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Saviours
- Story by Adrien Begrand
Bay Area screamo vets are born again with Saviours
You know you’re playing a good set when your music not only commands the attention of the likes of J Mascis and Matt Pike, but you’re sounding so tight that it compels the two guitar greats to air shred like a couple of Maiden fans circa 1980. Such was the case—according to eyewitnesses, anyway—at a showcase performance by Oakland’s Saviours this past March at SXSW in Austin, TX. “We know Matt—our bass player lives with him—so we all hang a bit when he’s around, which isn’t so often,” reveals drummer Scott Batiste, when asked about the band’s High on Fire buddy. “We toured to SXSW and back with Matt’s other band, Kalas, and it was a blast. We met J at SXSW; he was mellow.”
These days, it’s not just notable musicians who are noticing Saviours’ high-energy take on modern doom. The buzz surrounding the quintet has been growing steadily in the wake of their seven-shows-in-three-days run at SXSW, and especially since their inclusion on the much-publicized Invaders compilation released this spring by Kemado. Of the 18 bands profiled, “Circle of Servants’ Bodies” is a highlight, announcing its presence with a boisterous swagger, the swinging beats and flashy solos making for an enthralling combination. Not a bad start for a new band, but then again, Saviours are hardly a bunch of young pups.
Founded by three former members of Bay Area screamo faves Yaphet Kotto (Batiste and guitarists Austin Barber and Mag Delana), Saviours focus more on the darker aspect of heavy music, with the emphasis on a massive triple-guitar sound. “We wanted to do a super loud, aggressive, dark band,” says Batiste. “It was initially intended to be a little more raw, but with the three guitars it became something a bit beyond what we expected, for better or for worse.”
Recorded by Tim Green of the Fucking Champs and boasting black mass-inspired artwork that King Diamond would approve of, the band’s debut album, Crucifire, is faster and more developed than 2005’s solid Warship EP, and songs like “Rise to Pyramid Form” and “Holy Slaughter” indeed prove that Saviours are fully deserving of the recent attention from peers, fans and indie rock tastemakers. Says Batiste, “I think there are some great bands that deserve to benefit from some ‘crossover’ attention of that nature, bands that have toured and recorded relentlessly for years. And there are some that don’t, that have always been mediocre and always will be, that will benefit as well.”
As for Saviours? “We will still be doing it long after fashion magazines have forgotten about it.”
