When it came time to create their new album, The Worst Has Finally Happened, which is out now on Three One G, Seattle-based industrial/punk duo Haunted Horses decided to do something radical: They added a third member. Brian McClelland (Filth Is Eternal, He Whose Ox Is Gored) joined HH members Colin Dawson (guitars, vocals) and Myke Pelly (drums), on bass. They weren’t worried about upsetting chemistry; they just wanted to do what was right for the songs. (Though, this wasn’t the first time they operated in this way.)
“In an earlier incarnation, we played as a trio, which can be heard on our first LP, Watcher. A few years later, we started experimenting with a fully electronic and sample-based set up, which can be heard on our second LP, Dead Meat. The decision to bring in bass on The Worst Has Finally Happened came when demos and structures were complete. We liked what we had created, but still felt it needed something,” Dawson says. “I stayed up late one night feeling snaky and added bass to all the demos to see how it translated. I found the shift was huge and imperative to the record. Brian has been our good friend for years; we had also toured a couple of times with his band, Filth is Eternal. Brian was more than happy to sign up for the project and was incredibly instrumental in refining the bass within the songs, ahead of going into the studio.”
They weren’t afraid that it would mess up their aesthetic, either.
“There is always a bit of reluctance when adding something new to the chemistry. We were very communicative with Brian about what we were doing. He’s very supportive and continues to bring great insight and balance to the band. Three is the magic number,” Dawson says.
In addition, bringing in McClelland allowed them to fully realize their sonic vision for the album. It also added a little extra muscle to their sound. The Worst Has Finally Happened takes the duo’s patented industrial/punk screeds and supersizes them. This was their intention all along.
“We wanted this record to sound big and punishing, like a soundtrack to fighting back against oppressive structures. Bringing Brian in definitely helped the pieces come together and provide cohesion to the chaos. Lyrically, it’s always an attempt to bring life and voice to the story we’re unfolding,” Dawson says.
The title of the new album, The Worst Has Finally Happened, came out of an experience Dawson had at work. It can also apply the state of the world as it exists right now, too.
“The title came out of working a job beneath corporate heads that made bad decision after bad decision, and their ‘surprise’ when things went poorly. These selfish decisions only affect those beneath them. I feel like it accurately parallels the general disease of capitalism,” Dawson says, “where the motives are typically driven by greed, and inevitably inflict further injury upon those already suffering in an unjust system to uphold and build profit. We continue to watch as billionaires, and corporations destroy the world around us without any consequence. The title is the lack of surprise, but also the reason to fight.”
But it is also a commentary on the current times we are experiencing, not just here but around the globe.
“There may be a fair amount of reflection of the times we’re dying in. The record’s concept is centered around an individual wrapped in the disillusionment of being trapped in a system which refuses to evolve. The frustration of being at the mercy of leaders and institutions that wield power with the sole interest of capitalistic greed, while we witness daily atrocities and made to feel isolated and powerless at the hands of a brutally militarized police state. All the while, hypocritical Christian zealots send “hopes and prayers” for a better afterlife while restricting and destroying what is in this life,” Dawson says.
Haunted Horses don’t only talk the talk; they also walk the walk, as they are staunch advocates of the DIY work ethic, which informs every aspect of their band. It is important to them to keep as much control over every aspect of the band in order to stay true to their sound and vision.
“I don’t think we know any other way. We’re relentless experimenters, which is why in the past, we’ve always held onto so much control of our set up, recording, releases, and touring. We like control of the trajectory of our endeavors and struggle placing trust in business entities that just see it as a product,” Dawson says. “Business is often shortsighted and more often focused on the status quo and profits. Whereas true innovation, and support is best found within communities; we are all stronger together.”
Haunted Horses are fighting the good fight through the use of their righteously vicious industrial punk ram-a-lam. Their new album is a call to fight back against the oppressive structures which keep us down. It is one way they deal with the declining state of the world. They do this all through their music, which provides the necessary coping mechanisms for them and gives them a sense of community with like-minded individuals.
“Music is cathartic and a connection. It is one of the few places in this world where we find true expression,” Dawson concludes.
Watch the video for “The Garden” here:
For more from Haunted Horses, find them on Facebook, Bandcamp, and Instagram.
Photo courtesy of Joshua Simmons
