Skull Pit is a tale of two musicians from opposite sides of the heavy metal spectrum and the planet. One hailing from Tokyo/Japan, the other from New York/USA and meeting each other in cyber space in order to strike up a friendship and musically celebrate the spirit of their youth.
Prior to writing and recording Skull Pit's debut album, founding members of Exumer, Mem V. Stein, and Church of Misery's, Tatsu Mikami, corresponded for some years online due to their mutual love and respect for each other's band, before embarking on their own joint venture.
The two veterans endeavored to combine their favorite elements of bands like Motorhead along with the countless outfits of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal into one blistering and highly energetic 9 track album.
The songs on Skull Pit's debut are a clear departure from what Exumer or Church Of Misery usually sounds like. Stepping away from Exumer's lighting fast rhythms and Church of Misery's slowed down Iommi inspired riffs, Skull Pit creates melodies in the vein of 70s hard rock and 80s NWOBHM with Lemmy's punk attitude.
Mixed in Tokyo by O-mi Kihara, "Skull Pit" was recorded in New York and Japan during Exumer's and Church of Misery's time off from playing live around the globe. The result is a free flowing album that switches effortlessly between genres and boundaries but always with the intent to deliver a razor sharp riff or a memorable hook.
Skull Pit didn't shy away from further expanding their all-inclusive attitude when it came to choose and record a cover song as a bonus track; Rose Tattoo's "All the Lessons". The song features Brian "Mitts" Daniels (ex Madball), who produced Mem's vocal tracks in New York.
Both musicians fully display their experience and expertise on this album, with Tatsu in command of writing all the music, as well as playing bass and Mem writing all the lyrics, crafting vocals and the concept for Skull Pit.
"I never thought in 34 years of playing in bands, recording records and touring the world that I would end up recording such a powerful record with someone who literally lives on the other side of the planet. Truly a new world order" – Mem V. Stein
