South African sludge ‘n’ roll outfit RUFF MAJIK are set to surface from the pits of Hell, as the band announce the forthcoming arrival of their third studio album ‘The Devil’s Cattle’ – their first record under new label Mongrel Records, which will be released on 30th October this year.
Drawing first blood with a riotous, dusty and distorted new video single, ‘Who Keeps Score’, this first single offers a glimpse into Ruff Majik’s upcoming collection of low-slung, dystopian hymns pacing through the troubled minds of some tired and pissed off individuals.
‘The Devil’s Cattle’ was written and recorded right when the world was on the brink of disaster, and ‘Who Keeps Score’ touches on the relatable chaos of tumultuous relationships.
Set to a gorgeously colourful and stylistic music video starring “The Succubus” and reminiscent of the quirky, dark and obscure imagery of cult animated series such as Salad Fingers and Mr Pickles, guitarist and vocalist Evert Snyman despairs across the single’s lyrics, “no way to warn the next / You need a stake to the chest”. ‘Who Keeps Score’ unashamedly presents itself as a pissed off anthem aimed towards a former partner, but Johni Holiday (who also provides vocals to Ruff Majik, and wrote the song’s lyrics) reassures that it’s not an account of any personal experiences.
“‘Who Keeps Score’ is a song about a relationship, but this one is about someone else’s. I was just penning lyrics to help make sense of it in the end.”
WATCH ‘WHO KEEPS SCORE’ ON YOUTUBE
Vampires are at large, I tell you! VAMPIRES!” jokes Holiday, going on to offer insight into the single’s accompanying music video.
“But seriously…some people are just so god damn draining. The only way to beat them is to write a loud and fast song and jam it out with some friends.”
“The video was a collaborative effort between Lllewellyn Van Eeden and long time illustrator of the band, Annemarie Buchner. The idea was to illustrate and animate an enticing storyline about a band of vampire hunters that bit off a little more than they could chew. It’;s got everything: Church burnings, zombies, high speed car chases, bad dancing – everything you’d want out of a B-movie, jam packed into 3 minutes and 30 seconds.”
Offering a collection of feel-good tracks “born of the apocalypse and made to shake your hips to”, Ruff Majik’s latest studio album ‘The Devil’s Cattle’ will be released on 30th October via Mongrel Records. ‘Who Keeps Score’ is available to stream and download now via this link. Check out more from the band via their social media.
RUFF MAJIK IS
Johni Holliday – Guitar, vocals
Cowboy Van – Guitar, bass, backing vocals, keys, harmonica
Jimmy Glass – Bass, guitar
Evert Snyman – Guitar, vocals, keys, percussion
Benni Manchino – Drums, percussion
RUFF MAJIK ONLINE:
