Haarp to release album Tuesday

New Orleans heavy metal act haarp has just unveiled two new tracks with BrooklynVegan.com and InvisibleOranges.com today! BrooklynVegan is currently streaming the track ‘A New Reign’, and InvisibleOranges is currently streaming ‘The Blue Chamber Painted Red’. Both tracks are cut from haarp’s upcoming album, The Filth, to be released on November 23rd, 2010 on HOUSECORE RECORDS.

The band recently posted the never-before-seen album art on their MySpace page, illustrated by famed artist and tattoo master Paul Booth. The Filth is produced by HOUSECORE RECORDS label owner Philip Anselmo.

“When Phil called me all excited about this new brutality and its unique concepts he needed cover art for, I could immediately tell his conviction and excitement far surpassed his usual dark vigor,” recalls album artist Paul Booth. “Of course, I was in. Once Keith presented me with one of haarp's lyrical concepts in regards to Gluttony, it was actually amazing to me how similar their ideas were to my own. This collaborative vision was meant to be, as far as I was concerned. I look forward to creating more art to this slow and painfully twisted epic of doom.”


On August 27th, 2005, two of New Orleans' extreme metal bands, manic grind freaks rat in a bucket and black metal blazers De Capa Preta, were slated to play a show at the now defunct Dixie Taverne in the heart of Mid-City. Due to ‘inclement weather’ and the threat of Hurricane Katrina making landfall, the bands decided that since many people were evacuating the city, the show could not go on.

Hurricane Katrina struck and devastated the Gulf Coast region and effected many aspects of people's lives. The music scene in New Orleans was not spared from this change and many bands, including rat in a bucket and De Capa Preta, suffered members departing the band, and ultimately calling it quits.

Keith Sierra Jr., drummer from rat in a bucket, and Grant Tom, guitarist from De Capa Preta, got in contact with each other from their temporary locations and discussed the state of the music scene. After digging up old conversations and ideas they had discussed at various local shows, they decided to return to New Orleans and start a new band. This new band would approach music from a new direction from the speed and chaos of their respective previous bands, and focus more on mid-tempo and slower music. The immediate choice for vocalist was Shaun Emmons of rat in a bucket, who shared the varied and eclectic musical tastes of Keith and Grant. Several tryouts later, Ryan Pomes of Milktoast joined the group and finalized the lineup as bassist.

“To call haarp “slow” would be somewhat fair, but to say that they're just “another slow band” would be sacrilege,” states label owner Philip Anselmo. “Their music is crushing, resolute, dramatic and conceptually insane. If critics are going to try and lump them into any one genre, than they'd better put the crown on haarp's collective heads once it's picked. This ain't Doom Metal by any stretch. haarp makes playing halftime sound like an original idea all over again. This music is essential.”


haarp is:

Shaun Emmons- Vocals
Grant Tom - Guitar
Ryan Pomes - Bass
Keith Sierra – Drums

For more information on haarp, please visit these sites:

http://www.myspace.com/haarpnola
http://www.thehousecorerecords.com/