New York City’s explosive fuzz duo White Hills recently released their long-anticipated new album, ‘The Revenge Of Heads On Fire.’

This will be the first physical release on the band’s newly launched record label Heads On Fire Industries, distributed exclusively by Cargo Records UK.

Guitarist, vocalist, and sonic alchemist Dave W.’s vivid fever dream ignited ‘The Revenge Of Heads On Fire’ which harnesses the energy of ferocious, hedonistic rock with blissful passages of dark ambience. Exploring themes of mortality, transformation and rebirth, the band reveals a spiritual depth unparalleled in previous works. The roar of fire, swirling of oceans and hallucinogenic visions can be heard throughout the seventy-five-minute journey. From the intrepid prelude ‘The Instrumental Head’ to the closing punk blaze of ‘Eternity,’ the album ebbs and flows, smoldering and seething in the middle with the twenty-one-minute mammoth opus ‘Don’t Be Afraid.’

‘The Revenge Of Heads On Fire’ consummates Dave W.’s prototype for the 2007’s ‘Heads On Fire,’ released on Rocket Recordings and later picked up by Thrill Jockey. Six rediscovered songs accompany re-mixed versions of the original material, fulfilling the master arch of the pyre lit long ago. Recorded during the band’s tumultuous early years, the music vibrates with the energy and volatility of a sonic boom.

<a href="https://whitehills.bandcamp.com/album/the-revenge-of-heads-on-fire">The Revenge Of Heads On Fire by White Hills</a>

“Most people live life asleep”

You just released your long anticipated new album ‘The Revenge Of Heads On Fire’ on September 16th. This will be the first physical release on the band’s newly launched record label Heads On Fire Industries, distributed exclusively by Cargo Records UK. How did you decide to start your own label? Was the main reason to keep your artists output in your own hands?

Dave W: Ego and I have talked about having a label of our own for some time. It just seemed natural and the right time to do it.

How long did you work on ‘The Revenge Of Heads On Fire?’ Was the creative process any different to your previous albums?

We worked on it for 15 years….hahaha! Just kidding. What I mean is all of the tracks were originally recorded in 2007 when we were working on the album that became ‘Heads On Fire.’ At that time a hard drive I had half of the album on died so those songs were lost until we found the hard drive while cleaning up the studio at the beginning of the pandemic. A friend was able to recover the files on that drive. Then all this music we had recorded and forgotten about was back in our lives. Not all of it was finished. ‘Silent Violence’ was just basic tracks with no vocals. ‘Inoke Tupo,’ ‘The Instrumental Head’ and ‘VTDS’ were just skeletons of tracks as well.

Upon hearing everything and looking back in my notebook from that time I discovered the outline for the album that we wanted to do in 2007 but couldn’t because of the hard drive dying. It was a bit strange taking on music recorded so long ago but satisfying at the same time to complete an idea that had laid dormant for so long.

Tell us about the studio time and its recording and producing process…

All of the tracks were recorded at our drummer, Bob Bellomo, studio in New Jersey and mixed at my studio, 60b Studios, in NYC. Bob’s studio was a vintage gearhead’s wet dream. From the instruments he had there to his console and 24 track 2″ tape deck.

At the time we weren’t getting along with Bob too well. Ego and I were both working as bartenders in happening bars in the Lower Eastside of Manhattan. Drugs were flowing like water from a well and we were a bit on edge to say the least. Bob had no idea what was up.

Bob and I started clashing on ways that I wanted to record the album. It was the second album we recorded in the same studio only 6 months apart from each other and I didn’t want them to sound the same. I wanted to experiment with miking techniques. Step outside of the norm and experiment. Bob didn’t but ended up caving to my pressure. I remember the sessions as a time of being at odds. Mixing was easy as it was done on my own.

<a href="https://whitehills.bandcamp.com/album/the-revenge-of-heads-on-fire">The Revenge Of Heads On Fire by White Hills</a>

“In order to let go and live a truly free life you need to metaphorically die”

You are exploring themes of mortality, transformation and rebirth with your latest album, would you like to tell us about the concept behind it?

Most people live life asleep. What I mean is they go through the motions of what the constructs of society expect of them. Simply put, birth-work-procreate-consume-death. Life is so much deeper than that.

The universe is a violent place. Ultimately we have no control. We try to have control by creating constructs that we perceive to be beneficial. In order to let go and live a truly free life you need to metaphorically die so you can transform and be reborn without these chains holding you down. This is part of the transformation and rebirth themes you mentioned.

