Hubardo was co-produced by Driver and longtime producer Randall Dunn. Occasional collaborator and former maudlin of the Well vocalist Jason Byron recorded his first vocal performance since 2002's maudlin of the Well album Leaving Your Body Map on the song "The Black Stone". He also wrote the lyrics for the album and a 40-page book, entitled "The Sword of Satan", packed with the vinyl copy of the album detailing the story behind Hubardo.
After leaving Hydra Head Records and releasing Gamma Knife independently, Driver crowdfunded the album entirely through pre-orders on independent music website Bandcamp. Shortly after the release of the album, Driver announced that he was in the process of producing a triple LP "super limited black vinyl" that was limited to 200 pressings which contained a 40-page book detailing the concept behind the album entitled "The Sword of Satan" written by Jason Byron.
From their Bandcamp:
HUBARDO is the seventh studio album by veteran avant-metal maestros, KAYO DOT. Produced by Randall Dunn (Sunn0))), Master Musicians of Bukkake, etc.), and with a running time of almost 100 minutes, the music follows an epic and heartbreaking narrative of a meteor falling to Earth and its enchantment and alchemical transformation of a lonely poet.
HUBARDO, meaning "lantern" or "lamp" in the magickal language of Enochian, marks the band's tenth anniversary. As such, it features aspects of all the shades of KAYO DOT from the past decade, including some that even hearken back to the band's former identity, the progressive MAUDLIN OF THE WELL, such as the album's opening: a stark and disturbing guest vocal appearance by MOTW screamer Jason Byron - his first recorded appearance since 2001.
From weird metal to beautiful post-rock, from demented ballads to tripped-out 70s fusion, this double-album has it all. With HUBARDO, KAYO DOT have crafted an enormous masterpiece of 21st-century progressive music.
credits
released August 30, 2013
Toby Driver - bass, synths, piano, rhodes, organ, vocals, percussion.
Ron Varod - guitars. Keith Abrams - drums.
Daniel Means - tenor sax, alto sax, clarinet.
Terran Olson - flute, alto sax, piano, organ, and synth solo on "Floodgate".
Tim Byrnes - trumpet, horn in F. Mia Matsumiya - violin, synths.
Jason Byron - guest vocal on "The Black Stone" intro.
Randall Dunn - synth design.
Jessika Kenney and BC Campbell - guest backing vocals.
Produced by Randall Dunn and Toby Driver at Avast in Seattle, WA, April 2013. Recorded and mixed by Randall Dunn. Assisted by Scott Cedarholm. Mastered by Jason Ward at Chicago Mastering.
Album photograms by Rachel Wolf. Band photos by Toby Driver.
The Black Stone
Kayo Dot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The crooked serpent in the deep of the night
We gather by the well to gather the rain
That fell from the eye of Leviathan
A pail of sweet water from the well of Leviathan
A baptism wrought in a ladle of rain
Gladly it fell from a sky and its stars
It fell from the night like a wraith in a rage
The prayer that journeyed from the abyss
To the lush of the earth
In the hush of the night
The stone from the sky
On the outskirts of town
All the stars will fall from the heavens
Into the ladle of gathered rain
To those who thirst: drink
There is water enough for all
The lyrics to Kayo Dot's song The Black Stone speak of the Leviathan, a sea monster that is heavily featured in Jewish mythology. The Leviathan is described as a great sea serpent, and in the song, its eye is swept from the sea. The use of religious imagery is present in the next line, with the "crooked serpent in the deep of the night", possibly alluding to the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
The following lines describe a gathering around a well to collect the rain that fell from the eye of the Leviathan. The well is a symbol of life and rejuvenation, and the rain is seen as a blessing from the Leviathan. The pail of sweet water and ladle of rain are both seen as a baptism, washing away sins and renewing the soul.
The final lines speak of the stars falling from the heavens into the gathered rain, symbolizing a unity of the natural world. The idea that there is enough water for all those who thirst calls for a shared sense of community and cooperation with the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
The eye of Leviathan was swept from the sea
The eye of the great mythical creature, Leviathan, was drawn up from the sea, perhaps as a warning or an omen.
The crooked serpent in the deep of the night
Evil or darkness in the form of a serpentine creature lurking in the night, ready to deceive or harm.
We gather by the well to gather the rain
We come together at the source of water to collect the life-giving rain that has fallen.
That fell from the eye of Leviathan
The rain is said to have come from the eye of the mythical creature, perhaps possessing some mystical power or meaning.
A pail of sweet water from the well of Leviathan
The water from the well, believed to be linked to Leviathan, is sweet and refreshing, providing sustenance and perhaps even a sense of connection to the supernatural.
A baptism wrought in a ladle of rain
The rainwater is used for a symbolic cleansing or initiation, imbuing the recipient with a certain spiritual significance.
Gladly it fell from a sky and its stars
The rain comes from a vast and mysterious sky, which is filled with stars and wonder.
It fell from the night like a wraith in a rage
The rain seems to descend from the night like a ghostly and furious presence, carrying with it some deep emotion or energy.
The prayer that journeyed from the abyss
A spiritual plea or invocation that came from a place of deep darkness or danger.
To the lush of the earth
The prayer or energy is directed towards the verdant and fertile ground, as if seeking to nurture or bless it.
In the hush of the night
The quiet and stillness of the night adds to the sense of mystery and spiritual significance of the rain and the prayer.
The stone from the sky
A meteorite or other celestial object that has fallen to earth, suggesting the possibility of otherworldly or divine intervention in human affairs.
On the outskirts of town
The stone has landed in a remote or marginalized area, away from the center of human activity but still exerting its presence and influence.
All the stars will fall from the heavens
A grand and apocalyptic image of the end of the world, with the stars themselves descending to earth.
Into the ladle of gathered rain
Even in the midst of this chaos and destruction, the rain continues to be collected and treasured as a source of life and renewal.
To those who thirst: drink
In the face of suffering and loss, those who have a need for spiritual or physical sustenance are encouraged to take from the water that has been gathered.
There is water enough for all
Despite the hardships and difficulties of life, there is always enough abundance and generosity to go around, allowing for both spiritual and physical nourishment.
Contributed by Brayden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.