God Damn Share 'Hi Ho Zero'

21 January, 2020
Written by Marky Edison

Black Country rock trio God Damn have shared the next track from their freshly announced self-titled album. 'Hi Ho Zero’ is a rampaging blast of garage rock, monolithic riffs and groove-laden, swirling vocals, recorded live with legendary producer Sylvia Massey (System of a Down, Slayer, Tool). A raw unrelenting track that pleads with listeners to put down their phone. "It drains one’s batteries, seeing the world in 1’s and 0’s all the time" says lead vocalist Thomas Edwards.

Blending strains of heavy rock has always been God Damn’s charm, but on album three their unique magnetism and flair is well and truly honed. They are a band that have come into their own, writing and releasing on their own terms and without submitting to expectation.

The lauded band recorded the album live over the course of just a few days with legendary producer Sylvia Massy, even taking to a disused tube station to record parts for the album. “We needed that booming, reverberant drum sound with lots of decay. We recorded in Aldwych station, known for the storage of priceless art during wartime and the setting of The Prodigy's ‘Firestarter’ video.

“We were on the red tape and financial clock of 1hr to get the setup and recording of parts needed, that included hundreds of steps carrying heavy gear and getting the perfect take. There was a real creepy, nostalgic feel to a periodic, abandoned tube station that really added to the sentiment of the song.”

Indeed, the album treads new ground in more ways than just sonically, a deeply personal recurring theme throughout refers to the band’s sabbatical due to mental health problems, sleep deprivation and Thomas’ own journey raising his autistic son. “If you look at the footage of the album sessions, it’s clear I had a problem with strong painkillers” he explains.