The Electric Witch returns with double single NAZI PUNKS FUCK OFF / THE ORDER OF DEATH. Both are technically cover songs, though they explore territory very different from the originals. “Nazi Punks Fuck Off (TEW),” originally by The Dead Kennedys, is a slow yet emphatic synth dream while the newly remastered “The Order of Death (M.A.R.K-13)” (by Public Image Ltd and originally released in 2019) is a churning industrial maelstrom.
Everything by Zac Bentz. Recorded and designed at Puffin Sound.
“Nazi Punks Fuck Off” originally by The Dead Kennedys “The Order of Death” originally by Public Image Ltd
Our local, week-long music festival called Homegrown recently concluded. It’s been ten years since I last played HG, which means it’s been ten years since I’ve played live at all and I’ve had that fact on my mind.
My first live gig (of mostly cover songs) as a drummer with the band Third Stone happened sometime in the summer of 1993 in the parking lot of a Burger King that’s no longer there. I continued to play drums in many other bands up until I formed my own, The Surfactants, in 2004/5. I’m pretty sure I was also playing in the bands BOTH and The State Champs at the same time. The last Surfactants gig was a bit of a reunion that happened at The Flame nightclub in Superior Wisconsin for Homegrown in 2016. I played five shows in three days that Homegrown, which included a collaboration with my friend and Surfactants bass player Eric as Dirty Knobs, and my other electro synth-noir project The Electric Witch. You can hear some of those live recordings in The Endless Compendium.
All of this happened right after I recorded some synth parts in Nashville with Mary Bue (the second singer for The Electric Witch after the original, Marcus, who also sang for The Surfactants and was the original drummer in BOTH, [are you keeping up?]) as part of her band The Holy Bones. Sounds much more glamorous than it was, I assure you.
Things kind of exploded between Nashville and Homegrown, a tale as old as time and one that’s beyond the scope of this blog and my interest in telling it, and had nothing to do with me anyway, other than being caught in the crossfire. But I was already burned out, explosion not-withstanding. Twenty-plus years of hauling drums and gear, joining, forming, and dissolving bands, recording a dozen albums, all for little more return than a couple drinks and a fun hang. Hitting the Big Time was not going to happen and I was out of fucks to give.
So here I am, almost 50, ten years since I last played live, either solo or as part of a group. It’s been wonderful. I don’t miss it. Really. I barely even go to live shows anymore. The physical sound of your average band playing an average gig at an average venue actually makes my skin crawl a little. I have no desire to go back to that fruitless struggle.
In the meantime I’ve worked to make my humble home studio just a little less humble, a more comfortable and efficient space to work in. A quiet, calm place to be in without any outside expectation. I think I’ve recorded some of my best stuff as a result.
I’d like to wrap this up with some witty return to the concept of “Homegrown” but you know what?
Four years and four days since their last album of original material, The Electric Witch is back with their fourth album Wave of Sympathy. The album spans a period of significant change, featuring robotized vocals from both retired member Marcus Matthews and the current embodiment of the TEW spirit Mary Bue. Years spent translating the previous albums into live performances has affected the trajectory of the new songs, taking them from dark internal monologues to grand theatrical experiences.
“…you think I’m asking…”
While the Witch has always strived to strip the humanity from their work, Sympathy is rife with emotion, both raw and bold. Fleshy hands are always at the controls. The fractured hiss and crackle of analogue technology is celebrated as a sign of life in the wires.
“…i’ve been so bad…”
Included in the track list are three a capella tracks. While still effected by the vocoder, they capture the essence of each performance and bring it to the fore. Again, the humanity once abandoned is here resurrected and its twisted wreckage celebrated.
“…fuck it, fade.”
Lyrics/Vocals:
1 and 5 (sort of) by Mary Bue
2 and 4 by Marcus Matthews
Everything else: Zac Bentz
Video for “Hallowed” youtu.be/isjvs4Fm46o
(Special thanks to the “Murder Hike” crew!)
Tracks 2, 3 and 4 have been remastered, previously available (with alternate mixes) here:
I have nothing but massive thanks and humble appreciation for the first ten subscribers to my various musical efforts. I hope you’re enjoying all the extra stuff. And don’t worry, non-subscriber fans. Lots of regular releases are in the works (NEScapism 2??? Finally??? Maybe???) and will be rolling out throughout the year.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to swim in a lake of very black coffee…Good morning.
The 2015 Homegrown Music Festival schedule is out! Both Dirty Knobs and The Electric Witch will be playing on seperate nights, and TEW singer Mary Bue will also be playing her own music. Check the info below and we hope to see you out there:
Monday, April 27
Red Herring Lounge
5pm Opening reception for Homegrown Photo Show
5:30pm Tim Kaiser >>6:30pm Dirty Knobs<<
8:15pm Superfly McFlash
9:15pm Lorenzo’s Tractor
10:15pm I Am the Slow Dancing Umbrella
Friday, May 1
Pizza Lucé
10:30pm Retribution Gospel Choir >>11:30pm Mary Bue<<
12:30am WOLF BLOOD
Saturday, May 2
Duluth Flame Nightclub
10:15pm Danecdote
11:15pm The Horror >>12:15am The Electric Witch<<
This is music that’s not for everyone. This is why I value your support so dearly.
I make a lot of music and this is the best way to get everything in one place. Everything from Dirty Knobs, The Electric Witch and more. Exclusive access to secrets that might not be ready for the wider world. All will be gathered in one place so you will never miss a release and can avoid having to chase things down on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Soundcloud etc. All without any added noise.
And you will also get the ENTIRE back-catalog…that’s over 30 albums!
Of course, if you’re supporting one artist, you are likely to be supporting several artists. With that in mind, I wanted to make your choice as easy as possible by offering a simple year-long subscription for what I hope is a reasonable price. Of course you CAN pay more if you feel so compelled. How much music did you buy last year? At what price? What is this all worth? Adjust accordingly. (Note: I released 9 albums last year, as well as several odds and ends.)
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So, what’s in it for you? What’s in store for the next year?
I’m currently planning four (4!) new Electric Witch albums/EPs, a lot of new Dirty Knobs stuff (hoping to play a lot of live shows this year and make as much of that available) as well as an entirely INSANE new project that’s been swimming around for a couple years now. Subscribers will get early access to all new releases as well as exclusive in-progress demos, photos and anything else I can think of. I hope to capture as many live performances as possible on video, which will be subscriber exclusives as well.
Your support will go towards more live gigs, more time spent recording, merch (at a huge discount for subscribers), physical releases (who wants vinyl?) and general musical-life-sustaining needs.
As always, thank you for your continued support. You are all I have.
NEScapism is a love-letter to the video games I grew up with. The games whose music meant just as much to me, if not more, as the escapism they provided my isolated imagination. These are the songs that I would let play over and over, ignoring whatever might have been happening on-screen. Letting them loop and spiral outward. I’ve tried to capture that feeling on this album, adding my own inner echos.
Full album download comes with 3 variant album covers.
The Electric Witch is Zac Bentz.
Synth: Animoog, Sunrizer (iOS)
Drums: DM1 (iOS)
Illustration of The Electric Witch by Tubbypaws. Design by Zac and Steph Bentz.
