Slayer Drummer Dave Lombardo’s PHILM Set To Release Debut Album ‘Harmonic’

PHILM, the trio featuring the star power of Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo, War’s Pancho Tomaselli and Civil Defiance's Gerry Nestler, have signed to Ipecac Recordings and plan to release their debut disc, 'Harmonic,' on May 15.

PHILM came together in late 2010 when the band headed out on a handful of tour dates and dropped a four-song demo that created a lot of buzz. However, if you’re looking for an extension of the Slayer sound, Lombardo says that’s not what PHILM is about.

“I have scaled down my drum set to a four-piece, reminiscent of the drummers from the late '60s that influenced me,” says Lombardo of his work with PHILM. “Each song is unique in itself, I like to refer to it as 'rhythmic emotion.' It's almost like taking all the heavy songs of the '60s and bringing that era to a modern plateau, then blending them with the modern trance and psychedelic sounds of today."

Lombardo, who’s wearing multiple hats, serving as not only writer and performer but also producer, comments on the importance of their intimate writing process, saying, “We decided to record 'Harmonic' in the intimate setting of a home, with various vintage recording equipment." He continues, “The music was written collectively in an improvisational manner, unlike the majority of recordings I've done before."

Hinting at what inspired the album title, Lombardo described the new music: “The album achieves a dense, unholy convergence of tones and discords. We also touch on haunting, desolate, ambient sounds. Our music tends to be written in a manner where we never know the outcome until we listen back to what we recorded. A Harmonic journey."

Singer and guitarist Gerry Nestler weighs in on PHILM as well, explaining, "The band's sound is channeled through the many different influences of drum and bass, expressionism, and underground, that ranges via ancient and indigenous to street." He continues, "There are many different things that Dave and I have been into that have contributed to the vision of PHILM.

PHILM has a show April 28 at The Ruby Room in San Diego, Calif., with more dates to be announced soon. As for their live show, Tomaselli promises, "Fans can expect a tsunami of sound at every show...that is what we do."

'Harmonic' Track Listing:

1. Vitriolize
2. Mitch
3. Hun
4. Area
5. Way Down
6. Harmonic
7. Exuberance
8. Sex Amp
9. Amoniac
10. Held in Light
11. Dome
12. Killion
13. Mezzanine
14. Mild
15. Meditation