Features

Reaper’s Gong: Sludge, Punk & Shoegaze Merge on Maryland Band’s Superb Debut EP

Photo: Caleb Connor

Formed out of jam sessions in guitarist Spencer Hazard's (Full of Hell) parent's garage, allow me to introduce you to Reaper's Gong.

The Ocean City, Maryland-based group is rounded out by drummer Alex Oatman, bass player Gabe Soloman and vocalist Zoe Koch (both formally of Dirt Woman). The way I hear it, their sonic approach sounds like what would have happened if someone was locked in a room for a year with a stack of early AmRep, Creation Records, and Earache Records vinyl and told to start a band.

Quite simply, Reaper's Gong mine a sludgy yet dreamlike sound (thanks to Zoe's lush vocal lines) that washes over you

I'm beyond honored to premiere Subduction, their debut 12-inch EP right here for No Echo readers today. The record also features a remastered version of their excellent 2020 demo on the B-side.

Recorded at Developing Nations in Baltimore and mastered/remastered by Hex Audio Labs in Minneapolis, stream the new songs from the EP below:

Reaper's Gong vocalist Zoe Koch offered the following:

“The lyrics for our demo were written about gendered violence and the limited capacity for female autonomy within traditional gender roles ‘Subduction’ was written about inherent corruption within concentrated power.” 

Photo: Caleb Connor

Subduction is available now both on digital and physical via Fuzz Records

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Tagged: reaper's gong