Megaton Leviathan Update on Lineup and New Album Progress
The numbers don’t lie, but it sure feels like longer than three years since the last time Portland drone-psych ritualizers Megaton Leviathan released an album. Led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Andrew James Costa Reuscher, who founded the band a decade ago as a solo-project, Megaton Leviathan go into their next offering as a full-on troupe — a six-piece outfit — who no doubt will be driven to realize and expand on the wash that has typified the project’s deep-running and richly textured work since the outset. Do I have any prediction what their next record might sound like? None whatsoever. Do I dare to hazard a guess? Not on your life.
What I do find particularly encouraging about Megaton Leviathan expanding their lineup, however, is that it would seem to signal things are going to get weirder, and I don’t see any possible way that could hurt them. I wouldn’t rush it, but I’m looking forward to this one for sure, whenever it might arrive.
From the PR wire:
Megaton Leviathan Announce Lineup Additions, Studio Album in Progress
In the three years since Megaton Leviathan released their last album, 2014’s critically acclaimed “Past 21,” Andrew James Costa Reuscher and Mort Subite have been diligently creating new material to meet and exceed Megaton’s reputation for fusing disparate elements into new, borderline narcotic compositions.
To help facilitate this goal, several new members have been drafted in both studio and live capacities, including ex Lord Dying drummer Jonathan Reid, vocalist and concert violinist Andrea Morgan, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Travis Hathaway, and bassist Trejen. This new, diversely talented cast has already inspired unexpected creative reward in the studio, and will no doubt entrance live audiences worldwide as Megaton Leviathan take to the road once again to support their presently incubating goliath later this year.
Since 2007 Megaton Leviathan have been concocting an increasingly discriminating solution of heavy rock, psychedelia, shoegaze and more, one distinctive album at a time. Originally a solo project consisting of little more than multi-instrumentalist Andrew James Costa Reuscher and a strong desire to create, various impermanent collaborators would augment this lineup for several years, including drummer Matt Brim and bassist Chris Beug, whose orchestral influence would permanently transfigure Megaton’s sound. Varying permutations of these players would propel the band through its first two full length releases and several US tours.
In the aftermath of a lineup overhaul in 2014, producer/multi-instrumentalist Mort Subite signed on to mix the band’s third full length, Past 21. Proving vital to the new direction and creative core of the band, Subite remained and he and Costa Reuscher successfully navigated several independent tours in support of the then new material.
In the wake of Past 21, an even further evolved Megaton Leviathan has washed up on uncharted shores. Swathing deeper into territories unknown, and gaining refugees from the storm, Costa Reuscher and Subite have assembled a crew of talented and creative minds eager to push the boundaries of drone, rock, psychedelia, post punk and beyond. Past 21 saw Megaton Leviathan experimenting with the likes of kraut-rock, darkwave, and even orchestral themes. The impending full length will continue these flirtations as a full on romance, met with even stranger partners in the ever expanding theater of the real.
Megaton Leviathan is:
Andrew James Costa- Guitars, bass,Vocals, Synthesizers, effects, sound loops.
Mort Subite- Live Sound , Engineer, Misc / 2014 current synth,sound engineer, vocals, guitar
Trejen -Bass 2017-
Jon Reid drums – 2017
Travis Hathaway rhythm guitar/ acoustic guitar
Andrea Morgan – Violin, Vocals
https://www.facebook.com/Megaton-Leviathan-185853803548/
https://megatonleviathan.bandcamp.com
