KASMs release their much anticipated debut album
‘SPAYED’ through
Trouble Records on May 4th. The album, like all of
KASMs recordings thus far, was speedily recorded live on a reel-to-reel tape machine and mixed at their studio space by band member
Rory Brattwell. The idea behind this freeform style of recording was to capture the live energy in which their snowballing reputation is rooted, creating an album that documents the exhilarating sound and attitude they have created during their short time together as a band.
KASMs are London-based Rachel Mary Callaghan, Gemma Fleet, Scott R. Walker and Rory Brattwell. All four members have been other bands: Rachel was the singer in
Sin o the East, along with Rory on guitar; Gemma was in London based grunge-pop band
Wolfie; Scott was in an ethnic/improv band called
Aum Sahib and Rory was in quite a few bands, the most well known being short-lived NME favorites
Test Icicles.
I guess you could say
KASMs sound is Punk/Deathrock but they coined the genre “
Shriekbeat” to describe their music, which pretty much encapsulates the essence of what KASMs are all about. Taking in varied influences starting with dark, pulsating, rhythmic bands such as
Trial,
Crash Worship,
Live Skull and better known dark 80s stuff such as
Bauhaus and
Death in June, they cite their sound as being more heavily skewed by recent Alternative American punk bands such as
Subtonix, Nation of Ulysses and Six Finger Satellite. KASMs’ dark, melodramatic tendencies are laced with energetic melody translating to their live shows, which start off intense and brutal and have been known to end up with mesmerizing front-woman Rachel making
“assaults on photographers and members of the audience” (The Guardian, January 2009). In the short time they’ve been together rumours of their unpredictable and intense performances have spread at an intense rate, stoking the fire and propelling them forward.
During their first year together they have played in New York, Paris, Berlin, Milan and toured the UK with contemporaries Televised Crimewave. They signed to Trouble Records (birthplace of acts such as Crystal Castles) in April 2008 with their first two singles
‘Taxidermy’ (which sold out all 2000 copies, touching number 12 in the charts)and
‘’Bone You’ winning them support from the likes of Steve Lamacq, Zane Lowe, Huw Stephens, NME and Artrocker.
See KASMs live: May
8th
Liverpool Korova*
9th
Leeds Faversham*
10th
London Cargo
13th
London Rough Trade Instore – single launch
16th
Brighton Great Escape
22nd
Liverpool Soundcity
* on tour with Die! Die! Die!
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KASMs - Debut album 'SPAYED'
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KASMS - DEBUT ALBUM OUT ON MONDAY
