Radiant Knife - Pressure (Album Review)

Release Date: July 14th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Pressure: Tracklisting

Slumber

Ghost Samurai

Phil Collins Was Right

Give Yourself Away

Sunsets From Space

Mortals

His Capa Was Detated

Cleanser

Demon Legs

Members

Stephen Sheppert - Guitars/Vocals/Keys

Greg Travasos - Drums

Review:

Psych Doom Metallers Radiant Knife return with their new album Pressure and follow the same route as the two albums they released back in 2020. One album was more Post-Rock/Post-Doom focused with the other being a heavier style of Doom/Sludge Metal with Prog Rock tendencies. Pressure combines those two albums creative elements for a highly technical blend of Prog Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal and Psychedelic Stoner grooves. 

The album opens with the fast paced sounds of Slumber with Radiant Knife almost playing a softer grindcore aspect to their music which reminds me of Genghis Tron (Board Up The House era) and the number of thrashy beatdowns allows the Electronica aspect of their sound to become more central towards the later stages. Vocals are easy to understand despite the volatile nature of them. Though, the album's main strength is the technical brilliance residing within their music. Fast-paced and violent but one that allows the band to play Sludgy grooves reminiscent of Mastodon and Torche. 

Second song Ghost Samurai continues with the Thrash/Doom/Sludge/Electronica sounds with harsh Industrial beats and catchy almost "POPPY" based vocals. Another wicked creative choice that allows Radiant Knife to stand apart from their peers. Flashes of Ambient, Post-Rock and Psychedelic noises quickly work their way into Radiant Knife's take on melodic Doom Metal. The "Stop, Start" delivery of their music is quite unforgiving at times with the sludgy jagged grooves portraying a band not afraid to experiment with their music but still having a highly unapologetic "mainstream" and intense "underground" sound at the same time.

Third track Phil Collins Was Right sees the band in a more reflecting and perhaps self aware mood. This track embraces similar ideas and themes that Phil Collins used within his music though mostly with the vocals and lyrics. The grooves are entirely a different story with Radiant Knife laying down some of the most addictive, intense, progressive and multi-layered sounds on the album. Ambient, Post-Rock, Post-Doom and Trippy Sludgy atmospherics make up one of the standout tracks on the album. The creative and sonic experimentation on this track alone makes this album such a must have album.

Fourth track Give Yourself Away is more a Sludge/Stoner/Thrash odyssey with the Tech Metal aspect working superbly with the Psychedelic and Cosmic parts that appear. The song is more at home when Radiant Knife plays their multitude of different Technical Breakdowns and Thrashier passages. The vocals are superbly delivered yet again though the lyrics aren't the strongest here but the inspired  Ambient elements and sludgier based music allow this track to still be one of the highlights contained on the album.

Fifth song Sunsets From Space lays down on the Electroncia aspect but fuses a more Industrial/Post-Metal delivery to their sound. This song allows Radiant Knife to show their technical prowess yet again with some of the best instrumental work on the whole album. It's quite a refreshing change of pace with the band focusing more on their actual technical and musical ability. The song still has moments of warped Psychedelic noises and glitches before exploding into an extended instrumental jam that has influences of Torche and Mastodon within. Perhaps my favourite track of the album.

The album goes fully into Doom/Sludge/Industrial Metal overdrive on the second half of the album with the more intense and aggressive sounds starting to emerge on tracks such as Mortals, His Capa Was Detated and Demon Legs. Though, it's good to hear that Radiant Knife manage to play that warped style of Electronica, Psych and Stoner grooves with the odd "POPPY" interlude that makes the whole album such a wild trip.

With thrilling production values, Pressure not only allows Radiant Knife to deliver their strongest album to date but one that will allow the band to make themselves more wildly known within the whole Underground Metal scene. This is an absolute BEAST of an album and another AOTY contender.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Earsplit or the promo.

Pressure will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl from July 14th 2023.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | Twitter

An Interview With RADIANT KNIFE

Progressive Sludge Rockers Radiant Knife will be releasing their epic new album, Science Fiction this month. You can expect a heavy range of different styles such as Prog, Doom, Sludge, Psych and Stoner sounds. There is an element of Avant-Garde style experimentation with their music and that what makes these guys standout from the crowd.

You can read my review of the album here.

I caught up with the band where discussed the making of their new album, the history of the band what influenced them whilst making the album.

Hi guys. Thanks for doing this interview. How are things with you today?

