The tireless and ever-touring bearded men of Junius are releasing their new record, The Martyrdom of a Catastrophist, this Fall on The Mylene Sheath (North America / UK) and Make My Day Records (Europe). Preparation for the long-awaited album began in 2006, with month-long writing/recording sessions in such unconventional locales as a bank vault in California, a warehouse in Texas, a farmhouse in Vermont, and a shack in the swamps of Louisiana. The result is a full-fledged concept album, inspired by the life and theories of controversial scholar Immanuel Velikovsky.
From birth to death, The Martyrdom of A Catastrophist chronicles a man whose progressive theories on ancient history and the cosmos were widely challenged by mainstream academia during his lifetime. The album's ten songs are both cinematic and accessible, building to crescendos which echo some of Post Rock's most epic moments, but with vocals, hooks, and lyrics creating focus throughout. Actual quotes from Velikovsky's interviews and lectures are interspersed between songs, providing a sense of narrative to the proceedings.
While Junius' sound is sometimes tough to categorize, they have cited such artists as Bedhead (Junius singer/guitarist Joseph E. Martinez's uncle Trini was their drummer), Philip Glass, Hum, and M83 among a long list of inspirations. The band has been electrifying rapt audiences with their spellbinding walls of reverb-drenched guitars, haunting vocals and self-made lights since 2004.
Shortly after releasing their first EP, Forcing Out The Silence, Junius began a tireless touring regimen to fan the flames of an already blazing press. Among its accolades, Disclosure Magazine declared the debut "one of the most engaging Dark Rock albums to come out since Joy Division last graced a stage." Junius toured for over 9 months and played over 200 shows in their first year alone, embracing a DIY ethic which remains at the core of the band's ideology.
Both the debut EP and its 2006 follow-up, Blood Is Bright (later released as a self-titled full-length), were recorded by Will Benoit (Constants), and mastered by Nick Zampiello (Isis, Converge, Torche). Hailed as a “darkly lush epic” by Alternative Press and “genius” by The Big Takeover, Junius' work is borne of experiments in isolation and asceticism. It's this austere approach from one of America's hardest working bands that adds a weighty sense of purpose and intrigue to their output.
* Junius produced The Martyrdom... at the legendary A&M Records studios in Hollywood (now known as Henson Recording) over the course of a year, somewhat guerilla-style, during off-hours when the studio wasn't booked (the band has joked that they were bumped out by everyone from Akon to Bruce Springsteen - literally). The album was recorded by Kevin Mills and Tom Syrowski (Weezer, AFI, Incubus) and mastered by Dave Collins (Danny Elfman, Black Sabbath, The Police). 2009 finds the members of Junius as tenacious as ever, continually touring Europe and North America (recently sharing stages with the likes of Pelican, Mare, Tombs, Wolves In The Throne Room, and Irepress, among others), headlining festivals, lending music to a series of short films by director Mary Lambert (Pet Semetary), and, of course, finally seeing the release of their new album.
Junius Live!
Europe
Oct 17 2009 Beatpol Germany, Dresden w/ Caspian
Oct 18 2009 NBI Germany, Berlin
Oct 19 2009 Astra Stube Germany, Hamburg
Oct 20 2009 Jugendhaus West Germany, Stuttgart w/ Caspian
Oct 21 2009 Elfer Music Club Germany, Frankfurt w/ Caspian
Oct 22 2009 Nexus Germany, Braunschweig
Oct 23 2009 Steinbruch Germany, Duisburg
Oct 24 2009 AJZ Talschock Germany, Chemnitz
Oct 25 2009 Die Stadmitte Germany, Karlsruhe
Nov 11 2009 Cafe Schlachthaus Austria, Dornbirn
Nov 12 2009 Sunny Red Germany, München
Nov 13 2009 AZ Germany, Aachen
Nov 14 2009 Exit Netherlands, Rotterdam
Nov 15 2009 De Bliksem Netherlands, Den Helder
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