Home is where the hurt is. Much as Norwegian black metal is a frostbitten reflection of its mountainous Scandinavian surrounds, Gatecreeper’s spartan brutality feels like a direct representation of the severe desolation shading the Sonoran Desert they call home. “It’s a definite influence on us,” nods vocalist Chase Mason on a rare rainy day in Phoenix, Arizona. Having drawn direct influence for 2016 debut Sonoran Depravation and last year’s stunning Deserted, there’s no shortage of horrific, Hills Have Eyes style imagery. Chase sees a deeper relevance, too, to the thought process behind these outsider sounds from the fringe of civilisation. “It’s an extreme climate. During the summer it gets really hot – so much so that it forces you inside. As a kid, that forces you to use your imag...