Take the song ‘Eternity’ for example. The lyrics were inspired by an oral tradition from Mali in Africa that explains death to children. They describe death as a transformation not as an end but rather as an opening to eternity. When I first learned of this story it touched me deeply. It became central to the overall concept of the album.

The album sounds truly stunning and it’s a mind melting experience, what kind of instruments, effects and equipment did you use?

Thanks! Bob played a 1970’s charcoal vista lite Ludwig drum kit. Ego was playing a Fender Precision bass out of a massive 1970’s Acoustic Amp bass rig designed for playing in large halls before PA sound systems were designed for them. I used my Les Paul Smartwood out of a 1980’s 4 channel Rivera Rack Amp Head through 2 4×12 Orange Cabs from the 1970’s.

Synths I used were a Moog MG-1 Concertmate, Korg MS2000 and an ARP Axxe. Guitar and Bass pedals used then are pretty much the same things we use now. Both Ego and I used Overdrives and Fuzz by a company called Homebrew Electronics. Delays are mostly Boss DD-5, DD-7 or the DD-20 Giga Delay. Nothing fancy with the wah pedal. Just your basic bottom of the line Cry Baby.

‘The Revenge Of Heads On Fire’ consummates Dave W.’s prototype for the 2007’s ‘Heads On Fire’, released on Rocket Recordings and later picked up by Thrill Jockey. There are also rediscovered tracks that are being re-mixed….

Everything was actually remixed. I did my best to keep the tracks that were on ‘Heads On Fire’ sounding close to what they originally were. The other tracks I mixed to sound congruent with the tracks that people already know.

I know this might be time consuming to answer, but thinking back on all the albums you did in the last couple of years, would you be able to pick some highlights for you?

‘Walks For Motorists’ is a highlight because we recorded it in Wales, UK with the amazing Welsh producer David Wrench. ‘Splintered Metal Sky’ is also a highlight. I’m very proud of that album and what we achieved with it. Also the three albums (‘Frying On This Rock,’ ‘So You Are…So You’ll Be’ and ‘Stop Mute Defeat’) we’ve done with Martin Bisi. I’m fond of all of them for different reasons to be honest. They are sonic photographs of specific periods in time of my life.

You’re a vinyl collector, so I thought I asked a couple of geeky questions. Do you still go out and dig through piles of records these days? What are some of the latest finds?

Anytime and anywhere I can I’ll get down and dirty digging for vinyl.

Psychedelic wise I’ve recently picked up two albums by a current California based band called the Gentle Cycle. The latest is called ‘Landslide Eyes’ and its predecessor is self-titled. Both are great. The song writing, playing and production of both albums are spot on.

Recent reissues that I dig are Robert Turman’s ‘Flux’ and Het Zweet’s self titled album. Both are great.

What are some of the most interesting records in your collection?

That’s a tough question to answer. A few off the top of my head are Seesselberg – ‘Synthetik 1.’ They were a German duo. Put out one private press electronic album.

James T. Pursey – ‘Revenge Is Not The Password.’ Before going solo Pursey was the lead singer of Sham 69. After they broke up he released three very different albums from each other. ‘Revenge Is Not The Password’ was his last of three and is an amazing mix of dub, post-punk, experimental and industrial music.

Any of Nik Pascal’s albums. They are all quite out there electronic excursions, you know a man and his synths. Dark at times quite strange at others…always unique.

Minimal Man is another group that comes to mind. From SF late 1970’s. Dark electronic arty punk. I’m just missing one of their albums. Such a great band.

Is there an album that has profoundly affected you more than others?

Man, that’s another tough one. Jefferson Airplane’s ‘Bark’ is one as it is the first album I became obsessed with at the age of five. Have been listening to it ever since and I never get tired of it. Public Image Ltd ‘Metal Box’ is another. John Coltrane’s ‘Ascension’ and the MC5’s ‘High Times’ are others.

Are you excited to be back on the road again?

Definitely. Can’t wait.

What are some of the most important players that influenced your own style and what in particular did they employ in their playing that you liked?

James Blood Ulmer, Jorma Kaukonen, Keith Levene, Andy Gill, Ornette Coleman, Klaus Dinger, Jaki Leibeziet, Fred Sonic Smith, Robert Fripp… another list that can go on and on. All of these people play from the heart and have freed themselves from the constraints of convention. They are all “free” players in my opinion. That freedom inspires me the most.

Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

I always like taking a chance on something especially if it’s not something I normally listen to. My latest discovery in this realm is a British band called High Vis. Their new album ‘Bending’ released on Dais Records is fantastic.