Excited to be pre-selling and self-releasing our new album Spell/Bound on Kickstarter! Thank you for supporting projects like this- we get to be super hands-on and it really improves the quality and options of what we can make. Forever grateful. 

If you’re new to MBD, we’ve been making spooky gothic-western indie for over 20 years. We have always had a very hands-on approach: this album is completely self-released, and we have assembled a team of a ton of great folks to help us work it. We will be running and fulfilling this Kickstarter ourselves, as we always have, and we continue to work directly with the artists and manufacturers to make the coolest stuff we can come up with! Reach out to us at mbdband@gmail.com with any questions! Follow us @murderbydeath on social media, Spotify, etc. 

 THE ALBUM: SPELL/BOUND

We wanted to create an album that was towing a line between laid-back and dark high-drama that paid homage to everything from Massive Attack and Portishead to Serge Gainesbourg or even keyboard wizard Vangelis and 70s cult-instrumentalists Goblin, all while still maintaining signature MBD vibes.

“Everything Must Rest” is just your average baroque western-goth new wave indie-pop gem that nods to 80’s Cure, while “Incantation” is a balls-to-the-wall orchestrated arrangement that functions as a spell hurled at those undoing our world.

Sonically, it is an ode to the sounds of movies and music that we grew up with and a celebration of the dark, the weird and the lovely. 

 SPELL/BOUND SPECIAL EDITION VINYL: 

The Special Edition Vinyl is Spot UV printed on a matte jacket and pressed on Marbled Neon Pink 180 gram vinyl. It is limited to this Kickstarter and will only available here until it sells out. 

 SPELL/BOUND SUPER SPECIAL EDITION VINYL FROM OUR LAST (2020) KICKSTARTER: 

1000 of you pledged for the SSE vinyl pressing of our 2020 Pandemic Relief Kickstarter, and you’ll be getting this version mailed to you! Be sure to update your shipping address in Kickstarter! The SSE version is Spot UV on a matte jacket and pressed on Galaxy Cyan Blue 180 gram vinyl. It will also come with a 7″ record w/ the bonus songs we recorded for the new record, as well as a limited sticker sheet only available from supporting the 2020 Kickstarter. Thanks for saving our butts.

 MBD’S SPOOKY TALES: COMIC / LYRIC BOOK

I have wanted to do a printed lyric book for a long time and realized it would be rad to invite artists to illustrate a song of their choice, in comic form, so that we could see their interpretations of the stories within the lyrics. It came out great, & there’s 20 different artists who each picked a song to contribute. The release is hardcover, w/ all the bells & whistles, and is 76 pages. The artists: 

• J.H. Williams III @jhwilliamsiii
• Ryan Browne @ryanbrowneart
• Erica Williams @hookieduke
• Chris Anderson @chrisanderoncomics
• Marie Enger @so_engery
• Sally Cantirino @sally_cantirino
• Matt Harvey @Matt.C.Harvey
• Mathias Valdez @lastleafprints
• Meghan Player @meghanptf
• Charlie Wagers @charliewagers
• Matt Bailey @baileyillustration
• Dave Parker @littledaveparker
• Nate Esteras @ungr_vity
• Gamaliel Montoya Zamora @oldcreeps
• Amber Olsen @artbyamberolsen
• Ricky Vigil @supercoolnstuff
• Ray Nadine @rays_helll
• Ryan Beckerman @guyontherocks
• Anthony Elliott @dogcitydrifter
• Doug Knight @crosseyecomics

FRAMED: THE POSTER ART OF MBD 2nd EDITION:

The sold out poster art book from 2015 is being reprinted in a new format, more like a bathroom reader than a coffee table book, and with over 50 pages of new posters added. The new pressing is softcover in a 7.5″x7.5″ 200 page edition. Perfect for perusing in a quiet moment of respite (on the can). It’s also more affordable than before and it’s a great way to look back at the band’s history through the lens of the art that got folks out to the shows.

 CONCERT TIX FOR THE CAVERNS AT PELHAM, TN 

This year’s show is at a different cavern that’s a bit bigger, and has some more  amenities such as more outdoor camping plus alcohol sales inside the cavern. It is one night only. It’s also our ALBUM RELEASE PARTY and we will play the entire new album! There’s 3 packages available for tickets, single ticket, 2 tickets, or 4 tickets. If you need 3 or 5 tickets, just have two different people buy tickets. IT IS WILL-CALL ONLY, NO PHYSICAL TICKETS! It’s gonna be amazing. *Be sure to note that this is NOT THE SAME CAVERNS WE HAVE PLAYED BEFORE. We will message all ticketholders show info via the email associated with your Kickstarter account, and/or you can check murderbydeath.com for the section on CAVE SHOWS for more info. 

• IF YOU WANT CONCERT TICKETS PLUS OTHER ITEMS, SELECT THE TICKET OPTION YOU WANT AND SIMPLY ADD ON OTHER ITEMS. 
• If you have a previous Golden Ticket For Stanley/Cave shows, that includes this years cave shows at Pelham, TN!

KICKSTARTER SHIRT:

Amazing shirt by Meghan Player, only available through this Kickstarter! Choose your size after the Kickstarter is funded. 

WHISKEY CREW SHIRT:

Rad Whiskey Crew Shirt by Marie Enger, available only through this Kickstarter! Choose your size after the Kickstarter is funded. 

 THE POSTER:

Our longtime collaborator Mathias Valdez AKA @lastleafprints made a rad print of the new album cover featuring art by Michael Namingha. It is a high end giclee, with a second screen-printed layer of spooky moon worshippers that will appear as a glow in the dark feature! There’s also an option for versions that come in a reclaimed wood frame made by Adam! Many of the frames were made from the floorboards and door casings/ shelves from when we restored our 1880’s house!

