Originally published in ‘zine issue #41, 2010
Ludicra’s praises have been sung by D.U. many times before in the reviews section, but finally I had a chance to speak to the band and am privileged to report it in these pages. Ludicra is bringing black metal to the masses, sans the “more Satanic than thou” boastings and trappings so tiring and common to the genre. Ludicra’s music is a passionate and true shot in the arm to metal—grey metal as they refer to it.
The main subject under discussion is 2010’s The Tenant, the Bay Area band’s latest full-length, released by Profound Lore. In terms of influence, according to the band the new album is a cross between their first album, Hollow Psalms, and the classic Swiss metal band Coroner.
“There is some more metal influence creeping into our writing,” reveals drummer Aesop Dekker. “Coroner is a band that we all agree on. One song really has that feel … The blastbeats have returned, as well as the more traditional black metal guitar picking. There is a wider variety of flavors on this album; we have expanded our sonic vocabulary since our last time in the studio.”
Ludicra are expanding their touring vocabulary as well. The band played the East Coast in the fall of 2009, a first for them, with Hammers Of Misfortune.
Aesop recalls, “The tour was excellent. Hammers Of Misfortune are pretty much our brothers and sisters, our extended family, so being able to spend as much time as we can with them was an absolute joy. It was also an eye-opener that we need to be out more. There was a lot of ‘Well, it’s great to finally see you, but what took so long, and when will you be back?’ So once the album is out we will be out again, sharing catharsis to those who wish to share it with us.”
To that end the five-piece are taking it on the road in the U.S. to promote The Tenant. Until plans disintegrated, they were previously to be direct support of influential black metal titans Mayhem, with Tombs and Krallice along for the ride. But now they’re heading out on their own.
Since the members of Ludicra don’t dress up like Gene Simmons, some black metal fans might not take interest, and one guesses The Tenant won’t change minds in that regard.
“We have always existed in a weird nebulous in-between world,” Aesop explains. “The ‘kvlt’ kids aren’t interested in us for surface reasons, mainly our unconventional aesthetic, or perhaps the fact that we have women in the band. Not sure, and I don’t care. We have always attracted people who are a bit more erudite and appreciative of interesting and well-played metal regardless of trivial sub-sub-sub- genres.”
Appreciative people should go to www.ludicra.org. ■
Photo: Ludicra outside their gig in Washington, D.C.
