Checking In: Skeleton Releases Best Death Metal in Recent History

Writes Decibel magazine: “Iron Age’s 2009 sophomore blindside The Sleeping Eye forged a crossover template Power Trip runs with like Herschel Walker. Alongside its Lone star predecessors, blackened Austin trio Skeleton stacks a tidy heap of hardcore under its metallic pivot since 2014. Their debut LP advances the gathering movement’s mob mentality.”

Photo by Mark Garcia

Austin Chronicle: Where are each of you sheltering and under what circumstances? Who else is there and how’s that going?

Victor Ziolkowski: I haven't sheltered at all, so to speak. I work on the front lines for a non-profit.

David Ziolkowski: We had a new album come out July 10 on 20 Buck Spin Records.

AC: At what point did C-19 shut down operations for the band and/or yourselves, and what went down with the ship, so to speak, both personally & professionally?

VZ: Why do operations have to shut down because of this “novel virus”? Our new album is still being released. We are preparing to record our next full-length.

DZ: We’re setting up our album release show virus or no virus, venues or no venues. Death Metal isn’t supposed to be safe. Come or don’t.

AC: As a global culture, people employ music for every purpose imaginable, obviously spanning religion to entertainment and everything in between. What happens to communities like ours when people can no longer access it in person?

VZ: Nowhere else could David and I had gotten a start in music at such a young age than here in Austin. I feel for all the venues, staff, media, professional musicians, and fans that have had to face hard times with little certainty of what is to come. That being said, I've found this to be a very refreshing break from the mediocrity that has flooded this city.

I support anyone striving to create with honesty, but to not have to see cover bands, trends, and irony onstage is a relief. This is a great opportunity for people to reevaluate what they want to support and where we should set the bar for musicianship, entertainment, and venues.

Should we allow or support venues that are 21+? Or ones who do not fairly pay the musicians that bring in patrons? Venues that cancel a local band’s long-term residency only to replace it with some kitschy hack musicians who just moved to Rainey St.?

How about if you are a “local business,” you hire LOCALS. Give jobs to the real Austinites who are being pushed out of the city and draining it of its unique culture. Never before has music come to a complete stop in this town.

Could this be the opportunity for a REAL musicians strike and union to force venues to comply to our demands? It is a very interesting time. We should take it and make it ours to better the community.

DZ: All-ages, all the time.

AC: Everyone’s had to shift or drastically alter their work situation. What does that look like for y’all?

DZ: I’ve been LOVING it! I’m making more money on unemployment than I ever have working. Paid vacation! I’ve hated all my jobs.

VZ: David makes more money than I do working full-time as a social worker. Think about it.

AC: What’s y’all’s soundtrack for the apocalypse and what role does music play for you as a fan and scholar of it in times of hardship?

Our new album and the demos for our follow up full-length are the best music to be recorded in recent history.

Black Lives Matter. Stand against systemic racism.

Check out the entire Checking In series.