Release – Melvins’ new album, Tarantula Heart arrives Friday, April 19, and in celebration, the band has shared a mini-documentary about the creation of the album, “The Making of Tarantula Heart.”
“The way we approached Tarantula Heart was different than any other Melvins’ album,” Buzz Osborne said. “I had Dale and Roy Mayorga of Ministry come in and play along with Steven and I to some riffs, then I took those sessions and figured out what parts would work and wrote new music to fit. This isn’t a studio approach we’ve ever taken. Usually we have the songs written before we start recording.”
“The majority of Tarantula Heart has dual drum parts,” Dale Crover said. “Roy is an amazing drummer. We would discuss what we would do pattern wise, then we’d just go for it. Improvising riffs and trading off on drum fills.”
Recorded, mixed and co-produced by longtime Melvins’ collaborator Toshi Kasai, the album also features We Are The Asteroid guitar player Gary Chester. Gary and the Melvins’ history goes back to their days on Boner Records, with the guitar player formerly having been a part of the legendary band, Ed Hall.
Tarantula Heart is available on four vinyl variants (black, indie exclusive Silver Streak and Ipecac Recordings’ 25th Anniversary Puke Green, and a limited Neon Violet), featuring a 12-page booklet, as well as on CD and digitally.
Buzz and Mr. Bungle bass player Trevor Dunn team up later this year for the “King Dunn Tour,” a three-month excursion that sees the pair play songs from the King Buzzo releases: This Machine Kills Artists and Gift of Sacrifice. The full list of dates can be found here.
Order Tarantula Heart here.
Check out ‘The Making of Tarantula Heart’ here: