Mutoid Man

"We’re cheating here a bit since this band just finished basic tracking with Kurt Ballou at God City studios in Salem, Massachusetts, but let’s go ahead and sneak ‘em in. Mutoid Man are just like, a rad band. Their 2013 debut Helium Head – the result of a collaboration between Converge’s drummer, Cave In’s guitarist, and Saint Vitus Bar’s sound dude – kind of came out of nowhere to just like, rock. It also felt too brief, and not just in terms of length, but also in terms of how spontaneous some of the ideas and riffs felt. But now with a bit of touring legs and a little over a year’s distance from their debut, Mutoid Man seem poised to really kick it into high gear this year." 

Ben Koller also made the following post on Instagram a few weeks back, which is pretty exciting:

 

You probably know Stephen Brodsky as one of the most prolific musicians in the underground scene. He was a member of Converge during the band’s early days, and he founded Cave In.

Cave In alone is enough to show Brodsky’s dynamic approach to music: No two albums sound the same. His most recent project is the sludge-laden punk trio, Mutoid Man. The time signatures on Helium Head are something you’d expect from a progressive band, but that doesn’t compromise the band’s punk roots: The sound is ultimately relatable, and not soaked in the academic pretentions of other bands looking to explore unorthodox rhythms.

I got a chance to talk with Brodsky recently. He told me what I can expect from the upcoming Mutoid Man full-length, as well as some of his musical inspirations.

What inspired you to start playing guitar and writing music?
I guess I just wanted to be good at something. I played sports when I was younger but never felt like I was competitive enough for the team. With music, I could be competitive with myself, and that was more my speed.

What was the hardest thing you had to overcome during your development as a musician?
I'm very impatient by nature. Not always the best quality when you're starting out. The first song I learned to play on guitar? "Patience" by Guns N' Roses.

Your music ranges from indie rock to metal. Is it ever difficult to channel such an eclectic background?
Well, it's all within the realm of rock n' roll. But yeah sometimes I suffer a bit from option paralysis, being able to conceptualize the same song in different styles. I guess it all depends who I play with. Then I can weigh heavier on certain aspects and back off with others.

What inspired the drastic change in Cave In’s sound?
From the start, I never wanted Cave In to be a straight-up hardcore band. And it took some time for us to figure out how to do that successfully. All the trial and error wouldn't have been possible without a group of willing participants. It takes more than just plugging in a delay pedal.

Would there be any genre of music you’d be opposed to exploring?
I can't say that I'm against any particular genre of music. But I draw the line with anything that's lyrically homophobic, sexist, racist, or generally hateful.

What’s the process of writing music like for you?
There needs to feel like a certain level of invention. That usually permits me to open myself wholly to an idea. Then vocal patterns, maybe a lyric, and finding the right sense of conviction to sing it. Lastly, leaving some room for spontaneity.

What can we expect from the upcoming Mutoid Man full-length? How will it compare to Helium Head?
Sonically there's a bit more breathing room with the LP than Helium Head, which was pretty much balls to the wall. And since Nick joined the band, we wrote everything as a 3-piece, which had a huge impact on our songwriting. Plus our producer Kurt Ballou had some great input, and overall I'm very pleased.

What’s the biggest change you’ve noticed in the underground music scene since the rise of social media?
The level of archiving online seems to have taken a massive leap. On a weekly basis, I get tagged in all sorts of videos, flyers, artwork, photos and things relating to my music. Some of it's new to me, other stuff I haven't seen in years... mostly it's endearing, sometimes a little embarrassing, and always interesting.

What albums/bands are you currently getting into?
I'm still reeling from Earth's "Primitive And Deadly." From the Cave In camp, both Old Man Gloom and King Duane Sunnapee released some great stuff recently. And I'm always making up for lost time - just now getting into stuff from Pig Destroyer, Baroness, OM, Gospel, Rainbow... oh, and the new Smashing Pumpkins has a few good tunes - is that a guilty pleasure?

2014 was the first year without a platinum selling record. What do you make of the current state of the music industry?
I have mixed feelings. For me, the only thing that stays the same is wanting to put my head down, plow forward and strive to do better. There's no reason to stop until I come as close as possible to perfection. If you can get into that mindset, then the music industry is nothing but wallpaper.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks for your support.

Reposted from Empty Lighthouse Magazine

Chicago instrumental outfit Russian Circles spent much of the final month of 2014 celebrating their 10th anniversary on the road, with a series of East Coast shows accompanied by the Converge/Cave In-affiliated trio Mutoid Man. While their recorded output is worthy in its own right, Russian Circles have long shined brightest as a live act, and a run of packed club shows felt like the perfect way for them to mark a decade together. The two trios brought their disparate-yet-complimentary live acts to Cambridge’s The Sinclair on December 10, 2014.

Mutoid Man, the brainchild of Cave In singer/guitarist Stephen Brodsky and Converge drummer Ben Koller, offered less in the way of ambience, but made up for it with plenty of unhinged personality. Rounded out by bassist Nick Cageao, the band ripped through a breathless opening set comprised of much of their debut LP Helium Head, a handful of new songs and a show-stopping cover of Sabbath’s Mob Rules cut “Falling Off the Edge of the World” with a guest vocalist. Mutoid Man transpose Koller’s frenetic drumming and Brodsky’s guitar and vocal talents to a more lighthearted project than either’s primary gig, and they’re undeniably a blast to watch.

