split LP

Thrill Jockey label-mates and kindred spirits Black Pus and Oozing Wound have joined together for a strictly limited vinyl-only split LP release.  The LP is presented as a double A-side pressed on virgin vinyl with free download card and cover art from both Brian Chippendale and Sam Nigrosh (Oozing Wound’s visual companion). 

On May 7th, 2013 The Empty Bottle hosted one of the nastiest bills in the history of the venue –Chicago thrash upstarts Oozing Wound opening up for Black Pus, the raucous and otherworldly solo project of artist and drummer Brian Chippendale, whose All My Relations had been released just a month prior. Both bands played earth-shattering sets, leaving all in attendance in the kind of daze that is unique to extended exposure to incredible, and incredibly loud, music. The bond that formed that night between the Pus and the Ooze was instant, and it wasn’t long before plans were set in motion for these kindred spirits to occupy the same slab of vinyl. The Black Pus/Oozing Wound split captures both bands energy in a raw form. Intended as a limited edition tour record, the split is not a mere raw blast, it shows a new side to Black Pus and is a teaser for the monster sophomore album from Oozing Wound being mixed in April 2014.

“Blood Will Run,” which opens the Black Pus side of the LP, is the first Black Pus track to feature clean vocals, free of the distortion and hiss that has always masked Chippendale’s vocals be that live or on record. Chippendale chose to record the vocals unaffected in order that they could be up front, in the listener’s face. The song deals with the senseless shooting of Jordan Davis by Michael Dunn after a disagreement over loud music coming from an SUV that Davis was a passenger in. “Total Eclipse” is a 14-minute epic that, in classic Chippendale fashion, is driven by his galvanic drumming and caked in glorious noise.

Oozing Wound provide three tracks that are pure studio creations, the product of editing down 4 hours of audio into one concise 15 minute blast of primitive riffs, bass moans, and lurching drums. “Ganja Gremlin” and “Aging Punk” retain the bands signature reckless abandon and humor, but deviate from the format of the bulk of the songs on the band’s debut Retrash. “All Things Must Pass Out” is pure, sludgy riff worship.