Legendary subterranean psych rockers Deadpeach seek to save the human race with new album, ‘The cosmic haze and the human race,’ out today!

‘The cosmic haze and the human race’ is Deadpeach’s fourth studio album. The band showcases an extraordinary blend of genres, skillfully mixing psychedelic rock in expansive landscapes with heavy sections that captivate attention. The album features a mesmerizing collection of tracks that weave together intricate melodies, mind-bending instrumentals, and thought-provoking lyrics. Each song contributes to the album’s overarching theme, creating a cohesive and immersive experience for fans of the genre.

Since their formation in 1993 in the town of Cattolica, Rimini, Deadpeach have set minds alight across Italy with a heavy and heady mix of late 60s/early 70s psychedelia, fuzz, and hip guitar-slinging hypnosis. So much more than just your average jam band, through various stages of action, in-action, and reaction, they have produced some of the finest psych records to emerge from the Italian underground. Choosing to ply their trade through the mid-nineties by recording early sessions onto demo tapes and 7-inch records, the trio played live at every given opportunity with bands such as Colour Haze, Orange Sunshine and Ufomammut. It wasn’t until the release of their 2007 debut album, ‘Psycle,’ that Deadpeach came to the attention of wider European audiences. With their loose, blues driven lysergic rock proving deadly in live doses, the band is often compared to the likes of Dead Meadow and Blue Cheer…

“This project represents a unique sonic experience where our musical influences, spanning from stoner to heavy and European psychedelia, converge to create an exhilarating journey,” explains vocalist/guitarist, Giovanni Giovannini. “Our objective is to transcend the boundaries of the traditional “one riff album” and immerse the listener in a diverse range of musical emotions. We wanted the album to take you through unique sounds and atmospheres, and meticulously craft each track to provide an engaging and stimulating experience.”

‘The cosmic haze and the human race’ will be released 6th February 2024 on galaxy-coloured vinyl and limited to 100 copies, featuring a hand numbered insert autographed by the band | Order now at deadpeach-rock.bandcamp.com

What did it take to begin working on your new album?

Giovanni Giovannini: ‘The cosmic haze and the human race’ involved a considerable gestation period as the songs were carefully selected from a pool of pieces that we’d been experimenting with over the past few years. The process was a deliberate exploration of various musical ideas, allowing us to curate a collection of tracks that best represented the evolution of our sound and creative vision during this time. It was a unique journey for us, delving into this sonic adventure, our primary objective was to surpass the confines of a conventional “one riff album”. We tried to meticulously craft each track to deliver an immersive and stimulating experience. Drawing inspiration from a spectrum of influences, including stoner, heavy, and European psych, we sought to combine these elements into a diverse musical landscape to captivate the listener and guide them through a compelling journey, characterized by distinct sounds and atmospheres.

Tell us about the songs on it?

The album is a tapestry of sonic experiences. Our recent single ‘Madras’ is an intense, heavy psychedelic song that begins with an expansive, desert-like atmosphere, gradually evolving into a more solid and stoner sound. It completes the square of songs dedicated to India found in our previous studio albums which began with ‘Benares’ on the first album, ‘Bombay’ on our second album, and ‘Calcutta’ on our third, ‘Aurum’.

‘Motor Peach’ kicks off with aggressive heavy rock riffs that gradually evolve into more intricate passages. The song serves as a self-introduction by us, as the band Deadpeach, describing ourselves as a group of freaks from planet Earth.

‘Man on the Hill’ is a captivating proto-blues composition characterized by heavily fuzzed guitars and pulsating riffs that explode in the chorus. It’s a song about the human desire to attain what is currently out of reach, often wanting it immediately when today’s effort is the harvest of tomorrow. Sometimes, all it takes is to remain in silence, listen to the bones of the trees, and to grasp life’s profound teachings.

‘Ouroboros’ begins with a repetitive krautrock-inspired riff that evolves into various twists, culminating in a final orchestration generated by a Mellotron. The song explores the circle of life and the endeavour required to break free from it and awaken oneself.

‘Monday’ is a dynamic composition that starts with a subtle psychedelic intro, leading into explosive heavy riffs. It reminisces about the mother’s day off, triggering memories and a desire to apologise for past mistakes while acknowledging the likelihood of repeating those errors raises doubt about deserving forgiveness.

‘Rust’ is a short and impactful song with a punk-inspired and aggressive vibe. The lyrics sharply critique the hypocrisy of certain individuals, particularly targeting the political class that always seeks an opportune moment for self-promotion.

‘Set the Control to Mother Earth’ is our psychedelic suite, a riff-laden response to Pink Floyd’s ‘Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun.’ This psychedelic suite signifies a return from the sun’s core, offering a brief yet immersive space journey with an expansive midsection and a finale echoing the beginning. Join us as we set the controls for a cosmic return to Mother Earth.

Do you feel it’s a concept album?

It is! ‘The cosmic haze and the human race’ showcases a thematic unity that might be considered akin to a concept album. Instead of adhering to a single overarching theme throughout the entire record, the album weaves together various motifs such as desire, recurrence, and both physical and mental journeys. These recurring elements serve as narrative threads, connecting the diverse musical styles present on the album. While the songs may vary in genres, they share interconnected themes of the human race and the cosmic haze, forging a distinctive conceptual coherence.

What about your gear? Fed gear geeks with some equipment?

In terms of gear, we’ve always been passionate about vintage instruments. Our equipment includes vintage instruments and reproductions of costly vintage amplifiers. On this album, we used a Ludwig drum kit, a Fender Precision Bass into a 100W Roost bass amp head with two Ampeg cabinets. The guitars are a Gibson SG Standard and Fender Stratocaster were plugged into an Orange OR120 amp and a Marshall JTM45 clone, with cabinets featuring Celestion V30 and Greenback speakers. The fuzz on the guitar is a Big Muff Ram’s Head and a DAM clone of the Solasound Tonebender MkII. Additionally, we incorporated a vintage Echoplex EP-3, EH small stone, wah-wah, and Daniele uses a slide on the guitar for certain parts of the solo. On bass sometimes we use a clone of the B&M champion fuzz unit, which were basically Jumbo Tone Benders. For this album, we expanded our sonic palette by introducing singing bowls (Tibetan bowls) in ‘Set the Control to Mother Earth,’ a Mellotron in the finale of ‘Ouroboros,’ and an organ simulator on ‘Man on the Hill.’ Our gear addiction extends to experimenting with various elements to craft a unique sonic experience for our listeners.

What’s next for you? Are you planning to tour?

We’re currently organising concerts in Italy to promote the new album and exploring opportunities for performances abroad. So, we’re actively reaching out to booking agencies to help coordinate more structured tours. Our aim is to play not only in Italy but also beyond and we firmly believe that the live stage enhances the experience of ‘The cosmic haze and the human race’. It adds an extra dimension to the sonic journey which started for us in the studio.

Would love it if you could speak about the early formation of the band and how that evolved into what you are doing today.

You can trace the routes of Deadpeach back to 1993 in the town of Cattolica, Rimini. In the early days, we recorded sessions on demo tapes and 7” records, playing live at every opportunity alongside bands like Colour Haze, Orange Sunshine, and Ufomammut. The release of our 2007 debut album, ‘Psycle’ on Nasoni Records marked a turning point and helped us gain recognition across Europe. Through various stages of action and reaction, we’ve evolved into a trio consisting of Giovanni Giovannini, MrSteveman, and Federico Tebaldi, along with the collaboration of Daniele Bartoli. Our musical journey continues to be fuelled by a passion for psychedelic fuzz and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration.

Klemen Breznikar

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