Venamoris, the duo of ex-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo and his wife Paula, have announced their sophomore album, To Cross or To Burn, out February 28th via Ipecac Recordings.
The group also offered up a new single, a cover rendition of Scorpions’ “Animal Magnetism” that re-invents the song as a brooding industrial/darkwave piece. The lyrics and vocals (handled by Paula) are the only immediately recognizable elements from the original, as the Lombardos morph the arrangement with synth stabs and droning guitars. Dave’s West Coast thrash cohort Gary Holt (Slayer, Exodus) also makes an appearance near the halfway point, ripping through a solo.
“The first rock concert I ever attended was on May 25, 1980, with Scorpions opening for Ted Nugent’s ‘Scream Dream’ tour,” recalled Dave in a press release. “We (Slayer) had covered a couple Scorpions songs in the early years but I never would have thought of re-imagining one of their songs at that time. Now it seems like the most natural thing to do. I could hear Paula’s sultry voice, the song taking on a slightly industrial feel… and I could fully hear Gary Holt play this insane lead.”
Dave added, “It’s been incredible to see this idea come to life. To release this at the same time this iconic band [Scorpions] celebrates 60 years is a perfect way for me to thank them for an inspiring first show in 1980 and for all that they have contributed since.”
To Cross or To Burn features 10 tracks in total — Paula wrote the nine original numbers — including previously released singles “In the Shadows” and “Spiderweb.” Aside from Holt, other guests appearing on the LP include Testament’s Alex Skolnik, Korn/Suicidal Tendencies bassist Ra Diaz, and Dave’s Mr. Bungle bandmate Trevor Dunn.
“To Cross or To Burn has taken us down a darker, very different path than our first album,” Paula stated. “There’s a confidence in this body of work. An overall vibe of heaviness that was unexpected. Verses of hard truths now bound in acceptance. The soul-searching continues.”
You can pre-order To Cross or To Burn via Bandcamp. Stream the video for “Animal Magnetism” below.
To Cross or To Burn Artwork:
To Cross or To Burn Tracklist:
01. Stay With Me
02. In The Shadows
03. Truth
04. Stain of Pain
05. Spiderweb
06. Burnt Paper
07. Holding on to Nothing
08. Animal Magnetism
09. Numb
10. To Cross or To Burn