Electronic-industrial pioneer MARK PISTEL (Consolidated, Meat Beat Manifesto) takes OCTAVIAN WINTERS for a wild spin of 'Velveteen'

June 18, 2024

Formed in 2022, Octavian Winters is guitarist Stephan Salit (Thrill of The Pull), drummer Randy Gzebb (Thrill of The Pull, Love Club), bassist Jay Denton and Ria (Amenti) Aursjoen on vocals and keyboards. Together, they weave their visceral and ethereal sound into a texture all its own – of stories once told but half-remembered, under a dusk of shadows and stars, in an abandoned city under the winter moon.

Pistel explains, "Randy Gzebb called me about remixing one of the tracks off 'The Line or the Curve' EP. I was excited to do so, as we'd recorded some of these vocals at my Room 5 Studio in San Francisco. I chose to do 'Velveteen' as I already loved the track with its fantastic vocal melody and Stephan's unstoppable guitar hook! I took on the track with pulsing analog synths and a slamming dance floor beat for the clubs."

The A-side to this 2-track release, called 'Nebula', underscores the inevitable impermanence of all that is seen and unseen, known and unknown.

"Nebula began as an experiment... I kept envisioning a sort of “last day at the end of the world” — what would the sky look like? Would we know and understand what was happening? There is this broadly Gnostic idea of the universe as unfolding and unfolding through what are called Aeons, essentially levels of manifestation, until we get this world we live in here. I imagined this world reaching the fullness of its life, that whole cycle ending — and then everything reversing, refolding back to the start to make way for the next universe," says Ria Aursjoen.

This is not the first time Octavian Winters has worked with Pistel. Their debut EP 'The Line or Curve' (released in late 2023) was mostly recorded at his Room 5 Recording before being mixed and mastered it at 13 Studio in Chicago, and co-produced by the band and William Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate, Faith & the Muse, Christian Death).

But Octavian Winters' members have a rich history of collaborating and touring with notable artists, including Nine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, Lords of the New Church, Savage Republic, Christian Death, The Frozen Autumn, Everything Goes Cold and Black Tape for a Blue Girl.

The 'Nebula / Velveteen (Mark Pistel Remix)' single is available everywhere, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. The band's next headlining concert is on Friday, July 26 at San Francisco's DNA Lounge with support from Halou and Sword Tongue.

CREDITS
Ria Aursjoen - Vocals / Keyboards
Stephan Salit - Guitars
Randy Gzebb - Drums
Jay Denton - Bass
'Velveteen' remix by Mark Pistel
'Nebula' written by Ria Aursjoen
'Velveteen' written by Octavian Winters
Recorded at OW studios San Francisco
Vocals recorded by Mark Pistel, Room 5 Recording, San Francisco
'Nebula' mixed & mastered by William Faith at 13 Studio, Chicago
'Nebula' produced by Octavian Winters and William Faith
Cover art Ria Aursjoen
Design by Eric Olson
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
Video by David Kruschke

Keep up with Octavian Winters
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Octavian Winters joined by electronic music icon Mark Pistel (Consolidated, Meat Beat Manifesto) on new 'Nebula / Velveteen' release

May 1, 2024

"A dark and lush tapestry of near-classic post-punk, oscillating between shadow and shimmer. Reflecting the troubled times that we live in, sublime dark sonic delight" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Feels like it was recorded in a studio deep beneath the earth, drawing power from subterranean caves and bubbling magma... tectonic thunder... Such power, strong and true, a voice that scales the wall of sound beneath her with ease" ~ Joyzine

"A dark musical weave forged of post-punk and gothic strands. A sonic web of pulsing bass grooves and shaded ethereality, dark and delicious guitar slashes and haunting sound washes" ~ The Big Takeover

"Seriously compelling incitement, which Aursjoen’s tones and the electronically atmospheric mists around her only escalate" ~ Ringmaster Review

San Francisco post-punk outfit Octavian Winters has teamed up with Mark Pistel (Consolidate, Meat Beat Manifesto) on their new two-track single. Out April 30 via Stratis Capta Records, the A-side 'Nebula', which underscores the inevitable impermanence of all that is seen and unseen, known and unknown, is complemented by Pistel's infectious pulsating remix of 'Velveteen'.

