Shane Embury is arguably best known for making a horrible racket. As bassist with Brummie grindcore legends Napalm Death, he has been terrorising audiences since the late 80s, and shows no signs of stopping. But beyond his day job as a noisy bastard, Embury is also a prolific exponent of weird and wonderful side-projects, some of which have self-evident progressive DNA.
Over the last few years he’s been exploring the realms of electronic music, industrial and freeform ambience under the name Dark Sky Burial, and making some incredibly strange progressive metal with Tronos, his collaboration with longtime associate and producer Russ Russell.
But the most overtly prog-friendly sounds he has ever made can be found on new solo album Bridge To Resolution. The first record he’s released under his own name, it’s a bewildering but highly accessible splurge of futuristic post-punk, fidgeting electronics and atmospheric avant-pop.
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It sits somewhere between Devin Townsend’s widescreen indulgence and the leftfield industrial rock of latter-day Killing Joke. Partly inspired by his own experiences with Jungian therapy the prog-friendly and deeply personal endeavour.
As a confirmed Cardiacs and Rush fanatic, Embury is delighted to qualify for coverage in Prog.
Prog readers will recognise you as being from Napalm Death. Why should they listen to your new solo album?
It’s an interesting point! It’s very electronic in places and I was heavily into my synths at the time, but there’s a couple of parts in there that are proggy in the sense that I hear my Cardiacs influences coming through.
It’s experimental, and a lot of early prog was experimental. That’s one reason why people should check it out!
Why did you decide to make it?
It started off in the same realm as my Dark Sky Burial project, but when I started doing some singing, it obviously needed to go somewhere else. I decided to release it as Shane Embury – I could have called it something else, but then it’s just another project. It felt like more than that.
Was it daunting to do all the singing on this album?
I did all the vocals on the Tronos album [2019’s Celestial Mechanics], which was heavier, of course, and that in itself is quite a weird album. This is different because it’s cleaner vocals.I started singing because I had kids – I started singing to them and it grew from there. I got [producer] Simon Efemey in, because he’s a really good vocal coach. It’s a learning process; it got easier the more we did it.
Is there any prospect of playing this material live?
I’m thinking about it! I’ve been trying to blag a spot at [prog-friendly Dutch festival] Roadburn but they’ve got 10 million bands wanting to play and they haven’t responded yet. Adrian Erlandsson from At The Gates has said he would play drums, and I’ve asked a few guitarists. I’ve even asked Kavus from Cardiacs whether he’d pop in and help me.
It would be nice to do it. It’s a different thing. As nervous as I get, I kind of want to jump into the unknown a bit.
You always have several projects on the go. Is it difficult to find time to do them all?
Yeah, time is an issue but I have this itch that there are albums I have to do, and that’s just the way it is. I enjoy that. It’s good to have guidelines to move forward, and it helps me to cope with the insanity of life, which does my fucking head in, like anybody!
The title and lyrics seem to point to your own personal journey over the last few years.
I’m still a work in progress. After Covid I was struggling at home and I was struggling on tour. The creativity has been flowing out, but I still don’t like myself at times, the way I am around other people. I started doing Jungian therapy and I’ve seen a lot of things that I need to work on, and the music has enabled me to express that a little bit, I suppose.
I’ve had a real problem with alcohol again, the last couple of years. I’ve knocked it on the head now, finally, but the last time it happened it was pretty rough.
For me Rush was mainly about the insane riffs and the musicianship, but as I get older the lyrics have had a huge impact
Is it partly about coming to terms with growing older and realising you’re not invincible?
We thought we were indestructible when we were young, but we weren’t! I always loved the Neil Peart quote, “We’re only immortal for a limited time.” He hit the nail on the head, as ever. When I started to get into Jungian philosophy and other philosophies, I went back and read his lyrics. He was soul-searching, for sure.
Extra prog points for mentioning Neil Peart!
Well, Rush are one of my favourite bands – it’s amazing stuff. But if you dig deep into his lyrics, there must have been some kind of Jungian thing going on, because those lyrics really speak to me. For me it was mainly about the insane riffs and the musicianship, but as I get older, the lyrics have had a huge impact.
What other projects are you working on?
Me and Russ have got to finish the second Tronos album. I’ve been recording new Napalm Death stuff, too – we’ve got 12 new tracks recorded. Another Dark Sky Burial album is on the cards.
But what I really want to do is my Cardiacs-esque album. It doesn’t all sound like Cardiacs but a couple of tracks sound like them, and the rest sound like Gong or something. I’ve got loads of weird little things going on.
Is there a sense that you can’t help yourself?
I can’t, no! I lie here sometimes thinking, “Yeah, I’ve got a fucking problem.” I can’t stop doing it, and it’s a necessity to do it. I get told to calm down because I’m always 10 steps ahead. It must be hard for my wife – I’m surprised she hasn’t locked me in the attic!
But I don’t know what I’d do without that outlet. It helps me to navigate the day. Do what you love, you know?
Bridge To Resolution is on sale now.