Awesome thanks for having us.

Before we discuss your new album. Can you give a brief overview of how the band formed and where it is today?

Greg and I have known each other for over 20 years through past bands and the tight knit music scene we were birthed from circa mid 90s. I started off in a band called Icepick Revival and Greg in Object at the End of History. Several bands (and years) later, the project i was in at the time (Raedon Kong) was coming to a halt. I still liked the two piece set up so i Emailed Greg and we started jamming. That was about two years ago and we've never looked back.

How would you describe your overall sound. As you have included quite a few different elements of Hard Rock/Metal. Especially on your excellent new album.

Well honestly that's a tough question because our sound changes from one song to the next. I feel our songs have a brooding element but there's also a positive phoenix rising element if that makes sense. I think some of our heaviest songs are the ones with the least distortion and the most clean parts. 

A song can be heavy on many different levels and doesn't have to be in your face screaming, distortion, blast beats etc. all the time. Really we just live by the philosophy of having a style of NO style. Meaning, we don't limit ourselves to one particular genre or subgenre of metal/music. Wherever the riff goes we go. We're just along for the ride.

You were originally called Raedon Kong before Radiant Knife. Why did you change your name?

Well in Raedon Kong i was playing with another drummer David Leonard. He rips on the drums and has a very unique, bombastic and jazz influenced style. After our album Critical Paths came out we started jamming less and eventually it was evident we were going separate ways musically speaking. We took a break, but i still was writing constantly and am the type of guy who needs a "riff" outlet. I also built a small recording studio in my backyard and was ready to get back at it. I gave Greg a call and we started jamming. 

Our jams were a little more tech influenced at the time so it felt right to just call it a new project rather than carry on the Raedon Kong name. I'm proud of the stuff in Raedon Kong but Radiant Knife is a bit different with Greg's influence/style.

You’re just released your superb new album – Science Fiction. What can people expect from the album.

Really I believe people can expect a journey or a sonic trip so to speak. The material on this album morphs every few minutes and ends very different from how it starts. It starts heavy and ends heavy, but in very different ways.

What is the main theme of the album?

No real theme that runs through this album but i tend to gravitate to the great question of why we exists and what are we? Truly we don't know, and any man who claims to know why we are here is a liar. If you really think about it all we really know is that we exist.

This could be a fucking hologram. Who knows? No one knows. It's the great question, and we won't find out the answer until we fucking die, if that. That theme comes up in "Suffer Under God" and "All we are is all we know", and weaves it's way into some of the other lyrics throughout the album.

What influenced you when writing and recording the album?

Well I'm sure we were influenced by something, but probably mostly intangible and subconscious influences. I always feel like we're just channelling or tapping into a message from the universe with no intent. It's like being guided or influenced by a hidden hand. Whatever that influence is i don't know.

Was recording the album an easy or hard experience?

Hard. Having your own studio is cool because you can take your time, but taking your time can also lead to more problems. Certainly no Metallica moments, but did have some equipment failures and technical difficulties along the way. Luckily it all worked out and in the end came out with a good record.

You’ve been compared to such heavyweights as Mastodon, Torche, High On Fire and Intronaut over the last couple of years. Do you take that as a compliment being compared to those bands. Or do you want people to consider you as Radiant Knife?

Those are all great bands but sometimes i don't see the comparisons. I'm probably more influence by Mahavishnu Orchestra or Zeni Geva and Greg by various artist that range from Jazz to metal, to anything. 

Honestly I love Torche for their melodies and probably listen to them more than the others. Leviathan era Mastodon was great. One of my old bands and Greg's as well played with them once and they were amazing at that time but i can't say i listen to them much anymore. 

When High on Fire came out i dug them a lot but was always into more avant garde stuff like dazzling killmen or Zeni Geva. I think i had one Intronaut album but never really got into them.

What is the song-writing method in the band. Is it a group collective or down to one individual.

I'd say group. In previous projects I'd write full songs on the couch and then bring them to the band to learn. Jamming with Dave Leonard in Raedon Kong changed that and eventually i started focusing on just free jamming to see what unfolds. A lot of times something more unique comes out, but it does take a bit longer to develop. We still pretty much employ that freestyle method in Radiant Knife.

Will you be performing any gigs or tours to help promote the album?

We have a show coming up in NOLA Aug 18th with Ekumen, Romasa and a few others. It should be a good one. Sep through Oct Greg will be touring with another project but we will be picking up some shows in November.

