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This one was a real turning point for us. It’s essentially the opposite of 2029, which was written around the same time.
It’s a super energetic surf rock-thrash metal crossover that we’re really proud of. The original demo was one of the first things David made in FL Studio instead of Audacity, which he used to use to make demos. Lyrically, it’s inspired by Rocky Horror Picture Show and tells the story of a person driving through a forest at night who gets kidnapped and taken to dinner at a classic haunted house. It’s a really fun track with a goofy, yet creepy feel that we really dig.
The concept for the song was to create something with disparate sections that still feel cohesive. The exact pieces of the track have changed over time to become a little more straightforward, but it’s still a very interesting song structurally speaking. In classic Downcoast fashion, the song is made up of exclusively minor chords. That’s what gives it that spooky vibe we all love. It used to have some piano in it and a different outro, but we decided to streamline it a little bit and repurpose those ideas for something else. Plus, David didn’t want to have to be chained to the piano while playing an energetic song like this one.
The metal section was added later on and ended up becoming the best part of the song. It’s a riff David wrote after listening to a lot of classic thrash albums like Ride the Lightning and Rust in Peace. It’s our first foray into something a little heavier.
David really wanted to spell out the title in the choruses, so he Googled “Victorian era family names with 7 letters” and found Barkham. Innovation.
Crooked branches crackle as they scrape against the hood
Careening past the hazy blight, you’re desperate to outrun him but he stays right by your side
Clouded headlights crackle as they sputter out for good
The Firebird may keel over and die but you’ll get to Tualitin if travel takes the night
Smash into some kind of stumphead
Now you’ve arrived right on time
Disorientated, distant
Barkham arrives to drag you home
DI
NN
ER
AT
Now the tables set and all the heads are under cloche
The candles sparkle up above, suspended by no strings attached you’re fairly sure they float
Now they slowly dim and hushes scatter o’er the floor
The iron door will slowly swing itself wide and then you’ll find they’re scattershot no more
Tales from beyond end so swiftly
Ours will now come to a close
Disorientated, distant
Barkham arrives to take your soul
BA
RK
HA
MS
Original Version
Crooked headlights crackle and then sputter out for good
Tell me everything’s alright and I’ll get home if it takes me all night, whoo!
Crooked branches crackle and they scrape against the hood
Have I really lost my mind? Or is he hiding in Tualitin tonight?
Reaching the stratosphere lately
I know I’ve arrived right on time
Watch as the path sign before me
Crumble and then enter
DI
NN
ER
AT
Watch that street rat, watch him roll
Don’t tell me your history
Sail away and leave the oars
Testing our biology
Everybody wants to be at Barkham’s every night
An island in bermuda’s sea where everybody tramples over me
Covered up by clouds it was the landmines come to play
Help me, help me, help me, help me, whoo!
Burst into some kind of basement
Someone is here, severed head
Running in circles around me
Barkham arrives here, whoo!
BA
RK
HA
MS
No demos for this song yet. Sorry 🙁
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We debuted this song at Treefort! It was an absolute blast to play. It seemed like people really liked it, too. This song works really well as an opener. David always forgets the lyrics in the second verse, and this was no exception. He just repeated the first stanza again lol. We’ll probably keep playing this one for a long time. It’s a great tone setter and gives people a great idea of the essence of Downcoast.