Los Angeles dark and progressive rockers Vitskär Süden deliver a Halloween special with their brooding rendition of all-time Michael Jackson favorite "Thriller" with the video streaming on The Obelisk today!
"A sort of goth-doom via earlier Nick Cave with electronic flair; they made it weird, it's fun and takes off well near the end." - The Obelisk
Watch Vitskär Süden cover Michael Jackson's "Thriller"
L.A. prog-doomers Vitskär Süden began experimenting with a cover version of Michael Jackson's monumental "Thriller" a few years ago during the recording of their second album "The Faceless King", although most of the band didn't realize it. "I launched into my vocal/bass take on "Thriller" around Halloween during a jam session and the guys joined in but had absolutely no idea that's what they were playing," says vocalist and bassist Martin Garner. "They thought I was just improvising like I usually do when we're writing." Later, upon realizing what had emerged, the band decided to record the cover in proper Vitskär fashion as a Halloween treat for fans. "We developed an approach to the track that was something along the lines of 'a slo-mo trip to a seedy strip club with David Lynch,'" says Garner. "That told us everything we needed to know."
New track "Thriller" (Halloween special)
Free download available now on Bandcamp
It's clear that Los Angeles-based quartet Vitskär Süden operates from a shared musical consciousness. Having played together over the course of two decades, bassist/vocalist Martin Garner and drummer Christopher Martin unite effortlessly for a locked-in, half-time-heavy rhythm section approach. Guitarists Julian Goldberger and TJ Webber bring their own distinctive influences, touching on both the ambient and melodic but unified in an appreciation of layered sonic texture.
Drawing on elements of heavy psych and prog, their cosmic horror-inspired 2020 debut landed at #17 on Doom Charts' best of the year list, also scoring an 8/10 review in Metal Hammer. Vitskär Süden embraced its destiny by signing to Californian powerhouse Ripple Music for the release of their sophomore album "The Faceless King" in the late fall of 2022. With stunning artwork by Samuel Araya, "The Faceless King" is a dark fantasy concept album that expands the Vitskär Süden mythos, weaving the origin story of the record's antihero namesake. Acclaimed horror author Laird Barron described it as "gorgeous and sinister; shoots images into my brain of blacklight posters of secret rites in lost, desecrated valleys performed while some bastard '70s metal band croons a sword & sorcery drug rock accompaniment naming, song-by-song, a terrible thing that should remain nameless." It's available now on vinyl, CD and digital through Ripple Music.
Vitskär Süden is:
Martin Garner - Bass/Vocals
Julian Goldberger - Guitar/Synths
Christopher Martin - Drums
TJ Webber - Guitar
Vitskär Süden links
Ripple Music links
