By Jai That Aussie Metal Guy | Crannk.com
After wrapping up a smoke-fueled tour with their stoner-sludge kin Weedeater, North Carolina’s genre-blurring heavyweights BASK are shifting gears—and minds—with a hypnotic new release. Ahead of their highly anticipated fourth full-length album, the Asheville outfit are taking a moment to pay homage to one of their key inspirations: The Brian Jonestown Massacre.
To mark the 20th anniversary of Dig!, the cult documentary that introduced many to the chaotic genius of Anton Newcombe and his psych collective, BASK have released a stunning reinterpretation of “Anemone”, a sleeper classic from Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request.
“We’ve always been inspired by acts like The Brian Jonestown Massacre,” says vocalist/guitarist Zeb Wright. “They write songs that feel outside of time and place.”
While TBJM spun 1960s psych-rock into a haze of shoegaze and garage, BASK thread that cosmic vibe through their Appalachian roots, twisting “Anemone” into a mesmerizing blend of Americana-tinged sludge, pedal steel psychedelia, and trance-like repetition. Wright’s banjo strums and dreamy vocal delivery inject a Southern charm into the track, while drummer Scott Middleton and bassist Jesse Van Note lock into a groove as deep and murky as a mountain stream.
This release also marks a milestone for the band—Jed Willis officially joins as BASK’s fifth member, bringing his pedal steel to the forefront. His work glistens against Ray Worth’s kaleidoscopic guitar leads, creating a lush and layered sound that adds new depth to the original’s hazy melancholy.
“’Anemone’ is hypnotic in its repetition,” the band explains, “and perfectly expresses the combination of emotional distress and unbothered cool that to us feels so integral to BJM’s sound and songwriting. It’s also really fun to play and riff on.”
With this cover, BASK show they’re not just revisiting their influences—they’re channeling them, dragging vintage psych into the swampy woods of modern Americana metal. It’s a beautiful, spaced-out detour on the road to their upcoming album, and it’s a reminder that this band continues to evolve, refusing to be pigeonholed.
So if you’re craving something heady, heavy, and hauntingly heartfelt, spin BASK’s “Anemone” and take a ride into the weird and wonderful.
| Follow Bask:Bandcamp: https://basknc.bandcamp.com/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/baskncInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/baskband/Twitter (X): https://x.com/thebandbaskSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/44JvnzLiXzAtiMSDJTnFC7Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/bask/209266263 |
