With slow, chugging riffs, growling vocals and a penchant for large concept albums, Louisiana sludge metal band Thou have, by their very nature, always discouraged mainstream attention. However, lead singer Bryan Funck thinks Thou’s latest album, Heathen, is their most accessible to date. Granted, the songs are longer, slower and centered on the theme of nature and the physical world, with references to authors Thoreau, Kipling and Landstreicher.

However, “accessible” is a bit of a stretch, though the album does have catchier vocal melodies and an increasing range in dynamics. There are quiet, gentle interludes that slowly intensify into heavy, consuming metal riffs.

Thou are happy with their direction and aren’t vying for new fans. They have a modest online presence, and in fact don’t even have a Facebook page. (The one that exists is an unofficial fan page.)

“We’ve never been interested in beating people over the head with self-advertising or doing any phony networking—and we’ve gone out of our way to grind away the ego of the band. We barely even put our name on the records anymore,” Funck says. “We’ve tried to limit it to making our music available and letting people with some level of initiative find us.”

Heathen represents the latest in Thou’s desire to push the boundaries of doom metal. In a landscape of Sabbath wannabe bands, Thou instead toys with new ways to make heavy music, which include adding layers of sounds over the riffs, and riding the mood of the chords instead of focusing on the traditional staccato metal groove.

Funck doesn’t see Thou as a doom metal band, but more of a grunge band with punk roots. The members grew up listening to punk, hardcore, grunge and ’90s alternative rock. Given such influences, Thou maintain a modest image and tackle political issues like the dangers of technology and equal rights for all people—that is when they’re not writing concept albums.

“I would say that we have an aversion to tough-guy theatrics; ignorant and derisive, shock-value posturing; or exxxtreme, raging, party culture [of metal]—those things probably set us more apart than our personal taste in music,” Funck says.

The band wants to push things even further in the future. They’ve been talking about recording an all-quiet album (kind of like the mellow acoustic interludes on Heathen, but as the main songs), as well as a black metal album and a hardcore album.

“Other than the possible pretty/quiet record we might do down the line, I don’t think we’ll ever not be a heavy band or writing heavy music. We’re not looking to become some kind of spacey jam rock thing or whatever. We just want to explore other paths to heaviness that don’t solely rely on a crushing riff,” Funck says.

Thou
San Jose Rock Shop
April 20, 6:30pm, $5-$6

Black Sabbath-influenced stoner-metal has been on the rise in underground music since the 70s. Locals Dark Earth take all the best elements of this sound—loud meaty licks, bluesy grooves, howling vocals, and create something fresh, but still familiar. We asked the trio (James Sotelo—guiars/lead vocals, Bobby Daly—Bass, Kevin Boockholdt) about their upcoming releases and how they write their songs:

Tell me a little bit about your recent record deal with F.U. Hollywood? How did that come about?

KB: Our friend, Dave Nevin from San Jose Rock Shop, introduced Greg Brodick to us. He liked our music and has been looking to put out a vinyl featuring San Jose artists. He offered us a deal to put out a 12″ split vinyl with Bibles and Hand Grenades, as well as a potential full length album release. The split will have some of the songs from the 42012 EP, along with a digital download that includes the complete 5 song EP.

It seems like there’s been a lot of bands this past five years that play 70s Sabbath metal. Why do you suppose this sound is making a comeback?

BD: I think it’s been going on under the radar continuously since the 70s, but it’s definitely gotten a lot more attention lately. This is our favorite music so we’re a little biased. It rules, that’s why!

Your songs, while obviously rooted in this old sound, have a vibrancy to them. What do you do to give it a modern edge, or is that even needed?

JS: We don’t really think of it that way. We just play what we feel at the time and write songs that come out of those jams. From the beginning, we’ve been improvising whole practices and pulling music out of that. We improvise a lot of parts live but that’s part of what makes playing a visceral experience. We each bring different influences to the table.

How much of what you play is deliberately creating new sounds versus specifically paying tribute to the music you love?

KB: We can’t separate ourselves from our influences, but we’re not a tribute band, in any sense. Our music comes from moments of inspiration while we’re playing together. Improvisation!

Tell me a little bit about the band name, Dark Earth. Where does the name come from?

KB: Honestly, James came up with it while working. James and Bobby were working at the same place and James approached Bobby and asked him what he thought of the name Dark Earth. We agreed that it suited our present reality.

So many different subgenres of metal have evolved from the 70s metal sound, the most extreme being thrash. You guys are taking influence directly from the source. What do you think you and other more “modern” metal bands have in common?

KB: It’s hard to compare across so many subgenres what makes us more or less like the other bands outside of our differing influences. Everyone feels like their own thing is different from everyone else in their own minds. We are just playing the music that we enjoy and comes naturally to us.

Tell me a little bit about your live shows. The style and sound you play, typically makes for some heavy, intense shows. Is that what yours are like?

BD: We play really loud live. We play loud all the time because it’s the best way to play! We bring high volume, our music, and ourselves to the shows.

I find the idea of the power trio interesting since everyone’s role in the band is critical to the band. How do you think that being a trio has shaped your sound and songwriting?

BD: As a trio, we play off of each other. It’s easy to jam and improvise.

Dark Earth play the Caravan on Thursday March 21. The show starts at 10pm. It is free.

Uunderage Music Fans will have another option to see live music starting this weekend with the debut of the San Jose Rock Shop’s new all-ages performance space.

Part of what makes the opening so exciting is that the people behind it—Dave Nevin and Jimmy Arceneaux (full disclosure: a Metro employee)—are both avid music lovers with longtime histories in the San Jose scene. Nevin has owned the rehearsal/instrument-repair center San Jose Rock Shop (at different locations in the South Bay) since 2008, and Arceneaux booked acts at the Edge in Palo Alto for 10 years back in its heyday.

They were able to make the San Jose Rock Shop financially feasible (and all-ages) by agreeing to not sell alcohol, which doesn’t bother Nevin and Arceneaux at all. “It’s about people that actually want to show up and enjoy live music,” Nevin says. “It’s not about selling beer. We wanted to do an all-ages venue, because that’s what the city needs. There is no outlet for this. It’s the community that needs to be fostered.”

Arceneaux has a particular passion for all-ages venues. In his career, he has chosen to book exclusively at all-ages venues. Before the Edge he booked at the Omni in Oakland, the Stone in San Francisco and One Step Beyond in Santa Clara. After the Edge, he booked at the Pound in Oakland. “When I was growing up in Texas, I had to sneak into venues to see shows ’cause they were 21 and over. Kids need something to do,” says Arceneaux. “I don’t see why it can’t be successful, because there is no place for kids to go.”

Like the Gilman in Berkeley, San Jose Rock Shop will be a private club. All attendees must be members, which equates to a couple bucks a year for membership fees, membership cards and leaving some basic personal information on file with Nevin and Arceneaux. Unlike Gilman, it won’t be a nonprofit venture. But in the case of San Jose Rock Shop, they will depend on the retail portion of the business to make money, not live shows. “We’re putting together shows that we believe in,” Nevin says. “It’s not something we’re worried about making money with. It’s the passion part of the business.”

San Jose Rock Shop celebrates the opening of the venue with a three-day grand opening event. On Oct. 19, the venue will host Scarlet Stoic and the Antioxidents. Dark Earth, Molly Murphy, Grimace and the Fakers perform on Oct. 20. Stickup Kid, Leer and the Proxy Stalkers will play on Oct. 21. All the shows start at noon.

San Jose Rock Shop
30 N. Third St., San Jose
408.215.2065