Formed in 2022, Octavian Winters is guitarist Stephan Salit (Thrill of The Pull), drummer Randy Gzebb (Thrill of The Pull, Love Club), bassist Jay Denton and Ria (Amenti) Aursjoen on vocals and keyboards. Together, they weave their visceral and ethereal sound into a texture all its own – of stories once told but half-remembered, under a dusk of shadows and stars, in an abandoned city under the winter moon.

A producer, engineer, programmer, remixer and songwriter active in the electronic music scene since the 80s, Mark Pistel is perhaps best known as a founding member of the band Consolidated and contributing member of Meat Beat Manifesto since 1997. From his own Room 5 studio, he has worked with The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Grace Jones, Therapy?, MC 900 Foot Jesus, Machines of Loving Grace, Hector Zazou, Mark Stewart, Lee Scratch Perry, Cabaret Voltaire's Stephen Mallinder and Fishbone's Angelo Moore.

Pistel explains, "Randy Gzebb called me about remixing one of the tracks off 'The Line or the Curve' EP. I was excited to do so, as we'd recorded some of these vocals at my Room 5 Studio in San Francisco. I chose to do 'Velveteen' as I already loved the track with its fantastic vocal melody and Stephan's unstoppable guitar hook! I took on the track with pulsing analog synths and a slamming dance floor beat for the clubs."

Octavian Winters also present their new video for 'Nebula', created by filmmaker David Kruschke, who also produced the band's most recent video for the original version of 'Velveteen'. Both songs were lifted from the band's debut EP 'The Line or Curve', released in October 2023, following videos for 'Undertow', 'Ondine' and 'Surreal'.

"Nebula began as an experiment. I was trying to pin down the concept of the song in my head lyrically for a while and just knew it felt very “big”, even apocalyptic in a way. I kept envisioning a sort of “last day at the end of the world” — what would the sky look like? Would we know and understand what was happening? There is this broadly Gnostic idea of the universe as unfolding and unfolding through what are called Aeons, essentially levels of manifestation, until we get this world we live in here," says Ria Aursjoen.

"I imagined this world reaching the fullness of its life, that whole cycle ending — and then everything reversing, refolding back to the start to make way for the next universe. There is a lot of esoteric symbology referenced in this song for those out there who like that sort of thing. The incredible thing about symbolic language is that it can have so many levels of meaning depending on the viewer/listener. I am sure I will understand my own words to this in new ways, in the future."

Drawing from darkwave and post-punk traditions, Octavian Winters dives into the ethereal, their layered music counterpointing edged grooves alongside lush synth textures and soaring vocal harmonies.

Randy Gzebb explains, "We were discussing what song idea we should work on next during the writing process and Ria brought in the demo of Nebula. We listened once and started playing it at rehearsal and after a couple of takes, everyone had their parts locked down. I started to play with the Tom groove and tried to make it powerful, but still leave some space for the track to breathe. The rhythm and tempo set the overall tone and emotional mood of the song, with guitar and pulsating bass creating a haunting atmosphere with powerful vocal lines".

'The Line or Curve' EP was recorded in San Francisco byMark Pistel (Meat Beat Manifesto, Consolidated) at OW Studio and Room 5 Recording, the band produced this EP withWilliam Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate, Faith and the Muse, Christian Death, The March Violets), who also mixed and mastered it at13 Studioin Chicago.

Over the years, members of Octavian Winters have shared the stage with many iconic acts, includingNine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, Lords of the New Church, Savage Republic, Christian Death, The Frozen Autumn, Everything Goes Cold and Black Tape for a Blue Girl.

