The Ongoing Concept have released a video for their new song ‘Unwanted’ which is the first taste of their forthcoming album “Handmade” which comes out June 16th. In The Ongoing Concept‘s own frenetic fashion, song/video is ripping and disorienting, yet immediately memorable. The video can be seen below.
Keeping with the “Handmade” theme, the ‘Unwanted’ video was directed by Dawson Scholz (guitarist/vocalist) and filmed by the band members. As reported previously, much has been made of the band’s decision to do everything for this album by hand. That includes building their own instruments.
The Ongoing Concept will hit the road around the album’s release for be a co-headlining run with Dayseeker (InVogue Records). Dates and locations are listed below.
As evidenced in the time-lapsed video, the forthcoming album’s title “Handmade” is more than a moniker and brings the term “DIY” to a whole new level. In addition to recording the album entirely in their house, making their own videos and album artwork, the band went as far as to build their own instruments for this album.
Dawson Scholz (guitarist/vocalist) espouses on the idea, ‘well, I don’t want to give the idea that we were dirt-poor growing up but we always were inclined to build the redneck versions of things we needed. I built our guitar cabs years ago and people always comment on them. So not too long ago, we were sitting around and just had the idea to really build our new album from the ground up including our instruments.’
‘This process was undoubtedly long and challenging. In the case of the drums alone, steps included setting axe to pine trees, drying the wood of sap and moisture over long arduous hours, shaping, sanding, and attaching the pieces together, to drilling and installing the hardware to the finished drum. In the case of the guitars different pickups and electronics were soldered on and off to match the tonal aspects of each individual song.’
Composed of Dawson as well as his two brothers Kyle Scholz (vocals/keyboards), Parker Scholz (drums) and childhood friend TJ Nichols (bass), The Ongoing Concept is definitely not afraid to stick out. Their 2013 debut album “Saloon” on Solid State Records (Underoath, Fit For A King) both won plenty of fans and plenty of puzzled head-scratching alike. The songs combined the technical dexterity of bands like The Chariot with strong elements of punk melodicism and utilized unexpected instruments and styles throughout. As highly critical online outlet Metal Sucks summed up ‘The dusty mine-town barroom conceit isn’t fleeting or kitschy either – ragtime piano, seedy banjo plucking and barbershop crooning have all been smoothly integrated without ever feeling forced or secondary to the screamo.’
On the genesis of their sound Dawson divulged ‘we’re just not afraid to look weird. That’s really it, some bands may say we play heavy music and that’s supposed to be guitar, bass and drums. I look around our music space and see a trombone, a piano, a harmonica and I think, I wonder what we could do with that?’
The sense of rambunctiousness and passion extends to The Ongoing Concept’s live shows. Touring steadily over the last few years, the band has hit the country and Europe with such artists as Hawthorne Heights, War Of Ages, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Brent Walsh (of I The Mighty).
Their latest album “Saloon” has been released on August 20th. 2013 via Solid State Records.
Our review of “Saloon” can be found here.
Upcoming Shows:
Jun 11 The Marquis Theater, Denver, CO
Jun 12 Blue Moose Tap House, Iowa City, IA
Jun 13 The Warehouse, La Crosse, WI
Jun 14 Vintage Villians, Danville, IL
Jun 15 Penny Road Pub, Barrington, IL
Jun 16 The Ritz, Detroit, MI
Jun 17 The Outpost, Kent, OH
Jun 18 The Hollow, Albany, NY
Jun 19 SIMONS 667, Providence, RI
Jun 20 Planet Trog, Allentown, PA
Jun 21 The Champ, Lemoyne, PA
Jun 22 The Place, Brooklyn, NY
Jun 23 Gamechanger World, Howell, NJ
Jun 25 KC’s Music Alley, Fredericksburg, VA
Jun 26 Greene St.Club, Greensboro, NC
Jun 27 Murray Hill Theater, Jacksonville, FL
Jun 28 Backbooth, Orlando, FL
Jun 29 The Goat House, Odessa, FL
Jul 01 Walters, Houston, TX
Jul 02 Dirty Dog Bar, Austin, TX
Jul 03 Sons of Hermans Hall Dallas, TX (*No Dayseeker)
Video below: ‘Unwanted’
Video below: Teaser #1 ‘The Tree’
Video below: Teaser #2 ‘The Microwave’
Related Articles:
‘The Ongoing Concept’ Music Video Released For ‘Failures & Fakes’ [Jan. 2014]
‘The Ongoing Concept’ to Play ‘Christmas Rock Night’ December 2014 [June 2014]
The Ongoing Concept – “Saloon” [Review]
‘The Ongoing Concept’ Release ‘Like Autumn’ Music Video [Feb. 2015]
‘The Ongoing Concept’ Announce “Handmade”, Release Date June 16th [May 2015]