Check Out Some Cool Upcdownc Live Session Sludge

Medway-based instrumental trio Upcdownc have been nudging (sludging?) at the edges of many a rock radar since 2000. But if you’ve never had the pleasure before, now’s the time, with the band’s new album, I, Awake, released on September 22.

I, Awake represents the band’s first release as a three-piece. (Some readers may recall watching them several years back, two drummers in the line-up, members barely fitting onto tiny stages, and the noise they made being just incredible.) The album is strongly inspired by horror, by composers like John Carpenter and Fabio Frizzi, and also the group’s less-OST-natured record collections.

“The writing was heavily influenced by the later Swans albums, like The Glowing Man and To Be Kind, where dynamics and repetition are used to great effect,” says guitarist Chris Garth. “We were listening to a lot of early Black Sabbath at the time which accounts for the heavy riffs, as well as quite a few different horror soundtracks.”

The track Am I Awake? Part 4 is – get this – track four on the upcoming album. Check out a live session version of it below.

Catch Upcdownc – who’ve previously toured with the likes of 65daysofstatic, Bossk and Oneida – at the shows listed below:

September

15: London, Birthdays
16: Brighton, Sticky Mike’s 

October

20: Boulogne Sur Mer, France, Hijack
22: Antwerp, Belgium, Music City