As of April 30, 'Nebua / Velveteen (Mark Pistel Remix)' is available digitally from fine music platforms, including via Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, where 'The Line or Curve' EP is also available. The band's next concert is on Friday, July 26 at San Francisco's DNA Lounge - they headline with Halou and Sword Tongue as support.

CREDITS
Ria Aursjoen - Vocals / Keyboards
Stephan Salit - Guitars
Randy Gzebb - Drums
Jay Denton - Bass
'Velveteen' remix by Mark Pistel
'Nebula' written by Ria Aursjoen
'Velveteen' written by Octavian Winters
Recorded at OW studios San Francisco
Vocals recorded by Mark Pistel, Room 5 Recording, San Francisco
'Nebula' mixed & mastered by William Faith at 13 Studio, Chicago
'Nebula' produced by Octavian Winters and William Faith
Cover art Ria Aursjoen
Design by Eric Olson
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
Video by David Kruschke

Keep up with Octavian Winters
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tiktok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | LinkedIn | Email

Dark, lush and elusive: San Francisco's OCTAVIAN WINTERS present 'Velveteen' from debut EP 'The Line or Curve'

November 9, 2023

"Capturing progressive sounds and thoughts, weaving them together in a dark and lush tapestry of near-classic post-punk, oscillating between shadow and shimmer. Reflecting the troubled times that we live in, sublime dark sonic delight" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Feels like it was recorded in a studio deep beneath the earth, drawing power from subterranean caves and bubbling magma. There’s tectonic thunder in the pounding drums and rumbling bass... Such power, strong and true, a voice that scales the wall of sound beneath her with ease" ~ Joyzine

"A dark musical weave forged of post-punk and gothic strands. A sonic web that is a neat blend of pulsing bass grooves and shaded ethereality, dark and delicious guitar slashes, and haunting sound washes" ~ The Big Takeover

"Seriously compelling incitement, which Aursjoen’s tones and the electronically atmospheric mists around her only escalate" ~ Ringmaster Review

San Francisco post-punk outfit Octavian Winters presents their new video for 'Velveteen', created by David Kruschke. Lifted from their debut album 'The Line or Curve', recently released via Stratis Capta Records, this feels like a getaway song from an imaginary sonic spy novel with its driving rhythm and 80’s vibe.

Born into the ghostly isolation of San Francisco in 2022 and drawing from darkwave and post-punk traditions, Octavian Winters dives into the ethereal, their layered music counterpointing edged grooves alongside lush synth textures and soaring vocal harmonies. In the lead up to the album, the band released the singles 'Undertow'. 'Ondine' and 'Surreal'.

Recorded in San Francisco by Mark Pistel (Meat Beat Manifesto, Consolidated) at OW Studio and Room 5 Recording, this EP was produced by Octavian Winters and William Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate, Faith and the Muse, Christian Death, The March Violets), whose credits include Jarboe, Clan of Xymox, Bootblacks and Autumn, Faith also mixed and mastered the album at 13 Studio in Chicago.

Octavian Winters is guitarist Stephan Salit (Thrill of The Pull), drummer Randy Gzebb (Thrill of The Pull, Love Club,), bassist Jay Denton and Ria (Amenti) Aursjoen on vocals and keyboards. Together, they weave their visceral and ethereal sound into a texture all its own – of stories once told but half-remembered, under a dusk of shadows and stars, in an abandoned city under the winter moon.

Randy Gzebbexplains the tone of this song: "Racing down a gloomy freeway on a grey evening, you walk up an alleyway and duck into a smokey casino, filled with like-minded people, an intense air of anticipation building as everyone gets ready to turn themselves loose, their insecurities, anxieties filled with emotions with driving drums and bass with serrated guitars, desperate vocals playing in the background,

"We had just started working up the music for what would become Velveteen in the summer of 2022 and I was out in Vegas for a few days. I had driven out into the desert, musing on inspiration for lyrics, and was on my way back into the city when the signs for the casinos, shows and strip clubs started popping up. The idea for the lyrics coalesced then -- there was an air of desperation in all the lights and billboards, a false lure to feel... good. To indulge in fantasy. The lyrics are about people trying to claim their dreams through escape, by avenues that lead down a rabbit hole of despair," says Ria (Amenti) Aursjoen.

