In 1992 Carl and Chad started working on a new band with bassist Jason Bauer. The original intention was to produce music that fit somewhere between hardcore and indie rock. After writing a preliminary batch of songs, a young lad from the rural backwater named Dave Walker was recruited as the vocalist for this outfit. The band played their first show as Engine with this lineup. Shortly thereafter, Jason left the band. After several bass players had auditioned for the band, a rough scoundrel named Roman Richardson was hired on. Roman had only been playing bass for one month before his audition, yet his playing was already at a ridiculously advanced level, due to his predilection for prog-rock bands such as Rush and Yes. Indeed, many of the early compositions of this lineup were nothing more than exercises in instrumental excess (slap bass, divebomb squeals, sweep picking, fretboard tapping) these were but some of the unforgivably self indulgent crimes against music performed during these formative days.Eventually the band had enough cohesive material to once again perform live, and during the spring and summer of 93, a handful of ever increasingly successful shows were played. It was soon apparent that there were twenty other bands around the country with the name Engine, so the name Krakatoa was suggested in jest by Chad's brother. It stuck. A demo was recorded and a modest following ensued. Towards the end of the summer time and schedule conflicts got the better of the band and Krakatoa ceased to function as a gigging band. Dave went on to form Harvest, Carl went on to Threadbare, Roman joined Yard Sale, and Chad left for school in Florida.In 1995 the four members found themselves all living in Minneapolis again. A friend of Dave's had just put together a modest studio, and it was decided that a small recording project was a good idea. Two practices and two songs later, Krakatoa recorded the new material on 8 tracks. Producer Jamie Woolford (of Animal Chin fame) did an astounding job with limited resources, and the band was pleased with the result. The sound had changed drastically from the earlier material, and now featured a much heavier, screamy sound. The cassettes were taken home with the band members and that was it. No plans for a record release were intended at this point. It wasn't until 1996 when Dave happened to sneak a copy into the hands of Second Nature Recordings honcho Dan Askew that plans for an official release began to take place. The Clouds Burned By Sunshine 7" was released later that year. Surprisingly, the record was fairly well received, and Dan asked the band if they would be interested in recording additional material for another release. Other bands and projects got in the way, and it looked like that wasn't going to happen.Until early 1999, when all four individuals suddenly found themselves with no musical outlet, the decision was made to finish one last record. Expanding on the concepts set forth on the 7", Channel Static Blackout was prepared and executed over the course of the year. Originally set to be an EP, the band came out of the studio with nearly 40 minutes of new music. In keeping with tradition, the record is heavy without taking itself too seriously. Lyrically a journey through betrayal, despair, and ultimate redemption, the band felt it best to offset the somber tone of the lyrics with a different form of metal-influenced hardcore than is currently in vogue. Heavily influenced by the likes of melodic power metal along the lines of Iron Maiden and In Flames, yet still maintaining the signature Krakatoa sound, the new album will serve as a fitting testament to one of the 90's most obscure bands.
KRAKATOA Channel Static Blackout CD
Purchase CD / Purchase from iTunes
KRAKATOA Clouds Burned By Sunshine 7-inch
Purchase 7-inch / Purchase from iTunes
