Progressive Hard Rockers Ape Machine Move Our Ears “Into the Shredder” (premiere)

Portland, Oregon progressive hard rock outfit Ape Machine unleashes the album Darker Seas on September 7 via Ripple Music and if the single “Into the Shredder” is any indication fans will be in for a wild, retro-minded ride. With associative leaps that summon memories of the psychedelic experience, the group’s weird, ethereal heaviness recalls Captain Beyond at its finest. Listening to Ape Machine, one could be forgiven for thinking that the music was liberated from some dusty eight-track in your grandad’s shagged out Dodge van. At the same time, there’s a pulsing newness and vitality to it all that seems as thriving and vibrant as any local DIY scene today.

Speaking about the track, guitarist Ian Watts said, “It was a song that pulled us in different directions simultaneously, which was a test of our balancing abilities. It was a question of, ‘Can we place an undeniable groove into riffs that don’t conform to the standard 4/4 backbeat?’ Lyrically, the song deals with betrayal and denial.”

Darker Seas is available for pre-order now.