Dead Skeletons
Dead Skeletons is an exciting musical and visual art project from Iceland which is made up of the core trio of Jon Saemunder Audarson, Henrik Bjornsson (Singapore Sling, Go-Go Darkness, Hank and Tank), and Ryan Carlson van Kriedt (Asteroid #4). The group has exploded onto the scene as musical, visual, and philosophical leaders. Their mantra, “He Who Fears Death Cannot Enjoy Life” is a universal truth, and something we would all do well to live by. The band’s startling and innovative visuals are driven by frontman Jon Saemunder Audarson, who along with Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman Anton Newcombe, has piloted the underground sensation that is Dead TV.
Dead Skeletons (IS) came into being in 2008 as an accompaniment to an installation for a show at the Reykjavik art museum by Jón Sæmundur . Looking for a spiritual battle hymn for the show, the trio began recording. This initial song, Dead Mantra, became an underground hit, prompting the full length lp Dead Magick (A Records), released by the band in 2011.
‘Dead Mantra’ is battle of life winning over death and the sonic palette that colours the struggle between fight and surrender is consistent throughout. In the middle of this hypnotic maelstrom come the otherworldly vocals. Bathed in echo and reverb, they attempt to find their way from a spiritual battleground that suggests a strange ambiguity over whether the desire for life can keep mortality away for just that bit longer.
In 2012 the trio put a much anticipated live act together for the first time with the original band and joining them earlier this year Will Carruthers (ex Spacemen 3). Dead Skeletons embarked on their first European tour to sell out crowds everywhere. including a headline performance on the Pavilion Stage at this years Roskilde Festival and the main act at Liverpool Psych Fest.
2013 see's the band embark on their first US tour with slots at Austin Psych Fest and Psyco De Mayo Festival. Following America its back to Europe for Primavera Festival as well as their home debut at ATP Iceland.