Do you have and advanced setup when playing live or recording the studio. What is your current musical setup.

Yeah i use a lot of pedals and equipment to fill in our sound. My pedal board splits the signal across a bass rig and a guitar rig. I use a few octavers to add some depth. Everything is midi controlled so i can switch multiple pedals at the same time without tap dancing. Bass rig is an Orange OB1500 or Traynor YBA300 into an Emperor 2x15. Guitar Amp is an Orange Rockerverb MK III into an Emperor 4x12. 

I run synth using a Roland PK-5A foot controller that powers an iPhone with a synth app into the PA. Guitars typically an EGC custom, or a Gibson SG Diablo. 

Greg has been playing some 1970s premiers that are loud as fuck and can cut through the mix along with some Sonors that are mellow.

You’re releasing the album yourselves and releasing the album on vinyl. That must be a very expensive process for you to do that. Have you had any offers from record labels offering to release the album on vinyl. Or do you want to release the album yourselves?

At first we sent out our record to a few labels but didn't hear much back. I've been in past bands on several record labels and i never felt they added much value, but also think it would be cool to be on Southern Lord or some weird label. I think we eventually had one or two offers but at that point we were intent on self releasing. 

Yeah it's expensive but it's worth it. We wrote the songs, recorded, mixed and mastered the album, and also funded the pressing. We also did the art, videos, etc. It's pretty gratifying to be 100% DIY.

Thanks for doing this interview. Before you go do you have anything to say to your fans. Best of luck with the new album.

Just thanks for anyone who has actually bought the album or supported us in the past. It helps us make more records and we appreciate that.

Words by Steve Howe and Radiant Knife

Thanks to Radiant Knife for doing this interview. Thanks to Curtis at Dewar PR for arranging this interview. Science Fiction will be available to buy on DD from August 08th 2018 and Vinyl from August 15th 2018.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Radiant Knife - Science Fiction (Album Review)

Release date: August 08th 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: DD/Vinyl

Science Fiction – Tracklisting

1.Stereo Lords

2.Wasted Minds

3.All We Are Is All We Know

4.The Human Condition

5.Awakened

6.Swarming Lights Surround You

7.Withered Hands

8.Suffer Under God

Members

Stephen Sheppert - Guitar, Vocs, Keys

Greg Travasos - Drums

Review

I remember hearing Radiant Knife's music in the past. As I recognised some of the themes and progressive ideas they used on their last album. Science Fiction follows the same progressive and heavy path as their last album. Though this album is more experimental and perhaps Doom/Sludge Metal orientated. The album doesn't shy away from blending quieter sounds to a heavier style of Doom/Sludge Metal.

The opening two songs of the album - Stereo Lords and Wasted Minds - offer a lot of different sounds that need time to fully digest. There is almost Torche-esque pop sensibility here but those vibes are very few and far between. As Radiant Knife always excel when the harsher and heavier riffs appear. There are only eight songs on the album running past the forty five minute mark. However the album feels longer and that's perhaps down to the more experimental themes and layers of music contained on some of the songs. Ambient Music is a big part of Radiant Knife's identity. As they like to experiment on almost every aspect of the album. The strongest has to be the vocals.

The vocals from Stephen do take influence from Devin Townsend or they have the same emotional feeling. Songs such as: All We Are Is All We Know, The Human Condition, Awakened and Swimming Lights Surround sees a forward thinking band with the lyrics being decidedly different compared to different bands within the Doom/Sludge Metal spectrum. If you enjoy the more complex lyrics and themes of Doom/Sludge Metal then Radiant Knife are on another level.

Science Fiction is one of the weirdest and psychedelic offerings I've heard this year. Next to Boss Keloid, Radiant Knife is merging real intelligence into the realm of Doom/Sludge Metal.

Truth be told I did find this album very hard to review at times. As there is perhaps too much going on when you first listen to the album. My advice is to listen to this album multiple times before making a final conclusion. As you could be missing out on understanding the whole journey of Science Fiction.

Radiant Knife manage to include elements of Grunge and Stoner Rock within the album.

The final two songs Withered Hands and Suffer Under God are the standout parts of the album with the band leading you on another progressive and surreal journey that packs quite an emotional punch.

Overall, Science Fiction is a rich and deeply rewarding album that undoubtedly demands your full attention.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Curtis at Dewar PR for the promo. Science Fiction will be available to buy on DD from August 08^th 2018 and Vinyl from August 15^th 2018.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp