Photo Credit: Eric’s Bad Ass Uncle!
In this series we pose the age old questions to a wide array of music lovers. As fans of music most of us keep a mental list of active bands we want to see live that we haven’t yet seen. The Bucketlist brings to you those lists of your favorite artists and why those bands mean so much to them.
Nate Garrett is a name you may be familiar with. Musicians strike to get signed by a label throughout their careers and Nate has achieved this with not only one band but two. In 2015 Nate founded the band Spirit Adrift, which essentially started out as a one man project. In 2016 the band released an EP ‘ Behind – Beyond’ and a full length ‘Chained to Oblivion’ both via Prosthetic Records . They also released a split release with Khemmis via War Crime Recordings. Spirit Adrift has a slow festering doom sound with some psychedelic qualities. Both releases are riddled with riffs and thundering bass lines. Also on vocal duties Nate’s voice booms with soulful qualities throughout each track. All the tracks have this immense harmony and melodic feel with the powerful guitar work and drum beats holding up the back end. Around the same time Nate was founding Spirit Adrift he was welcomed into Gatecreeper as their guitarist. The bands are vastly different but do have some similar elements. Gatecreeper is certainly more in the vein of death metal, but they combine some doom influence as well. The band includes a Swedish style rapid fire riff attack and equal parts groove to make a smooth and filling cocktail of greatness. Since Nate was added to the band they have appeared on 3 splits, a compilation album, a full length and a live album. The full length ‘Sonoran Depravation’ was released in 2016 via Relapse Records, and the band’s live album ‘Unleashed in the Middle East’ was released in May of 2017 independently. You can easily say at this point that Nate Garrett is a successful musician. Dividing his time between two successful groups is certainly another feat within itself.
Spirit Adrift has a new album coming out in the fall via 20 Buck Spin. Make sure to keep an eye out for it.
They also have a couple shows coming up where you can see them live as well.
8/6 – Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage w/ Pallbearer
8/24 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress w/ Pelican and Inter Arma
Also Gatecreeper just wrapped up a tour but you will have one more up and coming chance to see them at this years Psycho Las Vegas Festival with features King Diamond, Ace Frehley, Sleep, Melvins, Carcass and a shit ton more. Our friend over at The Obelisk even named Gatecreeper one of the top 10 acts to see on the lineup and we couldn’t agree more.
8/20 – Psycho Las Vegas | Get your tickets here
We had a chance to speak with Nate and given that he is not only a member of one, but two bands gets the opportunity to see a wide array of bands while on tour. Having already toured with Pallbearer, Nails, Toxic Holocaust and more recently those are already some notable bands I’m sure would make some people’s list. So we asked Nate what were some active touring bands that he would like to see that he hasn’t had the opportunity to see yet and why. We couldn’t agree more with his answers and we are sure you will as well.
I want to preface this by saying Vastum and Iron Maiden would both have been on this list, but I got to see them within a few days of each other right after Metal Nexus asked me to do this.
1. Oranssi Pazuzu
I love psychedelic music in all forms and this band’s approach is brilliant, taking advantage of the subtle common ground between psychedelia and black metal. The key similarity between these two styles is their unsettling nature, and Oranssi Pazuzu nail it. Imagine the Suspiria soundtrack being played by Craft in hell. On acid. Gatecreeper played Saint Vitus bar in Brooklyn the week after these guys and it killed me that we barely missed them. I’m hoping to tour with Oranssi Pazuzu at some point, either with Spirit Adrift or Gatecreeper.2. The Ominous Circle
I absolutely love their record “Appalling Ascension,” and when they posted a drum-cam video a few months back, I couldn’t believe how good they sound live. It seems like they’re one of those bands whose live show sounds as good the album, if not better. I love the aesthetic as well.3. Sumerlands
Spirit Adrift just played with Sumerlands’ sister (brother?) band Eternal Champion. Definitely need to see Sumerlands now. Arthur Rizk is probably my favorite current guitar player. Him or Taylor from Mizery.4. Portal
To me, Portal is one of the scariest bands that ever existed. It just sounds so wrong. I really want to experience that in person, although I’ll probably have a panic attack.5. King Diamond
I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen a lot of the old guard, but I somehow always manage to miss the King. Gatecreeper is playing Psycho Vegas this year, so it looks like I’ll finally get my chance!
