US sludge/grunge/stoner metal duo Dope Skum to release »Return To The Gutter South: Live At Cherry Street Tavern« on October 3rd!

Chattanooga, Tennessee based sludge/grunge/stoner metal duo Dope Skum is gearing up to release their live album »Return To The Gutter South: Live At Cherry Street Tavern« independently on October 3rd, 2024.

Tracklist:
01. Feast Of Snakes
02. Belly Lint
03. The Cycle
04. Waiting Around To Die
05. Fiending For A Feeling
06. Anxiety
07. Folk Magic

Chattanooga’s Dope Skum returns to the »Gutter South«!

Chattanooga-based band, Dope Skum, is set to release their first live album, »Return To The Gutter South: Live At Cherry Street Tavern«, digitally on October 3, 2024. The seven-track album features live recordings of their previously released EP’s »Tanasi« (December 2021) and »Gutter South« (April 2023), as well as the new track »Fiending For A Feeling« from an upcoming unannounced EP.

»Gutter South« received praise from several heavy music-oriented blogs, including Doomed & Stoned,
Sleeping Village, and Outlaws Of The Sun after its release. Inspired by this positive reception, Dope Skum teamed up with Matt Bohannon of the Bohannons to record a live performance at Cherry Street Tavern. Different than your typical live album, »Return To The Gutter South« was recorded inside Cherry Street Tavern without a live audience, a nod to the band’s punk rock influences.

“The goal was to capture our sound in a live setting. This release is more D.I.Y., which is where my roots are,” said Landress-Gibson, singer and guitarist for Dope Skum. “Some of my favorite 80’s hardcore punk bands released music that was recorded simplistically like this – a few mics set up in the room to capture the band and the ambiance of the room. That approach excited me. Plus, it was a way for us to make art with our friends and capture a moment in time for the band.”

Photos by McClain Potter

The band collaborated with fellow Chattanooga musicians for the live album’s production. “Matt and Marty have been very supportive of us over the years, and it really meant a lot to us to be able to work with them in their space,” said Landress-Gibson. “Cherry Street Tavern is like a home away from home to me, and when Matt approached us with the idea of recording here, I was immediately on board. We also had our friend Alex come in and play lead guitar on one of the tracks. We really just wanted to have fun with it all.”

The album was recorded in July 2023, and all songs from this session will be released digitally on
October 3, 2024. Additionally, Dope Skum will also release a cassette tape featuring the tracks from the July 2023 session, along with a live recording of their April 20, 2024, show at Cherry Street Tavern, recorded by Chad Harris.

“We finished the live session, and we were working on planning its release,” said Landress-Gibson, “Next thing we know, we scheduled a sick local 420 show, and unbeknownst to us, our buddy Chad recorded our set. He sent it over to me a few days later, and we thought it would be perfect to include it with the July session as an exclusive add-on for the cassette release.”

The band will be announcing the cassette release at a later date. »Return To The Gutter South« drops on October 3, 2024, on all major streaming platforms.

About Dope Skum:

Big ol’ southern groovy riffs. Conceived towards the tail end of 2020, Dope Skum released »Tanasi«, their debut EP, in March 2021. Nastier than an old timer’s moonshine mash, this 5-track effort stands on a rock-solid foundation of sludgy stoner metal with a notable punky inflection of raw, raucous, and generally mammothian riffs.

After playing around the Southeast for a few years, the duo released their second EP »Gutter South« on April 21, 2023. The five-track album showcases the band’s evolution, highlighting a shift in direction and sound. A trip down south with its fuzz-laden, groove-oriented, heavy, yet dynamic songs.

Continuing to hold on to and acknowledge their roots in »Tanasi« and »Gutter South«, Dope Skum is
releasing »Return To The Gutter South: Live At Cherry Street Tavern«, an album featuring live renditions of songs from both EPs. »Return To The Gutter South« is sure to give fresh perspectives on the duo’s songs.

Dope Skum is Cody Landress-Gibson (guitar/vocals) and Scott Keil (drums). Follow on Bandcamp,
Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify to stay up-to-date with the latest news and releases.

For fans of early Helmet, Weedeater, Toke

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well