Kneeling Knave Debuts With a Savage Industrial Throb

Image: Caitlin Hurik

Kneeling Knave is the latest project for Cooper Bowman, a Melbourne musician who NOISEY has covered before through his work in Roman Nails.

Whereas Roman Nails, was all twisted techno, Kneeling Knave explores the heavy mid-80s industrial sound, in particular Dead Tech, a short lived project for Mitch Enderle whose only tape release has become a collector item.

Cooper will release ‘The Messiah Complex / Involuntary Admission’ an upcoming 7” through Altered States tapes .

“Kneeling Knave differs from other projects that I’ve done recently in that there are vocals and an overall harsher sound," he says. "Thematically, it is currently centred on a lived experience of mental illness and the health care system surrounding it. I’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness and currently volunteer in an inpatient unit / study in the field, so I’ve seen both sides of the coin. Sonically, Kneeling Knave is primarily influenced by seminal 80s project, Dead Tech and, to some extent, early SPK. I see these acts as the apex of the industrial sound.”

Cooper tells us that there will be full-length Kneeling Knave tape coming out soon on Trapdoor Tapes that pursues more of a power-electronics direction.

In the meantime take a listen to “Involuntary Admission” the b-side to the upcoming 7’.

“The Messiah Complex / Involuntary Admission” is available June 1 through Altered States.

Catch the Kneeling Knave launch/live debut in Melbourne Aug 25 at Hugs n' Kisses with Collector + Dead Boomers.