Today is the official release of
Shapeshifters, the latest full length album from
Destroy Babylon!
This is our first DB record in six years, and so much has changed with the band (and the world) since. We expanded into a six piece with the addition of vocalist Kellee Webb, keyboardist Casey Gruttadauria and Rob's brother Sean Carmichael taking over on bass. Rob & Sean are Irish twins, making DB possibly the first band to have TWO sets of twin brothers. I point this out because it truly is something special to be part of a project with such deep connections. The core group has been making music together for 20 years now, yet we still relish in the process of playing and experimenting with sounds. Many of these songs were worked over numerous times before we settled on the final version, and some have been in our live set for years, helping us turn in our tightest batch of tunes to date. Our producer Craig Welsch also had a huge hand in pushing the band forward, and we really embraced our love of post-production effects this time around. Turn the lights low and volume up, this one goes deep!
We've never settled into one genre, and our mission since our first record has been to not only challenge the many oppressive forces of society (see: Babylon), but to also defy conventional labels in our industry. I'm super proud of this one and hope some of you will dig it. -Marc
Marc and I spend just as much time talking about music as we do games and toys, maybe even more so. The constant flow of great new tunes streaming across the web lends itself to some major discovery sessions, as a seemingly endless array of soundscapes pop up on a daily basis. It goes without saying that we've shared a ton of music over the years.
When it comes to the music that Marc and DB create (and the variety of side projects he and his brother John work on), I'm admittedly a huge and fairly biased fan. There's a certain intangible element to actually knowing the person who is sharing a creative endeavor with you that makes it extra special. It's even better when that shared work is actually amazing.
I've spent many, many late nights in the barn, working until morning light, accompanied only by select music blaring
from a small speaker tethered to an ancient wall outlet. Though some might find the experience lonesome, it never feels that way to me. When those tunes are coming from people that you call family, it's hard to feel anything but good, and DB once again makes sure of that.
Marcus and the Music ADD collective are still telling their story for all of us to hear, and
Shapeshifters is so worth the listen. -Matt