This album is about coming to terms with isolation and loss in various forms, touching on themes that the whole world has dealt with face to face for the past few years – feelings and repercussions that have left a deep imprint on all of us. The music and lyrics are a natural extension of these emotions and thoughts, bubbling under the surface.

Each member of Octavian Winters brings their own rich musical tapestry to the collective and have shared the stage with many iconic acts over the years, includingNine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, Lords of the New Church, Savage Republic, Christian Death, The Frozen Autumn, Everything Goes Cold and Black Tape for a Blue Girl.

'The Line or Curve' EP is out now and available digitally from fine music platforms, including viaApple Music, Spotify andBandcamp.

CREDITS
All songs written by Octavian Winters except 'Nebula', written by Ria Aursjoen
Ria Aursjoen - Vocals / Keyboards
Stephan Salit - Guitars
Randy Gzebb - Drums
Jay Denton - Bass
Recorded at OW studios San Francisco, CA
Vocals recorded by Mark Pistel, Room 5 Recording, San Francisco, CA
Mixed and mastered by William Faith at 13 Studio, Chicago, IL
Produced by Octavian Winters and William Faith
Artist photos by Dina Marie Robinson
Eric Olson - Design
Steve Devaney - Design at Uroboros Choke
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
Jay Adams - Video director, cinematographer, editor, producer
'Velveteen' videographer - David Kruschke

San Francisco's OCTAVIAN WINTERS present 'Surreal' plus eerie spacious video, previewing debut EP 'The Line or Curve'

September 27, 2023

"Feels like it was recorded in a studio deep beneath the earth, drawing power from subterranean caves and bubbling magma. There’s tectonic thunder in the pounding drums and rumbling bass... Such power, strong and true, a voice that scales the wall of sound beneath her with ease" ~ Joyzine

"A dark musical weave forged of post-punk and gothic strands. A sonic web that is a neat blend of pulsing bass grooves and shaded ethereality, dark and delicious guitar slashes, and haunting sound washes" ~ The Big Takeover

"Seriously compelling incitement, which Aursjoen’s tones and the electronically atmospheric mists around her only escalate" ~ Ringmaster Review

San Francisco post-punk outfit Octavian Winters presents the new video for 'Surreal', which sums up this experience for viewers. The third single from their debut album 'The Line or Curve' (out October 13), the mood of this video perfectly fits that of this song, which is about being disconnected from your environment and the feeling that you can’t quite put your finger on objective reality.

Recorded in San Francisco by Mark Pistel (Meat Beat Manifesto, Consolidated) at OW Studio and Room 5 Recording, this EP was produced by Octavian Winters and William Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate, Faith and the Muse, Christian Death, The March Violets), whose credits include Jarboe, Clan of Xymox, Bootblacks and Autumn, Faith also mixed and mastered the album at 13 Studio in Chicago.

Born into the ghostly isolation of San Francisco in 2022, Octavian Winters is Stephan Salit (guitar), Randy Gzebb (drums), Jay Denton (bass) and Ria Aursjoen (vocals, keyboards), who together weave their visceral and ethereal sound into a texture all its own – of stories once told but half-remembered, under a dusk of shadows and stars, in an abandoned city under the winter moon.

Order the 'The Line or Curve' EP https://octavianwinters.bandcamp.com/album/the-line-or-curve

Earlier, the band released the singles 'Undertow' and 'Ondine'. Drawing from darkwave and post-punk traditions, Octavian Winters dives into the ethereal, their layered music counterpointing edged grooves alongside lush synth textures and soaring vocal harmonies.

