SOMETHING DEATHLY COMES...
In the years before the debut HOUR OF 13 album was unleashed, there was an earlier history that belonged to the name...
Beginning in the early part of 1995, there was an entity known as HOUR OF 13 PRODUCTIONS that was an experimental music label I was running that proved to be only fruitful to one double cassette compilation release. Upon a late night pondering which was/is a very common practice, I had decided to shelve the name as I knew it was something to be used for a better purpose. And then one fateful day in September of 2003 it was unearthed again. Even thought the masses know of the first "professional" time the HOUR OF 13 name was used in regards to the Shadow Kingdom release of the self-titled 2007 album, there in fact was a prior use of the name and in a much different format...
Year 2003 saw the coming together of drummer Dave Easter (also a member of the live Ho13 lineup during 2010-2011 and on the first demo recording of "Grim Reality") and bassist Scott Cline, the three of us also forming the psychedelic doom monster MOUNTAIN OF JUDGEMENT. We had been doing MoJ for some months and decided to play a Halloween show in 2003 with a local fave band of ours (PUJ) and some goons from Charlotte NC (Graveyard Boulevard) at a local music venue. I had written a handful of tunes that were more horror/deathrock sounding so we learned them along with our favorite MISFITS and SAMHAIN tunes and played the show. And the name of the entity for that performance was...
HOUR OF THIRTEEN
A few months followed after that and we had decided to do it again for a show with local NC band WEEDEATER and Virginia maniacs DICK BUTKIS (members now of INTER ARMA) and shortly afterwards the band/name was once again to be saved for a later time. Maybe there was an idea to do the same the following Halloween, but we never did so it slept until 2006, when the early versions of the debut HOUR OF 13 songs had begun to be written. The name was resurrected, THIRTEEN changed to 13, and everything else after that written in stone... Until now...
In this year, 2018, I have faithfully resurrected the HOUR OF THIRTEEN name to move this musical entity forward, regaining the original idea of the focus of the music to what it once was, but also still retaining some of the signature sound that most of you have become accustomed to. This was a decision I had to make, not only for the die hard supporters of the previous incarnation of the band, but also to myself in the midst of letting something I have worked so hard to keep alive just fade into obscurity again. As amazing as that seemed in the past year, I simply cannot let it go, nor will I allow past acquaintances to be privy to my hard work and ideas only to be bastardized into something second rate. There will be no live shows as there is no point in bringing anymore strife and hardship against the name, for it never ceases to seem like any type of plans to do so result in injured feelings and cursed promises. It shall remain a studio effort only, as I'd rather give you quality music than empty hopes.
With this writing, I am pleased to announce the next chapter of this music's existence with "Deathly Nights", and brand new album from HOUR OF THIRTEEN to be released by the mighty Shadow Kingdom Records on all formats available. This "revitalization" of the sound can be explained as the mix of the sound everyone has known but with more atmosphere and less guitar solos. Not too far away from the styling of the debut Ho13 album, but also not "imitating" the said album either. One simply will need to listen with open ears and minds and help smash the devastation of the modern day Metal scene that has become more stagnant that the pop music radio stations of today. A pre-release discussed before the new album could possibly see a cassette EP to debut some different mixes from the new album, and following will be a 7" EP featuring a new tune along with two cover songs, all to be announced in due time (but knowing me I'll post them early anyway).
In closing, I want to thank each and every one of you that have been along for the ride, both personally and impersonally, as your support for this entity is eternally grateful. I look forward to moving this musical vessel into a direction that steers away from cliche' and begins to spread even more darkness than before.
Regards,
Chad Davis - 2018
HELL IS HERE...
