Tarantula Heart

Last updated

Tarantula Heart
Tarantula Heart.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 19, 2024 (2024-04-19)
Genre Doom metal
Length39:46
Label Ipecac
Producer
The Melvins chronology
Bad Mood Rising
(2022)
Tarantula Heart
(2024)
Singles from Tarantula Heart
  1. "Working the Ditch"
    Released: February 6, 2024
  2. "Allergic to Food"
    Released: March 20, 2024

Tarantula Heart is the 27th studio album by the American rock band the Melvins, released on April 19, 2024 via Ipecac Recordings. The first session took place in May of 2022 with drummer / synthesist Roy Mayorga, and the second happened in January 2023 with guitarist Gary Chester.

Contents

The album uses dual drum parts, and, according to vocalist Buzz Osborne, was approached "different than any other Melvins album". [1] A press release surrounding the album opined that "the LP is quite possibly the band's most unconventional, catchiest and imaginative work yet, continuing a legacy celebrated for its eccentric and extraordinary output". [2]

Recording

According to vocalist Buzz Osborne,

"The way we approached Tarantula Heart was different than any other Melvins album. I had Dale [Crover] and Roy Mayorga come in and play along with Steven and I to some riffs, then I took those sessions and figured out what parts would work and wrote new music to fit. This isn't a studio approach we've ever taken. Usually we have the songs written before we start recording!"

Crover stated that "The majority of Tarantula Heart has dual drum parts. Roy is an amazing drummer. We would discuss what we would do pattern wise, then we'd just go for it. Improvising riffs and trading off on drum fills." [3]

Track listing

Tarantula Heart track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Pain Equals Funny"19:08
2."Working the Ditch"6:32
3."She's Got Weird Arms"3:39
4."Allergic to Food"5:37
5."Smiler"4:50
Total length:39:46

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for Tarantula Heart
Chart (2024)Peak
position
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [4] 33
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [5] 50
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [6] 15

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melvins</span> American rock band

Melvins are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with either two drummers or two bassists. Since 1984, vocalist and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been constant members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantômas (band)</span> American band from California

Fantômas is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in 1998 in California. It features vocalist Mike Patton, drummer Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer), guitarist Buzz Osborne (Melvins) and bassist Trevor Dunn. The band is named after Fantômas, a supervillain featured in a series of crime novels popular in France before World War I and in film, most notably in the '60s French movie series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Crover</span> American musician (born 1967)

Dale Crover is an American rock musician. Crover is best known as the drummer for Melvins and has also been the drummer for Men of Porn, Shrinebuilder, Crystal Fairy and, for a brief time, Nirvana. He is also guitarist and vocalist for Altamont. He has toured with Fantômas, Off!, and Redd Kross. In 2016, Rolling Stone listed him as the 69th greatest drummer of all time.

<i>Dale Crover</i> (EP) 1992 EP by Melvins

Dale Crover is an EP by Melvins' drummer Dale Crover, which was released in 1992 through Boner Records.

<i>Houdini</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Melvins

Houdini is the fifth studio album by American rock band Melvins, released on September 21, 1993, by Atlantic Records. The album was the band's major label debut after releasing their previous albums through the independent label Boner Records.

<i>Stoner Witch</i> 1994 studio album by Melvins

Stoner Witch is the seventh studio album by American rock band Melvins, released on October 18, 1994, by Atlantic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buzz Osborne</span> American musician (born 1964)

Roger "Buzz" Osborne, also known as King Buzzo, is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. He is a founding member of the rock band Melvins, as well as Fantômas and Venomous Concept.

<i>The Maggot</i> 1999 studio album by Melvins

The Maggot is the tenth studio album by American rock band Melvins, released in 1999 through Ipecac Recordings. It is the first part of a trilogy followed by The Bootlicker and The Crybaby. The Trilogy was later released on vinyl by Ipecac Recordings.

<i>Melvinmania: Best of the Atlantic Years 1993–1996</i> 2003 greatest hits album by Melvins

Melvinmania: The Best of the Atlantic Years 1993–1996 is an album by Melvins, which was released in 2003 through Atlantic Records (UK). Tracks 1–5 are taken from the 1993 Houdini album. Tracks 6–10 are taken from the 1994 Stoner Witch album. Tracks 11–15 are taken from the 1996 Stag album.

