Premiere: Los Angeles Prog Metallers Shün Get Cracking With Debut Video
Check out the band build up a frenetic pace on their first single ‘The Great Escape’
What started out as Delhi guitarist Mayurath Gupta’s bedroom project in 2009 is now steadily making a mark on Los Angeles’ metal scene. That’s LA-based prog metal band Shün, which currently comprises vocalist Caleb Payton, keyboardist Merwin Bernard and drummer David Goldberg, who have so far have shared the stage with metal heavy-hitters such as The Faceless and After the Burial.
Shün currently comprises guitarist Mayurath Gupta, vocalist Caleb Payton, keyboardist Merwin Bernard and drummer David Goldberg.
Coming from the Delhi scene, Gupta seems to have learned the ropes of the LA music scene already, knowing what to avoid. He says, “The music scene as a whole is really diverse but I feel that the ”˜pay to play’ system that a lot of bands fall into is in most cases a hoax. Shady venues offer artists ”˜a great opportunity’ to expose themselves to new fans and industry professionals but of course this rarely ever happens. All bands end up doing is paying a hundred bucks to play for their close friends or the other bands.”
Their first single “The Great Escape,” is pretty much about making music without boundaries. Written in 2010 by Gupta, it was one of the first songs the band worked on together. Drummer Goldberg says, “We made a few changes to the original demo that Mayurath wrote and came up with a bunch of new ideas.”
“The Great Escape” is part of Shün’s upcoming full-length album that’s as yet untitled but slated for release in April. What originally started out as a five-track EP last year now has 10 tracks that took shape from members’ old demos and writing together. The album even includes “The Sitar Song,” a prog/psych take that features Gupta playing the electric sitar. Says vocalist Payton, “I rewrote and refurbished a lot of ideas that I had been writing over the years including melodies, lyrical content, old demos to bring forth my influences and incorporate them into the band’s vision and sound.”
Watch the video for “The Great Escape”:
