Adelaide’s The Mark of Cain are back with a tour announcement and a new record, and they’re ready to show the kids how it’s done.
Anyone who has seen The Mark of Cain live knows that their live show is where it is at, but for the first time in their career their fifth album Songs of the Third and Fifth finally seems to capture that sound that has emanated from stages around the world unfortunate enough to have their structural stability tested by them. Thundering metallic bass, tight pounding drums and soaking wet guitars come together to challenge the speakers to stay in their housing. Ever heard a band described as “angular”? Well The Mark of Cain are probably at the top of their list of influences.
They have begun work on this record as far back as 2006, but with their drummer John Stanier being based in the USA when he isn’t spending the majority of his time on the road with Battles and Tomohawk, progress was slow. With a little recording here and there whenever Battles or Tomohawk would tour Australia, little pieces began to trickle through but finally they got a whole album.
“But why didn’t they just get a new drummer?” I hear you ask. Well, when you get this album (and believe me, if you have so much as dabbled in anything “angular” in the past, you will buy this album), skip to the tune 1000 Yards and listen from about four minutes in. There is no other drummer for this band.
It might have been a decade since their last album, but good things come to those who wait.
The band were already announced for the Golden Plains festival where they’ll share a stage with Dinosaur Jr., Red Kross, George Clinton Parliament/Funkadelic, Cat Power, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and more. Now the dates they have added are:
MARCH
8 – HQ, Adelaide, SA
10 – Golden Plains Festival, Meredith, VIC
15 – Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne, VIC
17 – Capitol, Perth, WA
21 – Hi-Fi Bar, Brisbane, QLD
22 – Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta, QLD
23 – The Metro, Sydney, NSW
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From the new album, check out Barkhammer below:
