Scavengers by Mechanimal

Stunning mix of post-punk, electro and industrial, Greece’s ‘drone n roll’ project Mechanimal (Giannis Papaioanou, Freddie Faulkenberry) have just released their new album Crux (out January 27) via Inner Ear Records. And now, they are following it up with a new video for the LP’s, “Scavengers”. Directed by Gerasimos Domenikos.
It’s the second video the band have released to promote the album, following last month’s video for “Stolen Flesh”.
Mechanimal’s last record was 2016’s “Delta Pi Delta”. In June last year they released “White Flag” single which marked the return of original singer Freddie back on vocals with his characteristic spoken word.

A survival guide in the age of regularity by listening to electronic music.

“Crux” is an in-depth exploration of the past, present, and (possible) future of everyday life with the aim of personal awakening. It focuses on an idea that can account for the melding of seemingly incompatible musical worlds and theories with respect to the mechanisms of each one of them. It could easily be described as the absolute “crossover” album of Mechanimal, or simply the one where the ideas and obsessions of its members meet at the heart of the mechanical animal.

“Crux” is the Mechanimal manifesto. It consists of electronic music, spoken word, cut-up images and videos, deconstructed slogans, ideas and actions. A multidimensional collage inspired by the harsh reality, or otherwise the violent regularity that is “enforced” (by the new music industry to home entertainment and by “fake news” to climate change), and at the same time criticized.

Believing that everything is political and that we are all guilty of what is happening, Mechanimal, without limitation, use a fragmented sound palette to describe ten stories of reality deconstructed. From the death-trap of “Ghetto Level” and the raw industrial resonances of “Easy Dead” and “Scavengers” and from the pagan techno of “Razor Tube” and “Vanquish” to the feverish post-punk of “Red Mirror”, Mechanimal want, not only to escape the inherent limitations of each genre, but also to break down the barriers that do not allow all genres to become one.

“Crux” recording sessions began in January 2019 and ended in August at the band’s own studio. This album hosts guest musicians: Jimmy Polioudis (guitars on “Sharon” and “Easy Dead”), Henrik Meierkord (cello on “Scavengers” and “La Poverina Delle Ossa”), Vasiliki Mazaraki (violin on “Scavengers” and “La Poverina Delle Ossa”) and George Theofanidis (guitars in “Red Mirror”).

“Crux”
Mechanimal
[October 25, 2019]
Genre:
Post-punk, Darkwave, Industrial
Base: Athens, Greece
Label / Booking / Press:
Inner Ear Records

Mechanimal:
Freddie Faulkenberry: Vocals
Giannis Papaioannou: Electronics & production
Antonis Charalambidis: Drums on stage
Angelica Vrettou: Album cover & art direction