Kalistan

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Mordusian Acid Rock Trio Releases Debut Album in Kalistan
"We're here for the drugs," says Lead Singer
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
December 25, 5688


Fear of the Unknown's Optimismo Inexplicable explores intersection between Alt Rock, Electronica, and hallucinogenic drugs

A standout release late in 5688 shows just how far Kalistan has moved from the relatively straight forward dance electronic rock of the New Wave of RF in a very short period. The era, about a decade long, isn't necessarily over, but one thing it was known for was an influx of foreign musicians from mostly Luthori. Many of them have already packed it in and returned home: The era was also known for a string of what ultimately ended up as one hit wonders. The departure of the Luthorians have ceded the field once more to the art and alt rock musicians that sprout up like weeds across Kalsitan.

Into this environment, the Mordusian trio, Fear of the Unknown has actually permanently relocated. Fear of the Unknown's Jack McQuaid, Salvatore Del Marco, and lead singer and multi instrumentalist Marshall "Junior" Sweeney, who grew up together in the Mordusian city of Randworth, relocated to Kalistan as a band in 5679, and have been playing and recording since then. Building the following in Sulari, against the backdrop of the New Wave, gave them a little bit of notoriety, given their radically different sound. They recorded two independent label records, 5682's Walking on Ice and 5685's Elephants in Tapshoes. The releases made them critical darlings and "your favorite band's favorite band" in the Sulari scene, which for the most part remained apart from the Kaliburg and Addisjah driven New Wave of RF and the Art Rock scenes. The entire band received their Citizenship in the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan in 5686 and earlier this year, they were signed to ARC for a guaranteed two album deal.

"We're definitely here for the drugs" said Junior Sweeney. "I mean. Whatever you want you can get here, dirt cheap too. It really has totally opened so many new doors for this band. It's wild. The drug culture back home is we could say pretty shabby. And its all mostly illegal. So, like if you want to use drugs and make music, of course, Kalistan is the place to do it." Sweeney said that the band dedicated their first Major Label release to LSD, and said the theme of the album was inspired by an acid trip. "I won't tell you what kind of stuff we saw that night, but man... It was dark... Like the dark side..." And then he proceeded to tell us all about what he saw "that night".

Sweeney said ARC signed the band based on the strength of their live show--Fear of the Unknown opened for KMI's ADMIN on their national tour last year. "Those guys are wild, let me tell you mate," said Sweeney. "They are good dudes though. We were kind of known as this arty, and I mean like visual arts, you know the whole swirly lava lamp thing we run behind our shows for kids to trip out on, and everything, and they were like check this out man..." According to Sweeney, ADMIN and Fear of the Unknown had an epic all night jam session and it rather changed the overall direction of the band.

"You know, we were into these effects, these swirly things and these audio tracers and all that. It's pretty hard to explain, but I mean I have definitely heard all these sounds, and our producer Carly Winslow, brought all these great ideas into the studio, about producing to get that psychedelic effect. These overdubs and these kind of layering, and the wet/dry stuff. I don't know man, it's all just really cool and a lot of these ideas are aimed at kind of keeping up with what ADMIN is doing."

The result is a much more accessible album of very ornately produced acid rock that relies heavily on crunchy compressed instrumentation, heavy synthesizers with space effects, and bigger than life sound, with vocals so wet that they sound like they were recorded in a cave. "It's aimed at giving people music to have a, well, an admittedly bad trip to. Like... I mean... I had four tracks just on my vocals at all times so I can fade in from one side, or you know, phase out completely. The music just really cooks, mate. I mean, yeah." Its certainly the most straight forward rock and roll record the band has put out to date.

Though the band has gained a reputation for their madcap antics at shows (they charge 65 Imperial Rubles to see them in clubs in Sulari, but will discount the tickets by 45 Imperial if you take a dose of LSD at the door, that they provide and have admitted that they have no idea how many doses are administered when they say "a dose", for example), this trio are actually very serious musicians. "I mean, yes, we make music to trip to," said bassist McQuaid. "And yes, Sweeney is kind of really into acid, DMT, shrooms and more or less anything that can twist reality up. But we didn't just get here accidentally. I mean, Sweeney is really into writing songs that are really well crafted, and hes really serious about it. I'd call him kind of a perfectionist, and in the studio, I think, he was kind of the captain of the ship, but because when he's in work mode, he's so like a b c, let's get it done, we actually cut the record for ARC in like 2 weeks start to finish. I think he wants to get his work done so he can stop working and go eat acid."

Drummer Del Marco agreed. "Yeah, we've known each other since we were kids, and Jack and I just try to keep up with that guy. Music is our first language, and I think we can say stuff in music that its difficult to put into words all the time. That band ADMIN is kind on that same wave, and I think its really just kind of a brotherhood, you know. They eat a LOT of acid. I don't think I ever saw those guys sober, on the whole bloody tour. Lot of fun though. Good on them if they can keep it up." All three members of Fear of the Unknown were very happy with the results of the ARC sessions, and even agreed to allow additional producers come in and make remixes of several of the tracks.

"Its what these Northerners call 'Bonus tracks'," said Sweeny. "Did ya know that, mate? For the "Deluxe Edition.' See that's really how you do it. You make the album you want to make, release it, sell it out, you know... and then go on tour and all of a sudden, here's the 'deluxe edition', maybe a different color vinyl or something, different cover art whatever, and all of a sudden, people are buying a second copy, because they have to have the 'deluxe edition' too... And then we release the 'super-f--k off-deluxe version' on streaming services, so people will spin the record again, and hear the remixes, and all the outtakes, which we couldn't put on the record, because we ran out of room on the vinyl... You get like three records out of one record. It's f--kin brilliant, mate. I'm learning so much. These Kalis are mad, I tell you..."

You can check out the first single from Fear of the Unknown's (non-deluxe edition) Major Label Debut, Optimismo Inexpicable called "Here He Comes" right Here, as well as the B-Side, "it never really was" recorded by and distributed by ARC in Sulari.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnKUD_OztRE]
Fear of the Unknown's plodding acid drenched debut single "Here He Comes"

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRbDkPsj0wk]
The Single's B-Side "it never really was"

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