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Invasion

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"DRUNK WIZARD METAL..."

Location: London, United Kingdom

Website: http://www.myspace.com/invasion

Bio: “The Master Alchemist” is the debut album from London’s soul-powered psychedelic metal three-piece Invasion, the sort of rock band that only come along once in ... (more) a blue moon. Using only the three stringed guitar of Marek Steven, the vocal stylings of singer Chan Brown and splenetic drumming of Zel Kaute, the band have a uniquely stripped down yet grand approach.  

Having become disillusioned with the overly technical and over produced Metal of the last decade and inspired by the bare bones approach of Lightning Bolt and Be Your Own Pet guitarist Marek Steven formulated an idea for a new kind of metal. Out would go the pointless solos and macho posturing. In would come quality riffing and maximum heaviosity. The blueprint for Invasion was fully laid out in 2007 when Marek and Cornish drummer Zel Kaute recruited singer Chan (think Betty Davis born on Alpha Centauri). 

The three agreed on a love of space, fantasy imagery, wizards, dragons and the like. “Fantasy fits perfectly with heavy music. All the best metal is about wizards and magic”. This love of fantasy becomes apparent on brief inspection of their debut album track-listing ‘Six Red Wizards’, ‘Spells of Deception’ anyone?  

Finding that their was no scene they fitted in with in London, no clubs that would have them the three piece had to refine their Music at their own Skill Wizard club at the Old Blue Last. After releasing a small EP the Moongazer EP and having been noticed by artists as varied as the Sword and Diplo “Like the Gossip but with some balls” the band were duly snapped up by the forward thinking people at the independent label This Is Music. 

The debut album “The Master Alchemist” was recorded with Simian Mobile Disco’s Jas Shaw in just four days at London’s own temple to minimalism Toerag Studios. Recorded using analogue equipment and played entirely live (“Mostly first takes and it didn’t go anywhere near a computer.”) The album is a synapse shredding twenty one minute assault which owes more to “Spine Of God” era Monster Magnet and “Masters of The Universe” era Hawkwind than anything else, in short “It should sound pretty good when you’re stoned” says Marek.  (less)