“Randy Gzebb and Stephan Salit first created the slow, melancholy progression that was to be the core of 'Surreal'. To me, it had a beautifully dark and watery feel, like being caught at night on a foggy ocean. The first words that came to me as I was working up the vocal melody were “it’s surreal, so find a way”, and I thought it was curious that I couldn’t seem to get away from those words and make anything else feel right," . says Ria Aursjoen.

"Usually I will start with the melody and placeholder lyrics but, in this case, it came at once from the start and those words stuck. I started to unspool the feeling behind them: the idea of being disconnected from everything and everyone, and feeling like you can’t quite put your finger on objective reality. I feel this is a distillation of many people’s experiences over the last three years of lockdowns and schism. The song also explores the theme of the “in between” or existing in a state that is neither here nor there, and in which it is impossible to tell what is real and what are just projections."

Octavian Winters formed in late 2021 when Gzebb and Salit, former bandmates in Thrill of The Pull, met up to discuss a film/television publishing deal for Thrill’s catalog (a four-year licensing deal has since been finalized with Expressive Artists). A subsequent jam session produced several motifs, inspiring several more jams in the next weeks. Gzebb invited Aursjoen, whom he had met earlier via another project, to a session and the musical chemistry was immediately evident. Gzebb brought in bassist Jay Denton to round out the line up.

Each member of Octavian Winters brings their own rich musical tapestry to the collective and have shared the stage with many iconic acts over the years, including Nine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, Lords of the New Church, Savage Republic, Christian Death, The Frozen Autumn, Everything Goes Cold and Black Tape for a Blue Girl.

Ria (Amenti) Aursjoen, who has synesthesia and has nurtured generational musical seeds planted by her opera diva grandmother, has recorded and performed in the UK and US in genres ranging from Celtic folk to progressive metal and darkwave. She left her graduate work in theoretical physics to pursue music, touring as a Celtic harpist and vocalist for several years before making her home in San Francisco.

Drummer Randy Gzebb relocated to California from Canada, immersing himself in the San Francisco and Los Angeles music scenes in various projects. He was a member of '80s gothic rock band Love Club, who were signed by Sandy Pearlman (The Clash and The Dictators), released on MCA Records, and produced by Bill Buchanan (Fields Of The Nephilim, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, The Leather Nun).

Stephan Salit, who considers performing live his sacred space, has recorded and performed with a wide variety of groups including Specimen. Approaching each song as a canvas that calls for colour and depth, he views his playing as painting with sound.

Bay Area native Jay Denton, who spent some time on the road with Jack Kerouac, has had a diverse career performing classical and contemporary composers, and with various jazz and rock bands, playing extensively with the house band at San Francisco’s famous Condor strip club. Jay has toured in London, Japan and across the USA..

'Surreal' is out now, available from fine music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. 'The Line or Curve' EP will be released on October 13 via Stratis Capta Records. On October 31, Octavian Winters will be playing Bottom of The Hill in San Francisco (with Dead Souls and The Reptile House), followed by a Sacramento show on November 8 at Cafe Colonial (with Ashes Fallen).

CREDITS
Music written by Octavian Winters. Lyrics by Ria Aursjoen
Ria Aursjoen - Vocals / Keyboards
Stephan Salit - Guitars
Randy Gzebb - Drums
Jay Denton - Bass
Recorded at OW studios San Francisco, CA
Vocals recorded by Mark Pistel, Room 5 Recording, San Francisco, CA
Mixed and mastered by William Faith at 13 Studio, Chicago, IL
Produced by Octavian Winters and William Faith
Artist photos by Dina Marie Robinson
Jay Adams - Video director, cinematographer, editor producer
Eric Olson - Design
Steve Devaney - Design at Uroboros Choke
Concept, storyboard, set and costume design by Ria Aursjoen

Keep up with Octavian Winters
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tiktok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | LinkedIn | Email