The bill was perhaps an odd match up of bands, but with so much talent involved, it was hard to find fault with it. Mutoid Man got us psyched up and Russian Circles kept us riveted, celebrating their 10 years with a set that perfectly summarized their strengths. Here’s to hoping the first decade won’t be the last.

—Ben Stas - Click here to see full show review and all photos

Converge/Cave In side project Mutoid Man recently wrapped up a short Northeast tour with Russian Circles, which hit NYC on December 11 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Backstage at that show, they were interviewed by Little Punk People's Elliott Fullam, the 10-year old punk enthusiast who tends to interview musicians much older than him (like J Mascis). As you'd expect if you've seen videos of Elliott's before, it gets pretty funny, and Elliott's questions are A+ ("martians or humans?" is an especially great one). Watch the interview from partysmashersinc.com below...

Brooklyn Vegan(via Brooklyn Vegan)

See full show review with all photos by Jess Rechsteiner at New Noise Magazine here

I have seen Russian Circles at least three times in the past, however never at a show with only two bands playing one of which being the up-and-coming super group Mutoid Man. Around two or so years ago Nick [Cageao] had told me that he was working on a new project with Ben Koller (Converge) and Stephen Brodsky (Cave In). He showed me some demos of the soon to be Mutoid Man and based on their demos I could tell immediately that this band would be special.

Mutoid Man played for about forty-five minutes, and refused to spare even the slightest moment. Knowing that each of these individuals are seasoned musicians and watching it be on display in their stage presence was my personal favorite part of watching their set. Brodsky had an intense energy on the stage that poured out through his bodily movements, facial expressions, and guitar playing. Every time I watch Ben Koller play drums, he reminds me of a fierce animal with an unquenched appetite. His hits are both precise and hard. Nick Cageo, the bassist of Mutoid Man, was holding up the low end of things with a classic Black Sabbath-Iron Maiden type influence. My favorite part about Mutoid Man is that their style ranges anywhere from groove, to metal, to outer space. I am very eager to see where this band goes next. To my understanding they are currently working on their next full length to be released via Sargent House.

As Mutoid Man was wrapping up and leaving the stage the crowd was filled with excitement for Russian Circles to do what they do best. As I mentioned earlier, this was not the first time I had seen Russian Circles, and I knew going into it that I most likely would not be disappointed.

Mutoid Man, the relatively new trio of Stephen Brodsky (Cave In) on guitar and vocals, Ben Koller (Converge, All Pigs Must Die) on drums and Nick Cageao on bass, have just kicked off a string of East Coast dates as direct support to new Sargent House label mates Russian Circles . Mutoid Man were tapped to play this short run of Tenth Anniversary of Russian Circles shows but will also play their own headline date on December 13th in Chapel Hill, NC. Check out the full tour routing here and below.

Following the shows, in January 2015, Mutoid Man will head to God City Studios in Salem, MA to record their debut full-length album for Sargent House with Kurt Ballou (Converge,Torche, High on Fire). The new album is the successor to 2013’s critically acclaimed EP Helium Head, which was hailed as “a seriously off the hook brilliant debut” (Decibel Magazine) and “teeming with bluesy riffs, firing-quad drumming and chaotic time signatures” (Exclaim).

Mutoid Man vocalist Stephen Brodsky says of the new songs: “These tracks are still riding the high of Helium Head; there are even a few unfinished pieces from that period we might revisit on this record. Writing with Nick is spinning our brains in new directions, too.”

MUTOID MAN LIVE 2014

Mutoid Man Tour Dates

Time to rock some new tunes for all of you. Mutoid Man will be joining Sargent House label mates Russian Circles for their 10 Year anniversary shows in December - All dates below - and make sure to start TRACKING Mutoid Man on Bandsintown so you never miss them in your area when they come to town.

Dec 10 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair w/ Russian Circles
Dec 11 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Russian Circles
Dec 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts w/ Russian Circles
Dec 13 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 w/ Bedowyn & Dogs Eyes
Dec 14 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel w/ Russian Circles

We post a lot of drum cam videos on Gear Gods, but getting to actually see Mutoid Man & Converge drummer Ben Koller do his thing, from his perspective, instantly makes this one the most impressive and simply interesting. It helps that Koller’s signature playing style is so frantic and perfectly suited to this style of filming.

I caught Mutoid Man at South By South West, specifically at “Metal Sucks’ 4th Annual South By South Death Showcase,” and they were the height of the show.

Converge & Mutoid Man's drummer Ben Koller loves his GoPro, and we love Ben’s-eye drum footage, so it’s high fives all around. I don’t know if you caught the helmet cam Mutoid Man footage that he posted a while ago, but it was a hoot and a half to watch, maybe fantasizing that those were actually your limbs and then flexing in the mirror afterwards with a warm attractive sensation slithering down your sides.

Now Ben has upped the ante and brought you behind the Jacob Bannon-illustrated curtain of a Converge rehearsal. I’m assuming there’s a lot of distress on that curtain. Go sit in the throne and watch the band run through part of “All We Love We Leave Behind” in the video above.

Gear Gods(via Gear Gods)