Marc Urselli’s STEPPENDOOM release new single (feat. Steve Von Till)

Marc Urselli’s fascinating project STEPPENDOOM amalgamates indigenous throat singers from around the globe with the cream of doom metal. Today we present the new track, ‘Tamag & Ocmah’, featuring renowned throat-singer Albert Kuvezin, best known in the West for his work with Tuvan folk-rock outfit YAT-KHA, and legendary guitarist Steve Von Till of the luminary NEUROSIS. The single is taken from the album “SteppenDoom”, which is slated for release on November 18, 2022.

teve von Till comments: “I have been a fan of throat singing for a long, long time, especially the Tuvan variety”, the NEUROSISguitarist states. “I have fantasized about working with folks like Yat-Kha and have owned Huun Huur Tu albums since the early 90s. I would be up for anything when it comes to working with throat singers. Thank you for providing me with this dream opportunity!” 

Albert Kuvezin continues: “I have always felt that kargyraa has an affinity with the sound of rock, effect pedals, synthesizers and modulators”, the Tuvan vocal legendwrites. “For many years I have mixed throat singing and rock music, especially with heavier genres, therefore I was so thrilled to be a part of this great project by Marc Urselli!”

MARC URSELLI concludes: “Albert Kuvezin aka Yat-Kha has been making records since the early 90es and is quite possibly the first Tuvan throat singer who mixed traditional singing with rock music back in the early 2000s”, the project’s mastermind relates. “Albert was actually the very first Tuvan throat singer whom I contacted for this project. He was absolutely psyched to participate and a joy to work with. Albert’s enthusiasm was matched by that of Steve Von Till of Neurosis – a band that I’ve been a fan of for at least 3 decades. Till loves throat singing and had been wanting to do something like this forever. Steve was so into it that he answered my initial email with a resounding “YES. Count me in no matter what!”. He went on to create these beautifully layered textures with his guitar tracks that perfectly complement the heavy but moody vibe of the track. Tamag is the name of ancient hell in Mongolian mythology while Ocmah is heaven in Altaic mythology. This song represents the eternal struggle of evil and good, heaven and hell. This is sonically depicted by the guttural kargyraa style of Albert and the heavy ethereal tones of Steve. It’s been an absolute joy, honor, and pleasure to work with these two extremely talented and wonderful individuals!”

Something wonderful is afoot when wolves howl, wild horses neigh, and seals bark through human spirit and voices. The exciting new STEPPENDOOM project from New York City and London-based Italian-Swiss audio engineer, sound designer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Marc Urselli sees the producer inviting and uniting eminent musicians from across the doom metal genre and legendary indigenous singers employing ancient throat signing traditions from around the globe.
 
Among many others, the renowned artists who answered three-time Grammy Award winner Marc Urselli‘s call include Matt Pike (SLEEP, HIGH ON FIRE), Aaron Aedy (PARADISE LOST), Steve Von Till (NEUROSIS), Christopher Juul (HEILUNG), Dave Chandler (SAINT VITUS), Lori S. (ACID KING), and Scott “Wino” Weinrich (THE OBSESSED) from the metal side, as well as masters of throat signing such as Alash Ensemble, Batzorig Vaanchig “Zorigoo”, HUUN-HUUR-TU, Tanya Tagaq, Albert Kuvezin (YAT-KHA), and Alexey Tegin.
 
The ancient art of throat singing carries on in the grasslands, tundras, and hearts of the people living in and with nature. Heavy metal was born in England’s industrial heartlands to the pounding of steel hammers and the mechanised mining of coal. Yet both share a deep desire for freedom and human dignity.

STEPPENDOOM witnesses artists from each joining forces, enriching and enhancing each other to create new sounds that are rooted deeply in local environments, nature, and the last wild regions of this planet as well as in one of the most global industrialised urban musical styles possible.

While the throat signing communities are guardians of their ancestral  lands against mining, drilling, pipelines, nuclear waste deposits, and many other ills endangering their cultures, environments, and (in reality) all of us, heavy metal has become an expression of empowerment, emancipation, and resistance for many peoples. Whether Northern American native youths finding an outlet for their anger and spirit in ‘rez metal,’ women in Botswana asserting their independence, orphans from Asian ghettos shouting out their pain, or defiant young Middle Eastern musicians risking their lives playing underground metal in religious theocracies – all share a common love and passion for a musical style they find liberating.

