Cardiff, UK based Stoner/Doom/Sludge outfit Spider Kitten has announced their new full-length album, “A Pound For The Peacebringer,” which will be released on September 01, 2023 via APF Records. Stream the track “Bellwether” through the YouTube player below:
Recorded sporadically over the span of the past seven years, “A Pound For The Peacebringer” delves into a loose conceptual exploration of the elusive pursuit of peace, encompassing various themes such as therapy, drugs, altruism, political movements, religion, and ultimately, the controversial notion of achieving peace through death. True to their signature style, Spider Kitten delivers a thought-provoking and introspective experience that will resonate deeply with listeners.
Renowned for their ability to transcend genres, Spider Kitten‘s latest opus seamlessly blends elements of Doom, Stoner, Sludge, Country, Southern Rock, Pastoral Folk, Blues, Prog, and Psych. The result is a mesmerizing sonic journey that defies categorization, showcasing the band’s exceptional versatility and musical prowess.
“A Pound For The Peacebringer” showcases the undeniable talent of vocalist/guitarist Chi Lameo and drummer Chris West, who form the core of Spider Kitten‘s current lineup. Their performances on this album are some of their strongest to date, displaying an unrivaled synergy that brings the band’s vision to life. Joining them are the incredibly talented bassist Steve Jones (formerly of Lacetillia, currently of Made Of Teeth) and guitarist Gareth Day (formerly of Hogslayer, currently of Obey Cobra), who contribute their exceptional skills to the album’s sonic tapestry.
Spider Kitten‘s latest offering promises to captivate audiences worldwide with its uncompromising exploration of the human condition and its ability to transcend conventional musical boundaries. “A Pound For The Peacebringer” is set to become a landmark release in the band’s storied career, solidifying their position as one of the UK underground’s most innovative and influential acts.
Spider Kitten Bio:
The ever mercurial musical entity that is Spider Kitten began some two decades ago at a South Wales art college, when founders Chi Lameo and ptew began creating Dark Ambient soundscapes. Chi‘s obsession with Earth‘s Dylan Carlson soon found guitar Drones a large part of their sound.
Ever searching for new sonic possibilities, the duo expanded to a four piece backed by a drum machine for their debut album Ineffable in 2007. The real breakthrough came in 2010 with the addition of Chris West (ex-Taint, current-Made Of Teeth) on drums. Chris and Chi found they had fearsome synergy and would go on to write the bulk of the band’s songs together.
Over the next few years Spider Kitten would go on to make huge strides in terms of sound and experimentation, as well as garnering critical acclaim for the likes of 2013’s Cougar Club and their stunning debut for Undergroove Records, Behold Mountain; Hail Sea, Venerate Sky, Bow Before Tree in 2014, a trilogy of Viking epics inspired by Chris‘ Danish heritage.
Perhaps the peak (until now) of the band’s recorded output came with 2016’s Ark Of Octofelis, a nihilistic and Acid drenched, Prog Rock concept album that scored many a 5 star review.
Shortly after this frontman Chi‘s mental health issues forced Spider Kitten into live hiatus, their last show being 2016’s Desertfest in Camden. But far from being deterred the band split off into a Noise Rock, no wave side project dubbed Kitten Youth to release some EPs as catharsis. Revitalised by the recruitment of Steve-o Jones (ex-The Witches Drum, current-Made Of Teeth) on bass, and Gareth Day (ex-Hogslayer, current-Obey Cobra) on guitar, the band set to recording 2018’s wonderfully bleak Concise And Sinister which embraced Chi and Chris‘ love of Country music, albeit through a Sludge Metal lens.
After a few more years in the wilderness of breakdowns and health issues, the band reconvened for 2021’s Grunge passion project Major Label Debut, this time with Steve-o on drums and Chris on bass.
As of 2022 Spider Kitten had 30 official releases, each one recorded and mixed by Chi himself. Genres range from Doom and Sludge to Country, Ambient and even Classical. Lyrically Chi uses a playful humour to convey tales from the darker side of the human psyche: murder, suicide, mental illness, addiction, no topic is so bleak that it can’t be handled with a wry smile.
In 2023, after working on an album that obsessed him to the point of madness, Chi finally finished mixing it and sent a copy to APF Records. Turns out they’re crazy enough to release it…
New Spider Kitten‘ “A Pound For The Peacebringer” landing on APF Records on September 01, 2023.
Bio Words: Mark Hunt-Bryden
Pre-Order the album on Bandcamp: https://spiderkitten.co.uk/album/a-pound-for-the-peacebringer
Tracklist:
01. A Pound For The Peacebringer
02. Safe To Drown
03. Bellwether
04. God’s Song
05. Fluid Druid (Float On)
Lineup:
Chi Lameo / Vocals, Guitars, Keys
Chris West / Drums, Vocals, Guitars
Steveo Jones / Bass, Guitars
Gareth Day / Guitars, Vocals
Guitar on “Safe To Drown” by Luke Oram
Guitar on “A Pound For The Peacebringer;” Guitar and Bass on “God’s Song” by Rob Davies.
