"Should we be saved from oblivion after what we've done?" asks Deth Rok vocalist Aaron Havill on "Good Question," the first song from his brooding, despairing debut, Us & Them, an album of electronic-based music that incorporates elements of trip-hop, industrial, goth and melancholy singer/songwriter melodies as it winds its way towards the apocalypse.
While Havill's demented music is partially inspired by horror films, depression and drugs, it’s even more influenced by years of thought and experimentation and the abundance of influences Havill has taken in over past two decades, including Tricky, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Ministry, Leonard Cohen, Mark Lanegan, Dax Riggs, and Townes Van Zandt.
What Deth Rok does with electronics and barren vocals takes apocalyptic sound collage to new levels of darkness.
"These are the sounds I hear in my head when I go to sleep at night and when I wake up," Havill says. "Musically, I've always liked sad songs. I feel like that kind of music expresses real emotion and the really bleak stuff hits me the hardest. But I really hope there is some kid out there in a really dark spot who listens to my music and feels a little better that someone else has their dark spots to."
While Us & Them is Deth Rok's debut release, Havill has been involved in production and sound design for over a decade and co-engineered the upcoming Ministry album From Beer to Eternity between Deth Rok sessions. Additionally, he has worked in the studio with Chuck D, Tony Visconti, Ric Ocasek and other music luminaries. And when he isn’t touring with Deth Rok Havill techs for various artists on the road, including Lou Reed, Ace Frehley, Faith No More, Regina Spektor and Scissor Sisters.
1. Good Question
2. Breathing Smoke
3. Fairytale
4. Nowhere to Run
5. Kill Them All
6. Getaway
7. Better the Devil You Know...
8. The End
9. Pressure
10. There, There
11. May Cause Deth
12. Ghosts Everywhere
13. Us & Them
14. Wandering Star