Alaska, The Last Frontier. Home to savage elements and captivating landscapes, but also home to a bleak Black Metal Underground, and by underground I mean you basically need to venture out into the tundra with a shovel to find some of these bands. Thankfully Alaska is also the place I call home so I’m here to shed some light on an otherwise dark and unseen niche. Continue reading
Underground, Inc.
13 September 2019
Written, directed and produced by:
Shaun Katz
Life is a short span of time for each of us. Things go up and things come down. There are moments of strife that we can’t seem to see the end of and times of pure joy that we hope will never end. There are tragic times that we can never forget like the assassination of J.F.K, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, 9/11 and the like; and quiet, personal times like getting married, the birth of a child and loss of someone close to us that shake and shape who we are and what we become. For many of us, music has been our catharsis through the thick and thin of life. The one thing that can raise our spirits or give us something to relate to. Something that makes us know that we are not the only ones experiencing what life throws our way. To us, music is heart-felt and soul mining.
*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured state. This month’s state is Kansas.*
Originally forming in May of 2010, Existem have emerged as a progressive force in the Kansas City music scene, combining bursts of technicality, subtle progressions, ambient instrumental passages and jazz phrasing to express their unique sound. Existem was formed by Brad Trinkl on guitar, Chris Gochis on guitar/vocals, Ben Chipman on bass/vocals, and Matthew Chipman behind the drum kit. The band released their self titled debut EP on April 21, 2011 that consisted of 4 tracks. The band went on to release their first full length ‘Years Of Winter’ on September 14, 2012. They would follow that up with another EP in February of 2014 titled ‘Phoenix’ and also a single “Closed Eyes” in November the same year. Continue reading
In our continued support of Underground, Inc., we were given the unique opportunity to interview this documentary’s director and award-winning producer, Mr. Shaun Katz! For a taste of what has us all up-in-arms, read our queries and thoughtful insights of Katz’s genius laden with an undying passion for the musical underground that started in the 90’s and continues today. Since first hearing of this huge undertaking, I have become more and more excited about finally having the opportunity to see what years of effort will bring to fruition about the very roots of the Modern Alternative Underground as seen from the inside, looking out! Interviews and behind the scenes footage include Ministry, Helmet, White Zombie, Stone Sour, Bad Religion, Primus, Queens of the Stone Age, Clutch, Bad Religion, Sepultura, Red Fang and much more. We would sincerely like to thank Shaun for his time and insights as we prepare for what is likely to become the biggest music-based documentary of this generation. Highly inspired material!
