By Eric The Red
Ekavohs: A new word to be spread throughout the world. Also, the name of one of the most eclectic and original bands our valley has seen in quite some time. With vocals ranging from guttural and diabolical to shrill and ear splitting, a heavy electronic influence, and a powerful message, Ekavohs has just broken through the commonality and begun making their name known to the masses.
When I sat down with the members of Ekavohs in their practice space, a rented storage unit in Indio, I got to feel the exuberance and elation of a band that had just played their first show this past Thursday. The excitement was nearly palpable. Made up of brothers Brandon and Jeremy Marquez, lead guitarist Erick Estrada, rhythm guitarist Mario Galindo and Abraham Lopez adding to the ambiance with his keyboard and sampling, Ekavohs is out to start a genre of their own, which they have dubbed “The New Wave of Industrial.” When asked to describe their music, Brandon stated, “We’re industrial metal, but heavier. Our main thing is Industrial, but we have, like, death metal, black metal, sludge metal influences.” With their 3 biggest influences being Motionless In White, Satyricon and Behemoth, it won’t take long for this band to rise from humble beginnings to possible stardom, so long as they continue working.
Though their music has a very dark, edgy feel to its sound, the members of Ekavohs have an almost unconventional sense of humor. Throughout the interview, they were cracking jokes (many of which cannot be repeated. This is a family publication, afterall.), and having an overall good time. When asked about their normal practice regime, Lopez said, “We’re serious, but we’re here to have fun. We know how to balance the work that needs to be done with the fun we want to have. Our usual practice is just us, having some beers, cracking some jokes, and blasting out some heavy tunes.”
Ekavohs isn’t just here to party and make a name for themselves, though. They are also out to send a message. Their name alone is meant to stand as an inspiration to anyone going through troubling times. “We wanted the name to be really meaningful and short. Erick and I came up with it our freshman year of high school. Whenever we were sad or pissed off, I would just be like, ‘Fuck this, I’m just gonna kill myself. Erick! Get the fuckin’ shovel, bury me in the back yard and cover your tracks with the rake.’ And it was so stupid that it would just make us laugh and feel a little better, and we would realize how stupid that sounds. Nothing is worth killing yourself, no matter what it is. Suicide is never the answer. So we combined the 2 items we talked about, the shovel and the rake, and flipped it around. Shovake backwards is Ekavohs. It’s meant to be anyone’s ultimate weapon, to get them through their hard times. For us, music is our Ekavohs,” states Brandon.
With their first show in the books, band members are already looking forward to bigger and better things. Their next scheduled show will be at the Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood, featuring Wayne Static (of Static-X), The Defiled and Mad Life. Tickets are $20 (see Ekavohs for details) and the show starts at 6:00pm. Be on the lookout for these guys, as they will be moving up fast, and be sure to check them out on Facebook at facebook.com/ekavohs.
