Earthmouth

Earthmouth began their raid of voracious doom a mere three years ago in the fall of 2012. After several iterations of bassists and drummers, the band solidified their lineup as guitarist Gooby Ugebun, bassist Jeff Chiappini, and drummer Mike Lawless, all of whom had played for several years in other local bands. Earthmouth classifies their particular sound as a form of underground doom or stoner metal.

Complete with a heavy, somber tone and distorted, groove-infused riffs, this genre emanated in the early 1990s, but took its psychedelic elements from 1960s influences such as Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, and Deep Purple. Lawless cited his own personal influences as well, naming everything from Primus to the Pixies as catalysts for their musical process.

Commenting on the Northeast Pennsylvania metal scene as a whole, Lawless expressed, “The range of metal is quite solid. The whole scene is full of awesome, passionate musicians collaborating together, and great sounds are constantly being made.” More specifically, he points out that Earthmouth’s unique qualities rely heavily on their lead singer’s voice, stating, “There aren’t too many bands dipping into the doom genre, at least not around [here]. Even though you can compare us to other bands like Black Sabbath and Sleep, we don’t quite sound exactly like them. I think Gooby’s vocals have a lot to do with it. We are blessed with a awesome metal singer.”

Guitarist Gooby Ugebun went further into detail about how Earthmouth forms and writes their songs, stating “None of our songs are from out of nowhere. They’re out of feeling of being with friends and sharing certain experiences.” Contrary to what some may speculate about the metal genre behind a barrier of noise or incomprehensible vocals, the lyrics of Earthmouth and myriad other metal groups touch upon serious subject matter.

The band’s first album, recorded in the fall of 2013, includes one of Earthmouth’s most entrancing songs, “The Rites of the Dead.” Upon the melodic dirge of the verses, the song imbues a mournful chant, refusing to see the face of a loved one. Similarly, on tracks such as “The Arrival,” the synonymous “Earthmouth,” and “Mystic Tree,” Gooby’s vocals radiate a range of heights and depths, invoking a morose, almost ethereal persuasion among Lawless’s orphic drumming. Chiappini, who replaced Adam LaMarca on bass, provides a heavy, rhythmic progression at live performances and will continue on the band’s upcoming album.

On their latest album entitled “Voice of the Mountain,” the tempo increases on tracks such as “Burning of the Witchtown,” a tune that quickly become a crowd favorite. In addition, the song “Voice of the Mountain” carries a painful incantation where the sound itself seems to climbing upward toward inevitable torment. Moreover, “Dream,” “Call of the Void,” and “Beyond Mind Realm” evoke a raw, passionate energy, complimenting each band member’s concentrations and strengths. Overall, their intentions and sound fill a substantially avoided genre in the area’s metal scene. For the immediate future, Earthmouth are in the works of a basement recording session and continue to play live, adding to the 300 some shows the band has already performed.

For all booking inquiries, email our manager Jess Meoni at jessmeoni @ gmail.com.