BAND OF THE WEEK: ÇÖKÜŞ
Grungy heavy/doom metal alchemy, with former members of Earthen Grave
There isn’t much thought put behind the choices for the DIGGING STUFF UP feature I do here sometimes, where I just pluck an album from the past to talk about it. Sometimes there might be a reunion or a show or something that reminds me of it, but most often it’s not more elaborate than looking at the shelf and going like “ohh, that’s a good one”, or having it pop up on an random album shuffle afternoon listening session or something. That’s pretty much what happened when I remembered how cool that one existing Earthen Grave album was when I wrote about it the other day, so it was particularly serendipitous that three of their members have just released their new band’s debut album that I wasn’t aware of before. Featuring Mark Weiner on vocals, Chris Wozniak on drums and Jason Muxlow on guitars, Çöküş (pronounced “cho-koosh”, it’s a Turkish word that means “decline” or “collapse”) isn’t a million miles away from that very characteristic heavy/doom mixture that made Earthen Grave so appealing and yet so unusual. Led by Mark’s ever-awesome wails and chunky, memorable riffs, everything about this debut album, ‘An Hour Of Lies’, including the whole downcast, super-heavy vibe, screams doom metal at you, yet Çöküş are at the same time very far from just being yet another typical past-worshipping doom outfit. Just like Earthen Grave did, and even more so, they are able to strike a perfect balance between “doom enough” and the injection of other influences - for once, Black Sabbath and Trouble can coexist happily with Alice In Chains or Soundgarden, for instance, and a couple of listens will easily reveal more stuff at work, like some warm Kyuss-like stomping rhythms that can be heard throughout.
A great blend of melody, emotion and ferocity, with major highlights like the inspiring ‘As It Falls’ opener (after the beautiful ‘It Died On The Vine’ semi-acoustic intro, that is), the powerful half-ballad ‘Never Gone’ or the rager that is ‘Hammer To Fall’ (which Mark tells us in the interview below was the last song they wrote that made the album, so a very good sign for the future), ‘An Hour Of Lies’ is an excellent listen for any heavy music listener - regardless of your poison of choice, their appeal is almost universal, in the best possible sense. Check it out now.
‘An Hour Of Lies’ is out now on Qumran Records. You can find Çöküş on Bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook and Spotify.
Check out the exclusive interview, after the jump.
“We wanted to create music that was sort of close to what we were doing in Earthen Grave, but making it more accessible. More about the songs written and less about being pigeonholed.”
- Mark Weiner
Can you tell us about the origins of Çöküş?
Mark Weiner (vocals): The band started when Earthen Grave ended in 2014. Woz [Chris Wozniak, drums], Jason [Muxlow, guitars] and myself stayed in touch. Jason and Woz started sharing ideas and got somewhat organized and called me to be the frontman.
What were the main motivations and intentions back then?
Mark: Our overall goal was to create again, but by doing this remotely and really taking the time to create.
Was it clear that this new project would also follow along the lines of a cross between heavy metal and doom, like what the three of you had done before? Is this what naturally comes out when you guys play and write music together?
Mark: Jason was the creator of Earthen Grave, first and foremost. With us three together we wanted to create music that was sort of close to what we were doing in Earthen Grave, but making it more accessible. More about the songs written and less about being pigeonholed.
In time, you eventually got a full lineup together - did the ability to finally play live change your relationship with the band somehow?
Mark: Yeah, we enlisted Patrick Green, a long-time brother/friend on bass, and Steven L whom we have known for almost twenty years, on guitar. It’s family! We played our first show with Las Cruces here in Chicago at Reggie’s. Overall, it went well.
And now another landmark, your debut album! Tell us more about ‘An Hour of Lies’ – is it a sort of summation of these initial years as a band? Were these songs you guys writing throughout time, or are they more recent compositions, how is that balance in the end?
Mark: It’s been ten years in the making! Some tracks are old, some are new, like ‘Hammer To Fall’, which was the last track that made the album. So far, the overall balance has worked out. If they are solid, well-written songs, it does not matter when they have been written.
How is, in fact, your writing process, is it a band thing, is there a main writer or something in between? And are there any specific major influences you’d like to recognise?
Mark: Our way is really easy. Jason will riff and piece parts. Woz will lay drums mix those two. Send it to me and I’ll add melody and vocals. I’ll then hit a studio for a “demo” type approach and send that back to Woz and Jason. Then we’ll add input from the others. Us three all write our parts and we all add ideas while creating the track. As for influences…. it really depends on the mood of the music.
Of course, the band name is in Turkish, is there a reason for that, are there any connections of anyone in the band with Turkish language and culture?
Mark: It was a joke really… but once we found out that it was a real word, it made perfect sense to us to keep it! [laughs] No one in the band is Turkish.
How has the reaction been to the album, do you feel that it’s reaching the right people? Are there a lot of people discovering the band with this release?
Mark: Overall, we are very happy to the feedback we have received! We have a record label and an outstanding PR company that have helped us reach fans, that would have not happened without them both! We have grown with our following little by little each month and we will continue to let bands and fans know we are here!
Is there any kind of lyrical theme running through the album, would you like to discuss the lyrics a little bit?
Mark: This can be a very long discussion. The short version is, it’s a concept lyric album. About what could have been Good, grows worse. The Bright one leaves the Dark one and tricks him. Leaving him alone, betrayed, humiliated. That’s when the tables turn for the Planet as we know it.
How do you see the future with Çöküş?
Mark: I see us on the path for a second album, creating merch, and a few events as well.
Do you have good prospects to take this album on the road, right now?
Mark: We have been added to the Maryland Doom Fest 2025! The biggest fest of this kind in the US! A lot of our brothers’ bands are added, so this will be a major deal for Çöküş.
So speaking of that second album, is there anything tangible already, did you keep on writing songs and stuff?
Mark: We have several tracked guitar ideas for the second album. We will start the process after the holidays. For now, ‘An Hour of Lies’ is out! We hope to keep talking about this album and to fine people like you - WE THANK YOU!!
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