Oklahoma natives Anu Tabu play a Christian brand of metal-tinged, electronic/industrial alt-rock that mirrors the mainstream rock of the mid-90s and early 2000s. The band is indebted to the minor chord dirges of first wave grunge bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden; however, Anu Tabu also implements the bombastic arena metal sounds of bands like Opeth and the electronic industrial sounds of Ministry and NIN along with post-rock interludes along the lines of Neurosis and Red Sparrows. The vocal delivering is tonally comparable in the range of Chris Cornell to Phil Anselmo to Al Jourgensen.
The band came to fruition during the summer of 2014, when brothers Preston (lead vocals/guitar) and Thomas Griffith (backing vocals/lead guitar), having played in numerous metal bands throughout the 90s and early 2000s together, and after an extended hiatus due to personal issues, decided to start a new project, a positive project that was devoted to getting away from the hard-living, hard-partying lifestyle to which they had been accustomed. With a new found commited spiritual purpose, the brothers began writing new material. The brothers then recruited childhood friend, Jim Bob Lehr to handle bass duties. Lehr was currently in another touring band but too had grown tired of with the hard partying, road dogging, band lifestyle and was looking to join a project with drive, focus and professionalism. Anu Tabu then recruited the established, talented, and professionally motivated Tulsa drummer and music teacher, Seth Osborn, to handle the skins. Osborn was chosen not only for his busy handed, post-rock jazz drumming style but also for the fact that he abhored the cliche sex, drugs, rock and roll lifestyle. Anu Tabu added the last ingredient to their mix, longtime friend Mike Mitchell (keyboards/sampling/production). Mitchell, heavily influenced by atmospherics and droning dynamics of post-rock coupled with a love for piano melody, Thomas Griffith, friends with Mitchell since childhood, recruited Mitchell to ad production values and keyboard compliments to to their existing material. However, with the comfortability and comradery of most of the band being lifetime friends, they collectively began writing new music and performing throughout the Tulsa-metro area, most notably, playing Rocklahoma in 2015 on the Axis Stage in their mere infancy. Signing to management and booking, the band toured throughout Missouri and Kansas, playing reputable clubs from Kansas City to Lawrence, opening for national acts such as Saving Able, Hinder, and Saliva.
Although a Christian band, Anu Tabu, by no means, are the "in your face", "preachy" act; rather, the holistic concept is that of coming out of darkness into light. Excluding drummer Seth Osborn, the other members all had their vices, addictions, and resulting struggles in their lives. Asked to explain what they were trying to convey with their performance, music, and message, Mitchell once stated, "Look, other than Seth, who has miraculousy and intriguingly had no interest in drugs and alcohol, we are a group of guys who have known each other for 20+ years and have watched each other, or worked with each other to make a mess of things. I'm just thankful we are alive. We independetly and collectively were destructive souls...I haden't seen these guys in three years, but I heard some tunes online and caught them live at a club one night. I saw a change, a power in them, a power I couldnt fathom. I had been strung out on drugs, mentally and spiritually lost, living in the Bay Area of Cali and had only been home three months, fresh out of rehab, focusing on getting things right, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Here were these guys I haden't seen in years, who, like me, were trying to get to a better space, but these guys, they were getting there, and I wanted to be a part of it. There isn't light without darkness, and we have been in the dark and now strive for a brighter life, the light, and invite others to do the same. We all struggle. We as a band, as individuals, will always struggle...it is about trying to continue, to persevere, knowing there is something bigger than us, and acknowledging such, things people don't think about...it is taboo to think outside of one's self nowadays, so we try to live life anew, hence our name, Anu Tabu.
The "dark to light" thematic element is evidenced in "A New Life Found," a seemingly synth pop rock song at first, which seques into a hooky, guitar and bass driven grungy chorus then into a metallic bridge complete with an electronic bass drop, while lyrist and vocalist Preston Griffith bellows out lines such as in the chorus, "Shedding old skin, with new eyes of a child, drowning in his Grace that he rains down, feelings that I taste a new life found." The positive connotations are also apparent in the synth-driven, "Faith No More" influenced track, "A New Direction," which in Mike Patton style, vocalist Preston Griffith similarly showcases his far-reaching and diverse vocal range and patterns while pleading, "time for a change, no more pain, and a new direction." Other tracks, such as the industrial, percussion prodding, tripple picking anthem, "My Creation" showcases Anu Tabu's heavier side. Griffith, fronting the agressive soundscape, screams in a style reminiscent of early Pantera's Phil Anselmo--lines such as "looking out on the world, I dont see any life; I start to lose my sight," followed by the agressive and confrontational chorus, "Eat Sleep and Shit." The track also showcases the band's songwriting prowess by featuring a false ending/fade into an acapella bridge in which Griffith laments about "squandered creations" and our "lazy generation," backed only by quasi-psychedelic synth then concluding unexpectedly with a crushing outro. While not overthly preachy, judgemental, or condescending, the theme and message are clear, and this is a band that has a message to convey.
Anu Tabu are currently taking a break from touring to focus on their 7 song Sensual Recordings debut release being recorded under the helm of producer and engineer Jon Carrillson. The tentative titled From Dark to Light is expected to be finalized by late spring, early summer of 2017. Anu Tabu will then showcase the recording with a release show followed by an extensive tour to support their debut.
Big things happening! New news coming soon!!