Premiere: Thai Warmongers Shambles Conjure Dead Through “Primitive Death Trance”
It’s a pity I remained silent for a few months upon penning the first edition of the Obscure Asia column, but I vow to return with full force. Presenting the exclusive premiere of the forthcoming EP of Thai death/doom band Shambles. Despite dwelling in the crypt, the Thai metal scene has kept generating some awe-inspiring extreme metal bands since the mid-90s, and the underground dominance is just one of its many fascinating aspects. “Thai scene isn’t a big scene like Japan or EU, but certainty true that twice or thrice a year, you can attend a pure Black/Death Metal event, having a great headliner from EU/American scene,” says Chainarong, the vocalist and the founder of death/doom entity Shabmles.
Shambles — a name that toileters might discover because of this column — however, initiated their journey back in 1997, and after remaining active for six years, dematerialized into the void for a decade. In 2014, Shambles sprang up from the land of nod and has prolifically been participating in sonic warfare through newer releases and live onslaughts. “We disappeared after 2003. It was hard to keep the band active because of not having proper members, but Thinnarat and I later decided to reform it again, and things have been amazing for us so far,” Chainarong informs us.
Started as a brutal death/grindcore band, later roving the territory of black metal, Shambles have now settled their current destination to primitive sounding dark death/doom metal since the reincarnation. “At first, Shambles took the inspiration from old school metal styles like thrash, death and grindcore, and later, we evolved into a black metal band after sharing stages with many black metal bands. You will find some parts of our current sound as fast and some parts as slow as Doom Metal, yes Doom Metal can crush your ears and tear down your feeling into the darkest depths,” says Chainarong. Truly, the death/doom sound of Shambles rips along at a cracking pace.
When asked about Avaejee, the deceased vocalist/bassist of Surrender of Divinity and Zygoatsis, Chainarong says, “When our war brother Avaejee was murdered, the entire Thai Metal Scene became silent for 1 or 2 years.” Avaejee was stabbed to death in January, 2014 (Check this and this source for more insights on Avaejee’s murder incident).
“Primitive Death Trance EP is the outcome of our development and plan,” states Chainarong. The EP contains four absolutely menacing tracks, emboldened by the death conjuring monotone low growls, abundance of cavernous haunting riffs, and gruesome mid-tempo drum-hammerings. Yes, despite the absence of soporific elements, the doomed-death music of theirs has the forte to put you into a trance, where near death experience is obligatory. Admirers of Incantation, Necros Christos, Sonne Adam, Grave Miasma, Goatlord and the likes will find the tune of Shambles unreservedly indispensable.
Shambles is currently working on six new tracks for their upcoming sophomore album The End’s Begin and planning to embark on a Japanese tour in August, 2018. Questioning about the probability of kicking off a tour outside Asia, the vocalist informs, “Of course, we are looking for shows outside Asia to spread our blackened words, but unfortunately, it is hard to get EU & USA visa for Thai people. Still, I contacted a friend for touring Russia, but we could not make it happen for this year.”
Primitive Death Trance drops February 16 via Blood Harvest Records on both CD and 12″ MLP formats. Don’t forget to follow the band on facebook.
ENJOY THE FULL EP, IN ADVANCE:
