Raging Speedhorn

The Underworld Camden proudly presents: Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals plus support. Day 1 of 2. Doors - 7:00pm // Price - £25.00 Adv. Tickets - http://po.st/UwXPfV Day 2 (Sat 29th) - http://po.st/underANSELMO2 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• About: Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals - www.facebook.com/Philipillegals "Choosing Mental Illness" - https://youtu.be/Wjfa1usaHbM For all of the “think pieces,” magazine covers, blogs, social media statuses, TV specials, and various ink devoted to Philip H. Anselmo over the course of thirty years in music, one simple word sums him up perfectly: “Relentless.” He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t slow down. He doesn’t fuck around. Rather, he springs forward with the same primal unpredictability, controlled intensity, and prizefighter heart that cemented his position at the forefront of all things extreme. Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue—the second full-length offering from Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals—extends his legacy while covering new ground once again for 2018. Following up 2013’s Walk Through Exits Only, this new body of work hinges on no holds-barred lyrical misanthropy and insurgent instrumental intricacy as it sharpens any and all edges to guillotine precision. “It ain’t pretty,” he exclaims. “It’s more straightforward and cohesive to a degree, but it still goes off the rails here and there. We went through it song after song cut and fucking dry. I was in a specific mindset. I wanted to further my endeavors into a genre of music that I adore. As all ten songs blow by, I wanted an unforgiving feel. This is what was on my mind. It’s a recorded capsule of time.” Following a successful maiden touring cycle for The Illegals, the frontman hunkered down at his home studio in Louisiana to record what would become Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue in 2014 and 2015. The lineup shifted as Stephen Taylor transitioned from bass to guitar, Mike DeLeon joined as a guitarist, and Walter Howard took over bass duties. Meanwhile, Jose Manuel "Blue" Gonzalez held down the drums. Through rigorous rehearsals and writing sessions, a framework for the new music took shape as Anselmo wholeheartedly welcomed the ideas of his cohorts. “Seeing these songs come together and everyone working together to finish the album was amazing,” states Howard. “The ideas they were talking about sounded tripped out, but I learned that whatever comes out works pretty damn well with these cats.” “Their creative input is fucking fantastic,” beams Anselmo. “This is something that was very different from the first record where I was very staunch. I wanted it to be ugly. I was very firm that I was writing every fucking note. The thought was, ‘This is my contribution to ugly music right this second in a heavy metal vein.’ That was great at the time. Walk Through Exits Only made its own little statement that I am a free agent and I belong to no single band. This time, I worked closely with everyone. We tried different ideas together. It made the spirit of this thing come alive even more because of the enthusiasm these guys bring. It enhanced the integrity of the project.” “Philip has given me a confidence in myself that I don’t think I’ve ever had,” says Taylor. “That’s unlocked a door that allows me to share anything I compose with him. We have compiled a mountain of songs in a short period of time, and we’re about to double it.” “I’d love for people to feel the intensity, aggression, and rawness this band has and delivers,” adds DeLeon. “I want people to see another part of Philip.” Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue commences with the gutter thrash picking and double bass death march of “Little Fucking Heroes” before spiraling out into his gnashing screams. “That was actually the first song we worked on," Anselmo continues. “As far as the message goes, I think it’s pretty fucking clear. It’s a new record. It’s a new expression. It’s a new mood. There are really no boundaries. The Illegals are there for these experimental extreme expressions of metal. Lyrically, I want people to take away what they will. I’d call it, ‘Truths, bizarrities, and absurdities.’” Now a veteran of working with Anselmo in not one but two bands, Blue especially recognizes the growth. “I hope people hear and feel that progression,” the drummer remarks. “I want them to see that heavy, ugly music can still be creative, tight, and stand the test of time. We’re not just making noise; we’re writing heavy and abrasive songs.” Speaking of those songs, ominous guitars bleed into a dark harmony on “Utopian” before snapping into a steamrolling onslaught. Meanwhile, “The Ignorant Point” twists and turns at breakneck speed, veering between a thrash gallop and death metal bludgeoning with hardcore ruthlessness. “That is a crazy fucking riff,” the singer smiles. “In a way, I wanted an immediate left hook of chaos, so to speak. That’s a personal favorite.” It marks a natural progression in a history of never, ever compromising. Anselmo’s spirit and soul course through Pantera’s classic catalog, which amassed both Grammy Award nominations and global sales of 20 million worldwide. That same spark ignited a veritable mythos with Down who released a gold-certified debut, three fan favorite full-lengths, and two EPs as well as Superjoint who made a triumphant return in 2016. In the midst of everything, he joined Scour alongside members of Pig Destroyer and Cattle Decapitation and teamed up with horror icon Bill Moseley for Bill & Phil. However, The Illegals speaks to a certain need for him. “It’s another expression of extremities,” he admits. “Every song has a riff of mine or deliberate input. It’s my personal take on extreme metal. Each expression from The Illegals will be its own thing. I just want people to look back twenty years from now and see a very eclectic body of work. If you’ve done your homework, it should come as no surprise that it sounds different as I’ve been an unpredictable band-starting crazy man for a long fucking time and I am spreading my wings further and further and always shall.” In the end, Anselmo keeps moving forward as real, ready, and relentless as ever. “There isn’t a fucking thing I could say that is going to sway one opinion,” he leaves off. “Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue is going to get hated. It’s going to get loved. Like every record I’ve ever done, I put zero expectations upon my peers, critics, or the general fucking public. If you take one thing away from it, let it be this-- Do not bog yourself down to one brand, character, or whatever. Have the guts to spread your wings and fucking flourish. I can promise you this is a beginning. As my music trickles out over the next two years, it’s going to be quite the roller coaster ride. This new Illegals is just the tip of the whole fucking avalanche.” – Rick Florino, November 2, 2017