Thou have released a cover of the classic Alice in Chains track ‘Them Bones’, which is featured on the forthcoming MER Redux series installment “Dirt [Redux]”. More information about this record can be found below.
This premiere has been first published by official media partner Revolver (US), which can still be accessed via the following link [also embedded below].
Here’s the pre-sale link.
Thou comment on ‘Them Bones’: “It seemed inevitable that we’d do another Alice in Chains song since their music was such a big part of Matthew’s and my formative years“, claims singer Bryan Funck about himself and guitarist Matthew Thudium. “We had covered ‘No Excuses’ some years ago, but it never quite got the reaction I thought it deserved, and our arrangement was a slowed-down and kind of left-field take on the song. With ‘Them Bones’ we had a chance to tackle a song that more directly translated to our style. The song had been on my mind anyway; I had recently listened to a podcast that dissected all the tracks on ‘Dirt’ and it really dawned on me that opening the album with ‘Them Bones’ was such a bold and cool move. No count off, no intro, just straight into the insanity.”
About Alice in Chains the singer adds: “I first heard Alice in Chains when ‘Rooster’ came on the radio, probably not long after its release, maybe late ’92 or early ’93 – I was 10 years old; just a kid listening to the local rock radio station and taping the songs I liked, making these poor quality mixtapes“, says Bryan. “I taped ‘Rooster’ and the following weekend brought it over to Matthew’s house so he could hear it. I remember going into his room and he was listening to the song ‘Connected’ by Stereo MC’s, who were a one-hit-wonder Madchester/Happy Mondays-type band. I put my ‘Rooster’ cassette in and his mind was completely blown. Neither of us had heard anything that heavy or dark yet – our favorite band at that point was probably Pearl Jam. Maybe I’m giving myself too much credit here, but I think that’s what set him on a path of listening to heavier stuff, as it was for me.”
Thou formed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2005 and have released 5 studio albums. The US-band has been described as playing experimental doom, stoner metal, and sludge metal. To this list, Revolver just added “sludge-punk experimentalist” – probably in reference to the band’s DIY ethics and anarchistic style of lyrics. Thou’s 2014 full-length “Heathen” was hailed as “metal album of the year” by Pitchfork.
Tracklist
1. THOU – Them Bones
2. LOW FLYING HAWKS – Dam That River
3. HIGH PRIEST – Rain When I Die
4. KHEMMIS – Down in a Hole
5. THESE BEASTS – Sickman
6. HOWLING GIANT – Rooster
7. FORMING THE VOID – Junkhead
8. SOMNURI – Dirt
9. BACKWOODS PAYBACK – God Smack
10. BLACK ELECTRIC – Iron Gland
11. – (16) – – Hate to Feel
12. VOKONIS – Angry Chair
13. THE OTOLITH – Would?
Press release courtesy of Secret Service PR / Magnetic Eye Records