SARAH’S CERAMICS SUBSCRIPTION:

Sarah has been hard at work on the craft of ceramics. In addition to the merch, this reward will get you a quarterly shipment of one handmade Balliet Clay ceramic for one year, totaling four pieces of her choice, representing her artistic whims of the moment.

TEST PRESSINGS:

Pledge for a test pressing, and then select the album test you want from the list below and email me at mbdband@gmail.com. If it’s still available, you’ll get your first pick and I’ll update the list. I recently discovered a batch of pressings I didn’t know I had, so there’s more than have been previously available. This is everything I have left, other than a single personal copy of each pressing. * These also come bundled with lots of other goodies. 

• Spell/Bound Tests (3)
• Lonesome Holiday Tests (5)
• Big Dark Love Tests (2)
• Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon Tests (5)
• Who Will Survive Tests (1)
• Skeletons In The Closet Tests (4)
• Finch 10″ Tests (3)
• As You Wish Vol 1 Tests (2)
• As You Wish Vol 2 Tests (3)
• As You Wish Vol 3 Tests (2)
• MBD/Samantha Crain Split 7″ Tests (2)
• MBD/ Twin Limb Split 7″ Tests (1)
• MBD/ Will Whitmore Split 7″ Missprint Tests (1)

 BONUS SONGS: 

Some of the higher level rewards packages include a digital DL of 2 tracks that didn’t make the record, “Last Call” & “Follow”. The SSE pressing from the 2020 Kickstarter includes a bonus 7″ of those songs. That’s the only way to get the physical version and is a thank you to folks who supported us when everything was falling apart for us during the pandemic. 

ALTERNATE MIXES OF SPELL/BOUND: (???)

If we exceed our goal, we have a couple songs from Spell/Bound that sound amazing just stripped down to voices, guitar, cello, and violin. If we meet a (hopefully) impending stretch goal, we will include downloads of those versions for all backers.

FAQS:

WHERE ARE THE COVER SONGS?

We wanted to try something different and we have been working on AS WE WISH – each band member picked a song they wanted to cover, and the rest of us figured it out! It’ll be an EP out late this year/early 2023. 

WHERE ARE THE PRIVATE SHOWS?

In the post-pandemic world these are just too much to book and work on. Also, we just aren’t a wedding band! We are honored to be thought of as a part of your big day but that just isn’t what we set out to do with this band. This will allow us to focus more of our needs at home and writing the best material we can.  

IF I AM A PREVIOUS FOREVER CLUB MEMBER WHAT WILL I BE SENT FROM THIS?

You’ll be sent the SE Vinyl, The KS Poster, Framed: 2nd Edition Poster Art Book, MBD’s Spooky Tales Comic/Lyric Book,  and a patch. 

I SUPPORTED THE 2020 PANDEMIC KICKSTARTER FOR THE SSE VINYL, TELL ME MORE!

The SSE version is Spot UV on a matte jacket and pressed on Galaxy Cyan Blue 180 gram vinyl. It will also come with a 7″ record w/ the bonus songs we recorded for the new record, as well as a limited sticker sheet, both only avail from the 2020 Kickstarter. 

HOW DO I UPDATE MY ADDRESS IN KICKSTARTER?

To save your shipping address, log into your account, and visit the ‘Shipping address’ tab on the Settings page of your account. Here you’ll be able to add your address by filling out the required fields and clicking ‘Save’.

IS MY PREVIOUS GOLDEN TICKET FOR STANLEY HOTEL & CAVE SHOWS GOOD FOR THIS YEARS CAVE SHOW?

YES! 

WHO MADE THE ALBUM ART?

MICHAEL NAMINGHA, an artist from Santa Fe. It’s part of his Altered Landscapes series and is a mixed media piece centered around The Black Place in NM. Check him out at @mnamingha. Birch Miller did the layout.

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT INSANE KICKSTARTER VIDEO?

Emma and her partner Stephen brought to life my idea to celebrate local tv commercials with this weird “commercial” for the Kickstarter. We made a few references to local commercials we remember from childhood, and had a blast making this ridiculous video. Their production company is Awesome Choo Choo @awesomechoochoo – so three cheers for Emma Tiemann & Stephen Inman for this!

 HERE’S ALL THIS YEAR’S TOUR DATES: 

JULY

       30 The Caverns at Pelham, TN (MBD ONLY, Album Release Party!)

August

       5  Austin, TX    Scoot Inn
          6  Dallas, TX    Amplified Live
          7  Tulsa, OK    Cain’s Ballroom
          9  Kansas City, MO    Lemonade Park
          10  St. Louis, MO    Red Flag
          12  Minneapolis, MN    First Avenue
          13  Chicago, IL    Thalia Hall
          14  Chicago, IL    Thalia Hall
          15  Kalamazoo, MI    Bell’s Beer Garden
          16  Pittsburgh, PA    Mr. Smalls Theatre
          18  Philadelphia, PA    Union Transfer
          19  Queens, NY    Knockdown Center
          20  Baltimore, MD    Ram’s Head
          22  Asheville, NC    Salvage Station
          27  Denver, CO    Ogden Theatre
          28 TBA
          29  Salt Lake City,  UT    The Depot
          31  Tucson, AZ    Rialto Theatre

September
          1  San Diego, CA    House of Blues
          2  Los Angeles, CA    Belasco Theater
          3  TBA
          4  Berkeley, CA    The UC Theatre
          5  TBA
          8  Portland, OR    Revolution Hall
          9  Portland, OR    Revolution Hall
          10  Seattle, WA    The Crocodile
          11  TBA

w/ Amigo The Devil & Samantha Crain/Katacombs on select dates