Chat Pile

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This article is about the band. For mining waste, see Chat (mining).
Chat Pile
Chat Pile performing at 2023 Roadburn Festival
Background information
OriginOklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 2019–present
LabelsThe Flenser
Members
  • Raygun Busch
  • Luther Manhole
  • Stin
  • Cap'n Ron

Chat Pile is an American rock band from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band is composed of four members using the pseudonyms Raygun Busch (vocals), Luther Manhole (guitar), Stin (bass), and Cap'n Ron (drums). Their debut album God's Country was released on July 29, 2022.

The band self-identifies as belonging to the noise rock subgenre, but external publications have labeled them as sludge metal.[3]

History[edit]

Chat Pile formed in 2019 and took their name from piles of chat, byproducts of lead-zinc mining which are commonly found throughout Northeastern Oklahoma.[4] Their debut EP This Dungeon Earth was released on May 29, 2019. The band performed their first live concert on July 11, 2019 at the venue 89th Street in Oklahoma City.[5] When trying to promote their music, the band was originally rejected by Oklahoma City's music scene, which a band member claimed revolved around only hardcore punk and shoegaze.[6] The band found successful promotion when This Dungeon Earth reached the top of Rate Your Music's weekly charts in a fluke of timing.[7] Their second EP Remove Your Skin Please was released on November 15, 2019, and the band released a compilation of both EPs on vinyl and cassette on February 9, 2020.

The Flenser announced the signing of Chat Pile on September 22, 2020.[8] The band released their debut single, "Roots Bloody Roots", a cover of the song by the Brazilian thrash metal band Sepultura from their album Roots, on July 14, 2021. On July 29, 2022, the band released their debut album, God's Country. The album received wide acclaim, receiving the "Best New Music" distinction on Pitchfork.[1]

The band released the soundtrack to the film Tenkiller, which Busch stars in, on November 18, 2022 as a Bandcamp exclusive. The soundtrack was recorded in 2020.[9] On April 14, 2023, the band released Brothers in Christ, a split EP with Kansas City band Nerver.[10]

Chat Pile's European tour debut came at the 2023 Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands, first performing a secret set before playing the main stage the day after on April 22.[11][12]

Musical style and influences[edit]

In interviews, the band has described the themes of their music as "trying to capture the anxiety and fear of seeing the world fall apart," and "very consciously try to express and represent the feeling of living in the southern plains." They also take inspiration from other pieces of media including In a Glass Cage, Mysterious Skin, L’Humanite, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Continental Drift by Russell Banks, and Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi.[13]

The band describes their music as noise rock while acknowledging that audiences have also labeled them as sludge metal. Vocalist and songwriter Raygun Busch named Big Black as "probably our biggest influence."[14] The Flenser describes Chat Pile as "[c]hanneling everything from the oppressive sludgy beat downs of Godflesh, the vulgar absurdity of The Jesus Lizard and the rebellious, post-modern experimentation of Sonic Youth".[8]

According to guitarist Luther Manhole, the band's sound also contains elements of post-punk, nu metal and grunge.[3] Bassist Stin also cites Korn as an influence with "no shame"[3] but is the only member of the band who is a Korn fan. "Most nu-metal is completely unlistenable, especially anything made after 1999," he said.[15]

Busch's vocals are influenced by David Yow of The Jesus Lizard and Scratch Acid, Black Francis of Pixies and H.R. of Bad Brains.[5]

Band members[edit]

  • Raygun Busch (Randy Heyer)[5] — vocals
  • Luther Manhole (Griffin Sansone)[5] — guitar
  • Stin (Austin Tackett)[5] — bass
  • Cap'n Ron (Aaron Tackett)[5] — drums

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

Extended plays[edit]

  • This Dungeon Earth (2019)
  • Remove Your Skin Please (2019)
  • Portrayal of Guilt/Chat Pile Split (with Portrayal of Guilt) (2021)
  • Tenkiller Motion Picture Soundtrack (2022)
  • Brothers in Christ (with Nerver) (2023)

Singles[edit]

  • "Roots Bloody Roots" (2021)
  • "Slaughterhouse" (2022)
  • "Why" (2022)
  • "Wicked Puppet Dance" (2022)
  • "Tenkiller/Lake Time (Mr. Rodan)" (2022)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Sherburne, Philip (July 29, 2022). "Chat Pile: God's Country Album Review". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  2. ^ Gray, Jezy J. (July 26, 2022). "Noise Rockers Chat Pile Mine The Depths of Human Misery (Without Being Miserable)". PopMatters.
  3. ^ a b c "KEN Mode and Chat Pile (Try to) Explain Noise Rock to an Alien". Talkhouse. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  4. ^ King, Pat (July 27, 2022). "Chat Pile: The Best of What's Next". Paste. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Martin, Jeremy. "Picher Pile". Oklahoma Gazette. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  6. ^ "Chat Pile And Nerver On New Split EP 'Brothers In Christ,' The I-35 Heavy Music Scene & Metallica YouTube Rabbit Holes". www.grammy.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  7. ^ "Chat Pile: The Success No One Was Expecting". Bandcamp Daily. September 9, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Flenser, The. "Welcome Chat Pile". The Flenser. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  9. ^ "The Oklahoman". www.oklahoman.com. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  10. ^ "Chat Pile And Nerver On New Split EP 'Brothers In Christ,' The I-35 Heavy Music Scene & Metallica YouTube Rabbit Holes". www.grammy.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  11. ^ "Watch Chat Pile Cover Rage Against The Machine's "Bulls On Parade"". Stereogum. April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  12. ^ "Roadburn 2023 zet vol in op de toekomst". 3voor12 (in Dutch). April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "Interview: Chat Pile Discuss The Real Horror of New Album –". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  14. ^ Sarosiek, Krzysztof (October 25, 2022). "Big fish in a small pond. An interview with Chat Pile". undertone (in Polish). Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  15. ^ "Chat Pile Debut Surreal "The Mask" Video, Talk Korn Fandom". Revolver. September 27, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022.

External links[edit]

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