Danava
- Story by Andrew Parks
Flamboyant quartet is between a rock and a metal place
Greg Delaney—better known as Danava frontman Dusty Sparkles—regrets nothing. Not even that one torso-exposing, goblet-grabbing press photo with the magenta backlighting and maniacal drummer pose (thank you very much, “Buck Rothy”).
“We might throw something a little nicer on for a photo because it’s gotta stand out, but that’s just us being ourselves,” explains Delaney. “When it comes down to it, the only time I’m going to regret anything is if I’m not being true to myself.”
The idea of examining one’s self, “whether it’s frightening or not,” is actually the main lyrical strain running through Danava’s second Kemado record, the sprawling, synth-sprinkled UnonoU.
Inspired in part by everything from the Bible to the basic tenets of Hinduism and Buddhism—Delaney doesn’t subscribe to any one religion, but he was raised in a predominantly Christian town—the album is by no means ironic, musically or conceptually. If anything, it’s one of the most genuine gateway listens of the year, from the Goblin/John Carpenter-like keyboard leads of “The Emerald Snow of Sleep” and “One Mind Gone Separate Ways” to the decidedly proggy (in a must-move-mountains sort of way) direction of “Down From a Cloud, Up From the Ground” and “Spinning Temple Shifting.”
“This is a weird day and age for music,” notes Delaney, adding that “Spinning Temple Shifting” is an early indication of Danava’s next move, a riff-centric third record. “Terminology changes people, like we were flagged right out of the gate as ‘false metal.’ I embrace shit like that, though. It keeps me going.”
He pauses and adds, “A lot of people think we’re poseurs, but we never thought of ourselves as a metal band. Once I got old enough to play guitar, I played Jimi Hendrix and Metallica. It was never specific.”
Danava’s spot-on compromise between heavy metal and hard rock is exactly what drew Kemado’s A&R dude, Keith Abrahamsson, to them in the first place. In fact, he was so psyched about the group’s new material that he took on a co-producer role alongside Delaney and studio engineer Chris Ribando (a longtime Kemado associate who has also worked with Mary J. Blige and the Black Crowes).
“I helped flesh out structural ideas and aesthetic decisions,” says Abrahamsson. “There are some overdubs on this record, but a good portion of it was played live and when you have 9-10 minute tracks, it’s a pretty daunting task. I love the first record, but in all honesty, I wasn’t crazy about the actual recording. The production values are a lot more grounded this time—it feels more like Alice Cooper’s band to me.”
“I’m not some wild motherfucker where we’ll do a folk album next time, but I never want to do the same thing over and over,” concludes Delaney. “I’m constantly working with a back catalogue of shit in my head. Something new always pops up.”
