Bastardane’s New Singles Are Dripping With Rage
By Justice Petersen
A couple of weeks ago, I asked myself what I would draw on a blank piece of paper if I were asked to draw what I feared the most. If I were to draw my biggest fear, what would it look like? I’m not sure why I was conjuring up this hypothetical scenario in my head but my mind was simply cruising down a path with no stop signs for miles.
I decided that I ultimately wouldn’t draw anything; I would leave the page blank. Because what I fear is the unknown. There is nothing I am more afraid of than knowing that something is lurking beyond the borders of the white paper but I have no idea what it is, I have no idea what it looks like beyond what my limited imagination can conjure up and I have no idea when it will emerge so it can pounce on me and do who knows what.
What I do know is that fear and excitement are separated by a very thin line (much like stupidity and cleverness according to Nigel Tufnel) and as I stood on the shaking wooden floors on the second story of Chicago’s Subterranean watching Bastardane open up for Des Rocs, I knew that the music that Bastardane creates is the soundtrack for what lies beyond the borders of the page.
Composed of Jake Dallas (or rather Jacobious Lovebone as he’s now credited on recent releases) on vocals, Ethan Sirotzki on guitar and Castor Hetfield on drums, the Savannah, Georgia-based rock trio has just recently added OTTTO bassist Tye Trujillo to their ranks. Previously, Jake had taken on both bass guitar and vocals. Now that he can drop the bass duties, he can fully embrace his dark and moody stage presence as he allows himself to convulse and scream across the stage and become fully unhinged.
The night they gave an excitingly hellish performance at Subterranean on July 24, the band played mostly new and unreleased songs in their set aside from a couple featured on their debut 2022 album “Is This Rage?”. This could only mean a new album was well on its way, and this was soon confirmed when, on August 5, Bastardane dropped two new singles that they confirmed will be featured on their upcoming new album.
The two tracks, titled “Masquerade” and “Slow Decay”, seem to glitter with anecdotes from previous work while ultimately pushing the boundaries of what the band has so far released compositionally.
A nearly eight-minute rager, “Masquerade” opens with a groovy bass line almost reminiscent of those found in work from Slash’s Snakepit. Lead guitars and drums join in before rhythm guitars enter with a gritty crunch, completing the opening composition and adding more to the sway of the track. Although this song seems lighter compared to Bastardane’s previous work, that doesn’t mean it is softer.
With Jake’s signature Glenn Danzig-esque vocals combined with brutally poetic lyrics, “Masquerade” is a compositional masterpiece as Bastardane steers away from conventional song structure. Reminiscent of how Soundgarden used to play around with the placement of lyrical stanzas as well as odd tunings and time signatures, Bastardane is successfully able to create intricate pieces without sacrificing the continuity or mellifluous flow of a song.
“We’re the enemy of our own / With the memories that we’ve shown / We’ll come crawling back to you / Between the flesh and bone / You’ve lost more than what we’ve known / And we’re crawling back to you” Lyrics from “Masquerade”
Their next single, “Slow Decay”, opens with humming guitar feedback that is almost immediately followed by heavy, stomping riffs. Right away the song is anticipatory, almost like it’s building to something higher or it’s a call to action. “Slow Decay” feels like years of pent-up anger are finally being released and explained in detail. The lyrics of “Slow Decay” seem like an acceptance of heartbreak and a disillusionment with God.
Overall, the track is an energetic, cathartic, and hyperactive lament over life and what you lose throughout it. If their debut record was asking the question “Is this rage?” then Bastardane’s upcoming singles are answering the question. Yes, this is rage. This has always been rage, and this is what you’re all going to get.
“Slow decay / Shoot and watch it all burn down / I couldn’t regulate / Slow burn slave / Now that all I love is gone / She slipped right through my hands / Oh slow decay / Gone and given up my heart / Good things die anyway”
Lyrics from “Slow Decay”
Bastardane doesn’t play with a quick attack or sharpness. Rather, they deliver mean and chugging riffs that are melodic yet drenched in sludge. Their music doesn’t cut with teeth, it’s more of a dull bite. Bastardane is the drool dripping off the mad canine’s teeth as it gnaws on a bone. Performing with somewhat of a teenage energy – brooding and moody yet charming and playful – Bastardane is just what rock and roll needs.
“Masquerade” and “Slow Decay” are out now.
You can also catch Bastardane on tour: https://www.bastardane.com/tour
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Links:
Official: https://www.bastardane.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_bastardane_/