(written by Islander)
I wonder what made me curious about the etymology of the word “ruckus“? Maybe it will come back to me.
In searching for an answer I found no clear answer. Its meaning is clear enough — a commotion, a disorderly disturbance, a row. Per one source, it has been compared to ruction and rumpus and rampage, but the early forms vary and include rookus (1882), rucus (1877), rukus (1879), also rukas, roockus, rucuss. And there’s this:
Apparently a regional word in the U.S. West and South; when Sen. William J. Stone of Missouri used it in 1914, the editors of the New York “Sun” were baffled, but the Bismarck, N.D., “Daily Tribune” (March 3) replied that ruckus was “a word in perfectly good standing almost anywhere west of the Ohio.”
Anywhere west of Ohio… apparently including… New Zealand! And now it comes back to me!
I’m thinking about the etymology of “ruckus” because of the NZ band Rvkkvs, their forthcoming debut album Antithesis of Prosperity, and the video for a song from the album that we’re premiering today — which set me searching for another etymology.
“Shachiku” is a Japanese word that seems to refer to “an employee who is completely subservient to their company, never complaining about overwork or any other issues; a wage slave”. This seems in line with the name of the Rvkkvs debut album, and with other subjects within the album, described as follows on behalf of Grindhead Records, which will release the record on November 22nd:
Thematically, the band explores the complexities of human behavior, tackling issues like pathology, addiction, malice, and the pervasive hubris that surrounds us. At the same time, the band members view music and the extremity of their style as a cathartic escape from the daily grind. They perform their songs with a sense of humor and steadfast self-esteem, believing that even in the face of humanity’s darker aspects, we can rise above and find solace in music and the connections it fosters.
“Shachiku” itself (the song) is a raging master blaster, a mauling death/grind barrage that is indeed a harrowing disturbance, and one that will put the jackhammers to your spine before it’s over.
In its opening phase, following a grim spoken-word overture, Rvkkvs assault the senses with furious battering, maniacally writhing riffage, and monstrous guttural roars. It’s a crazed and vicious experience, and becomes even more deranged as the riffing rises to an even hotter boil and hair-raising screams top it off.
But as the guitars sizzle and slug and those screams split the throat, there’s also something dismal about the music, something bleak and unsettling. And then the slugging gets harder, rhythmically compelling but overlaid by eerily quivering, darting, and shrieking tones tones. The fury is still palpable, and it’s not just the video which makes the music unnerving too (though the video itself is definitely an unnerving disturbance).
But here’s what Rvkkvs has to say about the song:
“This song is set out to provoke thought on values and goals imposed on us, that we may not stop to question and internalize truthfully.
– Do you feed off your own self worth based on social status?
– Have you ticked all the boxes in the success categories?
– Have you forgotten who you once were and are now convinced this path has meaning and purpose?
– Do you know in the back of your mind that this is the vacuous void?
Allow yourself to unwind… with this death grinding anthem and allow it to take you on a journey of razor sharp riffs, winding rhythmic chaos and headbanging grooves.
We’re stoked to present the album opener and our first music video – SHACHIKU”
The video was created by Daniel J Dixon. The audio was recorded and mixed at Dynamic Rage Studio by Cam Sinclair and Raj Singarajah, and the album was mastered at Primal Mastering by Luke Finlay. It features artwork and CD layout by Benny Diez (the cover art really is a hell of thing).
Antithesis of Prosperity is available for pre-order now at Bandcamp, where you can also stream the track “Recidivist Reprobate” — though we’ll include that stream below, to make it easy.
PRE-ORDER:
Digital: https://rvkkvs.bandcamp.com
Physical: https://grindheadrecords.bandcamp.com/album/antithesis-of-prosperity
RVKKVS:
https://linktr.ee/rvkkvsnz
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3SHJmnPgz0ebubv3OGtLjC
https://www.facebook.com/RvkkvsNZ
https://www.instagram.com/rvkkvs_nz