Taken from the forthcoming album Screamnasium
Having announced the release of their highly anticipated follow up to 2019’s acclaimed Ramagehead in the form of Screamnasium – O.R.k (ex-Porcupine Tree bassist Colin Edwin, award-winning composer/vocalist LEF, King Crimson’s Pat Mastelotto, and Marta Sui Tubi’s Carmelo Pipitone ), have premiered a new video and single for the track “Don’t Call Me A Joke”.
Colin Edwin explains the
meaning behind and inspiration for the song “Don’t Call Me a Joke” is one of the last tracks we
recorded for Screamnasium, and it balances out some of the darker moments on
the album, being a call for greater empathy, tolerance and mutual
respect. It’s our way of expressing a positive, uplifting sentiment in
amongst all the divisive rhetoric from self-serving politicians, “rent a gob”
pundits, controversialist grifters and those inescapable, sanctimonious,
preachy types who always have something negative to say about others and who
seem to get so much airtime and print space in today's never ending media
melee. Punching down isn’t acceptable, but it's become all too common.”
LEF adds that “working on that video was like
putting a remote O.R.k. party on with a few relatives and friends and we’d like
to thank our ‘facechoir’ - Violet Zuzu Vega, Dune Mackenzie Reid, Emery Mena,
Mack Tabor, Zacharie Hennard, Farah Reid, Elizabeth Piaggio, Nikita-Tamara
Licciardi, George Miller, Fenner Balch”
“Don’t Call Me A Joke” will be available on streaming and download
platforms on Friday 9th September.
Setting the pace on Screamnasium, previous
single and album opener As I Leave delivers a distilled form of the O.R.k. spirit directly to the
listener. Lef’s powerful vocals, Carmelo Pipitone’s energetic riffing, Pat
Mastelotto’s inventive rhythmic accompaniment and Colin Edwin’s distinctive
bass tones all infuse the album with a refreshed intensity and a new
luminosity. Energy levels are maintained throughout the 42-minute runtime as
O.R.k. state the case for hopeful anthems for an increasingly uncertain world.
One particular highlight is “Consequence”,
where Lef spars with Grammy winning vocal phenom Elisa, best known outside
her native Italy for her collaboration with the legendary Ennio
Morricone on Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained soundtrack.
Album closer “Someone Waits” features
virtuoso cellist Jo Quail who provides seductive,
intertwining melodies to bring Screamnasium to a
dramatic and unexpected finale.
The creative
duo of Grammy winning art director Adam Jones (of
Tool) and Marvel/DC Comics illustrator Denis Rodier have handled
the artwork and layout to create an iconic album artwork with remarkable visual
imagery, while mixing and mastering duties have been undertaken
by Machine (Lamb of God, King Crimson, Clutch).
Encompassing a wide breadth of emotional
landscapes, Screamnasium is the consummate relief for our
troubled times.
Kscope will release Screamnasium on 21st October
on CD / ltd ed green coloured vinyl LP/ black vinyl LP and digitally with PRE ORDERS AVAILBLE HERE ( https://ork.lnk.to/Screamnasium )
O.R.k.
are:
Lorenzo
Esposito Fornasari a.k.a LEF - lead vocals
Pat
Mastelotto – drums
Colin
Edwin – bass
Carmelo
Pipitone – guitars
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O.R.k.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/O.R.k.band/
TW: https://twitter.com/ORKBAND
Website: http://www.orkband.com/
Kscope: https://kscopemusic.com/artists/ork/
Hi-res
images available to download: https://kscopemusic.com/media/ork/