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ARCHAEAS

about Louisville’s fuzz czar congregation, The Archaeas, is where they got their fabulous name. “When I was like 15, I was sitting in AP U.S.

History and having a bit of an identity crisis,” guitarist and lead vocalist Violet explains. BY CALEB R. NEWTON work to the natural world. nificently-intense tracks—which seems “moved on from the band to start a family.” are made up of alveoli, and these floral in“And I just heard that prefix, ‘Arche,’ and it can mean old as in archeological, but the way that I really liked it after researching it was in terms of archaea bacteria.” Ancient organisms that homestead in your guts as well as the deepest trenches of the ocean. Universal beings, who occupy every The music of Photosynthesis runs on intriingly intense and invitingly breathable thanks death metal, doom metal, grindcore—these to the hundreds of artists I was inspired by. I known surface on Earth, and possibly beyond. Simple and inescapable, their primitive resilience is matched only by Violet’s crude but honest approach to garage rock.

Starting out as a one-woman production (Archaea), she eventually requited Chyppe on bass and Chase on drums to form The Archaeas proper. While she enjoys playing with a full band, she still has an affinity for the aesthetic rawness of many one-musician garage acts, like Mark Sultan, aka BBQ, and Ty Segall.

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST/GUITARIST VIOLET BY MICK R.

“Ty Segall’s songwriting tendencies are very sound, and some of those things have rubbed off on me,” Violet divulges. “I think

The first thing you should know

he’s such a fantastic song crafter.” You can hear Segall’s jigsaw-like influence rippling throughout The Archaeas’ debut self-titled record, released through Goner Records.

Of course, being signed to Goner is something that Violet is not shy about.

“If there is one label I could have my music

PHOTO SIREN SEA MEDIA point, and in that time, environmental awareness seems to have only grown—although botanically focused, avant-garde metal albums may still be a rarity. “I can't control what others will be aware of or what they focus on,” Otrebor shares. “Botanist focuses on the beauty of the natural world and go so far as treating it as divinity. I believe that the most tangible aspect of the divine we humans can be aware of is through what exists in the natural world.

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on, especially my debut, that’s got to be the one!” she says. “Goner is legendary! They fight the good fight, and it’s undeniable that what they’re doing is for the betterment of rock ’n’ roll as a whole.”

Any conversation about Violet’s influences will necessarily take a turn down the sinkhole of Guitar Wolf lore, particularly their starring performance in the 1999 grindhouse extravaganza, Wild Zero.

“It’s like the best musical you’ll ever see!” she says. “It’s something that everyone can relate to when they’re young, me specifically with Tobio [played by Kwancharu Shitichai] the transgender character. I related heavily to her.”

As for the universal themes of a film that pits humans against zombies against aliens, Violet unpacks the archetypal roles of the film’s central protagonists.

“"[That film] released me!” she says. “I feel like Tobio, Ace [Masashi Endô], and Guitar Wolf are the archetypal pieces of one great character. The feminine, the masculine, and the truth.”

A trinity of ass-kicking, rock ’n’ roll fury, not outside of the world of celluloid. ��

INTERVIEW WITH PROJECT FOUNDER OTREBOR

San Francisco’s intense, avant-garde like an ethnic population that exists simulmetal project Botanist dedicate their taneously over unconnected geographies.” On their new album Photosynthesis, project cately propulsive drum rhythms, groundfounder Otrebor and his latest co-cre- ing basslines, and the simultaneously ators have crafted an eight-track journey wistful and richly immersive contributions that lyrically explores the title process. The from the hammered dulcimer, an instrualbum drops on October 30 via San Fran- ment which consists of a series of strings cisco label, The Flenser. There’s a sense of that are struck when performed. Otrebor awe-inspiring majesty that runs through handles the dulcimer, keyboards, and the album’s melody-centered-yet-mag- some vocals on the album. fitting, considering the essential nature of The album, which like all other Botanist music photosynthesis itself. does not include a guitar, feels both staggerPhotosynthesis was composed around the to the elements like the earthy dulcimer tones same time as Botanist’s 2019 album Eco- and the album’s sometimes ethereal vocals. system. Otrebor explains that the albums’ In a way, the music feels like it captures an guiding lyrical principles “were both experience of stepping out into a scene of chosen for having simple, strong themes richly vibrant nature—the sound’s thickness that could offer broad interpretations.” and propulsion relate to the magnanimity of Those broad interpretations were partly the natural world, but there’s also a space meant to facilitate lyric writing from the for life itself. Photosynthesis seems beautifulproject’s then-singer Cynoxylon, but they ly melody-driven, not chaotic. Otrebor explains that he himself finished “I'm a metal kid and have been obsessed writing the lyrics and tracking the vocals with metal my entire life,” Otrebor shares. while on tour in Europe in 2017. “Heavy metal, power metal, black metal, Photosynthesis offers a sonically powerful have always interested me, and I drew inspijourney. ration from them in wanting to pay tribute “‘Verdant alveolus diaspora’ is the lyric that wanted to make my own page in the book of most singularly encapsulates the album's heavy metal. In Botanist, I emotionally marromance,” Otrebor shares. “Forests are ry the aforementioned with my reverence seen as being the lungs of the world. Lungs for the classical in both art and music.” carnations are spread throughout the world Botanist are about a decade old at this

unlike the one Violet finds herself helming inspired by classical, botanical art and nomenclature as well as art and literature produced during the Romantic period. These aspects are channeled with a strong desire to pay tribute to all the music that has moved me through my life, lovingly taking various aspects of that immense library to suit the needs of the project. I'm so humbled by how many people have been inspired or assuaged by Botanist— how many have connected or re-connected with plants either in appreciation or application. I, in turn, am re-inspired by these accounts. Thank you all.” ��