The common literary trope to describe a fusion of music from seemingly quite different genres and different peoples under headlines announcing ‘a clash of styles’ or ‘when worlds collide’ obviously does not apply to Marc Urselli’s STEPPENDOOM. This celebration of artistic unity also defies such lazy denunciation as ‘cultural appropriation’. Indigenous musicians form an integral part of each track on this album, which rather leans itself to be summarised by the phrase ‘when worlds unite”.

Marc Urselli’s STEPPENDOOM demands to be listened to with non-prejudiced ears and an open mind. While the album and its songs may require some time to properly absorb, they ultimately reveal a stunning beauty that sees eagles soar over cities, winds from the steppes awakening hearts and minds, ice turning to arctic animals, and many other miracles. Ancient magic is joined to modern forces here, creating something revolutionary and new that contains one of the oldest forms of human expressions: the cry for freedom!   

Release date: November 18, 2022

Style: Indigenous Doom

Participating musicians
Matt Pike (Sleep, High on Fire) – guitars on ‘Etugen Eke & Od Ana’
Batzorig Vaanchig “Zorigoo” – vocals on ‘Etugen Eke & Od Ana’
Aaron Aedy (Paradise Lost) – guitars on ‘Garuda Khuresh’
Huun-Huur-Tu – vocals on ‘Garuda Khuresh’
Johannes Persson (Cult of Luna) – guitars on ‘Agloolik Igaluk’
Tanya Tagaq – vocals on ‘Agloolik Igaluk’
Steve Von Till (Neurosis) – guitars on ‘Tamag & Ocmah’
Albert Kuvezin (Yat-Kha) – vocals on ‘Tamag & Ocmah’
Massimo Pupillo (Zu) – synths on ‘Imdugud in Shambhala’
Christopher Juul (Heilung) – percussion on ‘Imdugud in Shambhala’
Alash Ensemble – vocals on ‘Imdugud in Shambhala’
Trey Spruance (Secret Chiefs 3, Mr. Bungle) – synths on ‘Peri to Ela Guren’
Erdenebat Baatar (Erka) – vocals on ‘Peri to Ela Guren’
Lori S. (Acid King) – guitars on ‘Sedna & Eliduc’
Utelo – vocals on ‘Sedna & Eliduc
Karen Panigoniak & Maria Illungiayok – vocals on ‘Sedna & Eliduc
Dave Chandler (Saint Vitus) – guitars on ‘A-dkar Theg Pa’
Anders Møller (Ulver) – percussion, drums, plate gong on ‘A-dkar Theg Pa’
Norman Westberg (Swans) – guitar drone on ‘A-dkar Theg Pa’
Scott “Wino” Weinrich (The Obsessed) – guitars on ‘A-dkar Theg Pa’
Alexey Tegin (Phurpa) – vocals on ‘A-dkar Theg Pa’
Vegard Kleftaas Sleipnes – water bubbles, mortar and stones on ‘A-dkar Theg Pa’
Tor Harald – Degerstrøm metal plate on ‘A-dkar Theg Pa’
Marc Urselli – 12-string electric bass, guitars, keys, drums, percussion on all tracks

Produced, recorded, mixed by Marc Urselli at EastSide Sound New York City, US
Mastered by Maor Appelbaum

Cover artwork and layout Einar Thorberg Guðmundsson and Laura Diamond.

Pre-sale link
http://lnk.spkr.media/steppendoom-2022

Available formats
“Marc Urselli’s STEPPENDOOM” is available on sun yellow vinyl, transparent red & black marble vinyl, and on classic black vinyl, as well as Digisleeve CD, a 48-page artbook with extended 8-track CD, and a collectors’ edition boxed set that includes an exclusive vinyl LP, bonus 7-inch record, artbook, and 3 poster prints.

Links
www.facebook.com/marcurselli
www.instagram.com/marcurselli