Megaton Communion joins The Zach Moonshine Show on Metal Devastation Radio for a deep dive into their upcoming sophomore album THREE OF CUPS, working with producer Curran Murphy of Venom Inc., their new drummer Ken, the band's massive doom/stoner sound, recording techniques, gear, Delta Doom Fest, and everything happening next for the band. We kick things off by blasting the new single "Evil Speak", with Zach immediately reacting to the massive production: "The riffs, the vocals, the drums, the bass, the guitar, everything, man. The production. It's just on another level." Megaton Communion talks about the personnel changes that helped shape the new album, including drummer Ken, whose addition brought a fresh style and new energy to the band. And the story of how Ken landed the gig is absolutely f*****g hilarious. "If anything ever happens to your drummer, a Spinal Tap happens and he spontaneously combusts or dies in a freak gardening accident, I want that guy's job." The conversation gets deep into the making of Three Of Cups and working with Curran Murphy, including the decision to record the drums live with no click track to preserve the band's organic feel. We also get into the guitar tones, with the band breaking down the use of Mesa/Boogie, Marshall Vintage Modern, Fender Pro Sonic and Soldano SLO-100 amps to create the album's huge guitar sound. "You don't really need a lot of super fast and high gain to make heavy music. You just got to write the heavy riffs." And despite being a doom/stoner metal band, there's not a single fuzz pedal on Derek's board. The guys talk Rickenbacker basses, Orange amps, EarthQuaker Devices, pedalboards, and why sometimes keeping things simple produces the biggest sound. We also dig into the meaning behind the tarot-inspired title Three Of Cups, which represents friendship, teamwork, celebration, overcoming hardships, and looking toward brighter days. "Even though the songs on the album touch on some dark topics and some struggles in life, at the end... brighter days ahead and celebrating is always going to be the thing that drives us forward." The band discusses the darker themes throughout the record, including toxic relationships, betrayal, manipulation, people taking advantage of others, and the frustrations of modern society. We also hear the story behind "Desert Centipede," inspired by bizarre internet videos of people intentionally allowing dangerous creatures to bite and sting them for views. The song turns that idea into a much deeper metaphor. "If I didn't tell you, that's what the song was about. If you read the lyrics, it's about somebody you probably shouldn't have a relationship with." Megaton Communion also reveals the release plans for Three Of Cups, including the August 28 pre-order/pre-save and September 11 release through Black Doomba Records, plus vinyl variants, a gatefold CD package, lyrics, photos, and other physical releases. The band also talks about their upcoming "Echoes In Time" video and why the track shows another side of their sound: "It's heavy, but it's got melody." Then we get into Delta Doom Fest in Memphis, where Megaton Communion will make their Memphis debut alongside an absolutely stacked doom and heavy metal lineup. They talk about bringing new songs, new merch, and why they believe Delta Doom Fest could become an annual event. The guys also open up about getting screwed over by Facebook after their band name was permanently restricted because the platform claimed "Megaton Communion" implies violence. Yep, seriously. We talk about the ridiculous reality of social media for underground bands, why maintaining an online presence still matters, and the frustrating balance between using these platforms and absolutely f*****g hating them. https://metaldevastationradio.com/thebeast/blog/29329/megaton-communion-talk-new-album-three-of-cups-working-with-curran-murphy-doom-metal-gear-and-more
