By: Michael Madavi
Heavyweight Dub Champion
“Destroy the Industry” (mp3)
from “Rise of the Champion Nation”
(Champion Nation Recordings)
UPC: 823297000726
Release Date: 5/5/09
Territories: World
More On This Album
Housed in shamanistic ideas of the hidden power within a warrior, the untapped potential to liberate the people of Earth with a dark warrior fist is finally awakened on Heavyweight Dub Champion’s new album, Rise of the Champion Nation. Dark, tribal and intense, this is far from your regular Dub or even Trip-Hop album; the title Heavyweight applies perfectly. Though their sound is still rooted in the sonic manipulations of tradtional reggae dub, HDC takes those foundations and applies them to their darker, industrial sound. Setting out with the ultimate goal to liberate the world from corporations, distractions, and their reoccurring antihero Emcee Vill and the N.A.F. Agents, the Champion’s strength is drawn from political dissent and rigorous training. Similarly, the intensely dedicated authors of the album have spent five years crafting and perfecting this follow up to their critically-acclaimed 2002 debut album, Survival Guide For The End of Time: an ill-bent mix of industrial apocalyptic hip-hop dubtronica that “aims to topple the foundations of modern-day Babylon” as well as offer “prescriptions for survival and victory in a tension-filled time.” Serious stuff man.
Besides remaining eternally dedicated to the elaborate concept behind their music (they included a 70 page booklet, Last Champion Manifesto, with their first album, detailing their mission of ‘Unconditional Liberation of the Human Race’), the Dub Champion have created a fantastic and original album. You definitely taste the industrial appeal to their music: it’s heavy and dark beyond the reaches of traditional Dub and housed in a Hip-Hop sensibility. Like most good electronic music, it sends you into a trance as their all-star lineup of vocalists (KRS ONE, Killah Priest, Dr. Israel, Stero-Lion, A.P.O.S.T.L.E. and J Criminology) guide you through HDC’s manifesto and battles. The songs range from the heavy funk, upstroke “Dawn” to the spoken word and rapid fire drum samples in “Warrior Divination One” to the heavily distorted guitar on the hard hitting “Destroy the Industry.” A plethora of intense sounds that remain unified in the divine inspiration of the Last Champion.
Heavyweight Dub Champion was founded in Colorado in the Spring of 1997 by Resurrector and Patch after the demise of Roots Revolt, a Boulder, Colorado Reggae/Hip-hop band from 1995-1997 of which they and others in HDC were members. While in Gold Hill, “They hunkered down in a sonic laboratory — a log cabin equipped with an outhouse and no running water — and began to shape their music. Eventually, they conceived a kind of soundtrack for their shared end-time scenario: a heavyweight knockdown between the Last Champion and the forces that threaten to imprison the planet,” says Westword Magazine. Founder Resurrector described their roots, “In Gold Hill, we were so close to the natural course of existence… Our band is based on cosmic relationships, and it really helped to create the rhythm of our music.” Today Heavyweight Dub Champion is known for using a large amount of analog and digital gear on stage, similar to the Chemical Brothers. Their live shows are performed with the goal to send the audience through a spiritual experience; a concept you can easily understand after listening through their albums. Not for the faint of heart, Heavyweight’s sound is all their own. This is a must for heavy dub fans, industrial heads, or those who seek a new sound to political dissent. Join the warrior Champion in the struggle to liberate the human race and “Prepare for the coming of the Last Champion” -KRS One.
Check out an IODAvidcast that features an interview and some live clips of the group:
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