar Shock Unit, and others, yet with THUNDERCLAP, the band smoothly melds elements of metal and classic rock into a thick layer of swampy southern groove and doom akin to bands like Torche, Red Fang, Royal Thunder, and Kylesa. Inebriocean was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Ryan Williams at Black Bear Studios in Gainesville and completed with cover art by Ted Lincoln.
As their maiden album sees release this week, THUNDERCLAP’s Ale Gasso offers, “The whole album plays on a theme—the Inebriocean. The ocean represents the darkness and despair of an inebriated life—nearly drowning yet thriving in a dangerous place where one has lost control. What begins as an invitation to debauchery on the title track, ‘What are you waiting for? Come to the edge. Dive in,’ quickly turns to darker times as drowning, shipwrecks and being lost out at sea come into play. The stories ebb and flow until ultimately ending with a touch of optimism with the last track ‘Breach’ which hints at brighter days ahead. The ocean works as a metaphor for a dark and dangerous life where one minute you can be enjoying yourself at the safety of shore, and the next you’re fighting your way out of a volatile sea.”
With the advance stream of Inebriocean, PopMatters writes in part, “The music contained on the album gives hints at the outfit’s punk rock origins but departs into deeper territory with flashes of Minus The Bear-style prog rock with weights tied to its ankles, southern rock, Black Sabbath-influenced doom while dealing up vocal hooks and catharsis-inducing riffs that beg to be heard live. If you don’t find yourself alternately scared and ready to raise your fist in victory at least twice a minute while listening to Inebriocean, there’s a good chance you’re not really living.”
Stream THUNDERCLAP’s Inebriocean LP early at PopMatters RIGHT HERE.
Financial Ruin will release Inebriocean on LP and digital platforms this Friday, March 29th, with distribution through Dead Tank Records. Find preorders for the LP HERE.
THUNDERCLAP is playing live throughout the area in the weeks surrounding the LP’s release, including their album release show on April 4th, and a set at the 352 Fest with labelmates Horsewhip and more just two weeks later, both in their hometown of Gainesville. Watch for more widespread tour dates to be announced in the weeks ahead.
THUNDERCLAP Live:
4/04/2019 Loosey’s – Gainesville, FL *record release show w/ Iron Buddha, Heavy On The Ish [info]
4/19/2019 The Atlantic – Gainesville, FL @ 352 Fest w/ Party Time, Horsewhip, Wørsen [info]
Todd Rockhill and Danny Welsh originally formed THUNDERCLAP as a two piece in 2012, a time when Gainesville really didn’t have many heavy local bands. They aimed to fill that gap — to create the music they loved. Their music was influenced by metal bands like Judas Priest and Black Sabbath mixed with the down-tuned riffage of sludgy bands like Floor and Cavity. After a few songs were written, Rockhill was working on lyrics when he came upon a book of poems by Ale Gasso. Her dark poems fit the mood of the band and soon were set perfectly to the music. Bassist Jerome Goodman was added to the mix and they released their first record, The Moon Leads, in 2014. Gasso joined as guitarist shortly thereafter. When life took Goodman in a different direction, the band dropped the bass from their lineup and has remained sans-bass trio since, into the creation of their latest album and first LP, Inebriocean.
THUNDERCLAP combines poetry and music with different movements, tones, and emotions wrapped together to create a complete experience for listeners rather than just the average one-dimensional song. Breaking away from the traditional hardcore that permeated the scene at the time, they added layers of visual and conceptual feeling to the dark, heavy music which they felt properly reflected what they were feeling inside. Inebriocean is a journey, combining songs of varying lengths, moods and genres in order to replicate the true experience of life and art. The album’s seven lush tunes boast attributes of classic Southern rock and modern doom metal in a seamless blend of empowering riffs and emotive atmospheres.
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