Juke Cove - "Tempest"

 

Juke Cove is a trio from Leipzig who very aptly describe their sound as "trippy jammin' meets groovy riffs, punk energy, and doomy heaviness." Before we get into all that, first you must know that these guys aren't just messing around; Juke Cove's members come together with a notable amount of experience in heavy music. Maxim (drums), has a background in jazz drumming and has played in punk and surf rock bands as well. Dima (bass) has played in several Russian rock bands, including the established psych rock band The Grand Astoria. Mateusz (vocals, guitar), has played in hardcore and rapcore bands, and currently plays drums in Insekt, a hardcore punk band from Leipzig. 

Juke Cove formed in 2018 and released their first album, s/t, the following year. This was followed by their second album, Remedy, in 2021 through Interstellar Smoke Records (a label we all know and love around here). Remedy made its way to the #23 spot on the May 2021 Doom Charts. 

Since then, the band has stayed incredibly busy, playing a massive amount of gigs in Germany (supporting some big names and some of my personal faves including King Buffalo, Rotor, Weedpecker, Valley of the Sun, Mars Red Sky, and Dopelord), as well as completing two short tours in Poland. Juke Cove began recording their third album, Tempest, in early 2023 and is gearing up to release this kraken to the word on May 3, 2024, again via Interstellar Smoke Records. 

So, without further ado, let's get into Tempest track-by-track:

Tempest

Tempest contains 8 tracks:

1. The Path

The Path starts with low rumbling instrumentals, like a behemoth creature stomping around. Bright psychedelic guitar joins in while that rumble continues in the background. Booming drums and crawling bass give the feel of thunder and an impending storm. Vocals here are a half spoken/half sung medley of a melodic chant and a guttural demonic growl. This song unquestionably provides a sense of impending doom, or maybe even a quest to outrun something. This anticipatory vibe builds into some epic guitar work that rounds out the last half of the song. 

2. Hypnosis

This track has more of a stoner sound to it. A wicked bass line snakes about throughout the song while vocals that begin as an echoing chant seamlessly merge into melodic punk. Hypnosis is aptly named; that bass line alone is incredibly mesmeric, especially when combined with the stoner riffage and some lighter, spacier sound peppered throughout. This song is a lovely commingling of the heavy and the light, and is definitely one that you'll get lost in. 

3. Wait

Wait is a song that gorgeously ebbs and flows, beginning with bright lead guitar over thumping bass, crashing percussion, and melancholic vocals, creating a sense of cautious optimism in the midst of trepidation. Just past the halfway point, however, building energy from the vocals and instrumentals culminate in heavy, rumbling confidence. 

Check out this cool visualizer for Glow: 

4. Confined

This one starts with punky vocals over burly stoner riffs, evoking a sense of being trapped or shouting to be heard over chaos. An abrupt tempo change gives way to some bluesy guitar and the now melodic vocals have a melancholic tint; almost like resigning oneself to the calamity heard earlier. Some killer lead guitar solos follow, leading into a fast-paced heavy alternative rock ending to the song. This gives the notion that while the chaos will always be there, you'll eventually find your own niche within it (willingly or otherwise).

According to the band, this song has to do with the "diverse feelings of living and working in the digital age" (Ah, so I wasn't far off!) Certainly something the vast majority of us can identify with. 

5. Tempest

Tempest begins with another spellbinding spotlight on the bass. Thunderous drum rolls and scintillating cymbal over the lumbering bass again paint a stormy sonic landscape. Heavy metal guitar enters, hushed but menacing as the song swells into a delightfully turbulent, faced-paced jam; Juke Cove's signature brand of metal/hardcore. The momentum continues until the song ends, fading out like a storm disappearing over the horizon. Tempest is yet another appropriately named song that brilliantly highlights some of the things Juke Cove does best: those bass lines, the hardcore-influenced sound, and the turbulent crescendos.

   

6. Glow

Glow was the first track I ever heard from Juke Cove, and the one that got me insanely curious about the band. This is because, within a single track, the band effortlessly manages to play at least three separate genres of music. The song starts off fast and furious with almost thrashy instrumentals and some hardcore punk-esque vocals. Before you can catch your breath, Glow flawlessly transitions into melodic doom, vocals included. At this point, the lead guitar slowly brightens this trudging cadence into a psychedelic groove that's to die for. 

Furthermore, when I learned that Glow's lyrical meaning has to do with developing a sense of optimism in the very conflicted, warming planet we live on, it makes perfect sense. This happens in stages: anger, sadness/hopelessness, and finally, acceptance, expertly mirrored by the style change-ups in the song. 

Here's an awesome live version of Glow from Juke Cove's YouTube channel:

7. Burst

A short, two and a half minute number, Burst begins in a way that makes you think it's going to be more of an upbeat, bluesy, proto-metal song, but the vocals are heavily punky throughout. Who knew punk could be so groovy? It works! 

8. Xanadu

Xanadu delivers thick, viscous hard rock to start. While it surrounds you with its sludgy stickiness, it's still incredibly easy to coast along on the riff. This abruptly morphs into some very classic-sounding punk vocals and instrumentals. You'll find yourself sing/shouting along; this portion of the song is insanely energetic and infectious. As quickly as that happened, we switch gears again to the polar opposite: ethereal, atmospheric psychedelic rock. Only Juke Cove can metamorphosize from angsty, high-octane punk to such a placid, dreamlike mood so quickly. The song ends on this note, accompanied by some more great lead guitar solos. 

Final Thoughts

Wow! That was a killer ride! 

First off, the energy on Tempest is absolutely off the charts. In fact, this album was perfectly named...Its sound, like a storm, has different kinds of energy sweeping through at different paces. There might be rolling thunder to start (doom), lightning (punk), driving rain (stoner/metal), and glimmers of returning sunlight as the storm passes (psychedelic rock). As no two storms are alike, nor are any two songs on Tempest. 

The album also delves into thought-provoking subject matter. According to the band, Tempest's lyrics focus on "themes of fate/fatelessness and action/inaction". Just how large of a role does fate play in our lives, if it's even real at all? And, if it is real, how much of it do we actually have control over? 

It goes without saying that the most distinguishable aspect of Tempest and Juke Cove in general is the band's unparalleled ability to play multiple genres of music. Not just multiple genres across a whole album, but usually at least three genres within a single song. My favorite thing about this, however, is how seamlessly Juke Cove makes these transitions. It's done so smoothly and in a way that befits the mood of the song so well that it takes you a moment to notice the switch. Combined with the vocals and lyrics, these style change-ups work together beautifully to create a state of mind and send a powerful message about the human condition and the world we live in. 

More About Juke Cove

Juke Cove Is:

Mateusz - Guitar, Vocals

Dima - Bass, Vocals

Maxim - Drums

You can support Juke Cove by purchasing and streaming their music on Bandcamp and Spotify, and by following them on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Be sure to check out Tempest when it releases on Friday, May 3 via Interstellar Smoke Records! 

A massive thank you to Juke Cove for sharing your awesome music with me!