Fecal Matter was a punk rock band from Aberdeen, Washington. The group was formed in 1985 by Kurt Cobain, the future frontman of Nirvana, along with Dale Crover of the Melvins and drummer Greg Hokanson. Melvins members Buzz Osborne and Mike Dillard appeared in a later version of the band during rehearsals the following year. The band was short-lived, disbanding in 1986.

Mike Dillard is an American drummer and one of the founding members of rock band Melvins. His only known recordings with the original lineup eventually saw release in 2005 as Mangled Demos from 1983. He left the band in 1984 and was replaced by Dale Crover. In 1986 he briefly played in Kurt Cobain's first band, Fecal Matter, before they disbanded.

<i>(A) Senile Animal</i> 2006 studio album by Melvins

(A) Senile Animal is the 15th album by American rock band Melvins, released on October 10, 2006 on Ipecac Recordings. After bassist Kevin Rutmanis' departure the two remaining members of the Melvins joined forces with Big Business, a duo consisting of Jared Warren on bass and Coady Willis on drums.

<i>Live from London 2006</i> 2008 video by The Fantômas Melvins Big Band

Live from London 2006 is a DVD by the Fantômas Melvins Big Band that was released on August 26, 2008.

<i>Tres Cabrones</i> 2013 album

Tres Cabrones is the 19th album by the Melvins, released on November 5, 2013. It features their original drummer Mike Dillard, with current drummer Dale Crover playing bass. It is the first official album to feature Mike Dillard, as his only previous appearances were on the archival Mangled Demos from 1983 and a handful of compilation and bootleg releases. The album title translates as "three bastards" from Spanish.

"Honey Bucket" is a song by American rock band Melvins. The song was released as the third single from their fifth album, Houdini (1993). It is the fifth track off the album.

<i>Hold It In</i> 2014 album by Melvins

Hold It In is the 20th studio album by the Melvins, released on October 14, 2014. The lineup for this album features Melvins stalwarts Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover joined by Butthole Surfers members Paul Leary and Jeff Pinkus.

<i>Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck</i> 2015 American documentary about Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck is a 2015 American documentary film about Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain. The film was directed by Brett Morgen and premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. It received a limited theatrical release worldwide and premiered on television in the United States on HBO on May 4, 2015. The documentary chronicles the life of Kurt Cobain from his birth in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1967, through his troubled early family life and teenage years and rise to fame as frontman of Nirvana, up to his suicide in April 1994 in Seattle at the age of 27.

Crystal Fairy was an American rock supergroup from Los Angeles / El Paso, formed in 2016. The band consisted of Melvins' Buzz Osborne (guitar) and Dale Crover (drums), alongside Le Butcherettes' Teri Gender Bender (vocals) and Omar Rodríguez-López (bass) of At the Drive-In / The Mars Volta / Antemasque fame.

<i>Beyond the Door</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Redd Kross

Beyond the Door is the seventh album by American rock band Redd Kross, released in 2019 on Merge Records. It features guest appearances by former Redd Kross member Gere Fennelly, Buzz Osborne of The Melvins and Josh Klinghoffer of Red Hot Chili Peppers, plus songs written with Anna Waronker and Kim Shattuck. Redd Kross new members include drummer Dale Crover and guitarist Jason Shapiro. Beyond the Door features nine original songs plus cover versions of the title track from the 1968 Blake Edwards/Peter Sellers comedy The Party and the Sparks 1994 dance hit "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'." Bassist Steven McDonald previously played with Sparks on their 2006 album Hello Young Lovers, as well as on the accompanying tour, which also featured Josh Klinghoffer, who plays lead guitar on the track.

<i>Bad Mood Rising</i> 2022 album by Melvins

Bad Mood Rising is the 26th studio album by American rock band Melvins, released on August 21, 2022, through Amphetamine Reptile Records. It joined streaming services on September 30th, 2022.

References

  1. Pearis, Bill. "Melvins announce new album Tarantula Heart, share "Working the Ditch"". BrooklynVegan . Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  2. "Melvins Announce Tarantula Heart Album". Blabbermouth.net . February 6, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  3. Slingerland, Calum (February 7, 2024). "Melvins' New Album Tarantula Heart Beats Along to Two Drummers". Exclaim! . Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  4. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  5. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  6. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 27, 2024.