CHRON GOBLIN

BONG HITS AND HARD WORK PAY OFF

As our summer draws to a close, we find ourselves looking for a reason to keep the party going and Calgary’s own Chron Goblin has heard our plea. The release of their second LP, Life for the Living, is exactly what we need to send our summer up in the blaze of smoke it deserves.

Chron Goblin has been leaving its audiences with a post-show bangover (and more than likely an actual hangover) for the past four years now, but it seems like a fair consensus among the band that it’s within this last year that they’ve really come into their own.

“This is our second time going into studio and everyone really showed up every day ready to work. We were putting in seven hours a day for 13 days, we really had to be diligent about what we wanted to get done and be on top of it. Everyone really held up their end of the bargain,” says vocalist Josh Sandulak.  Indeed, Life for the Living showcases the immense amount of hard work that goes into making a rock and roll record.

The progression of the band musically since their last release, One Million From the Top (2011), is obvious: “I think we all came along way in terms of our own musicianship over the two years. We rehearse quite a bit, at least three times a week, when things are going good,” says Devin “Darty” Purdy (guitar). When asked, how the guys manage such an intense schedule, while trying to balance a “regular” life, the collective response, practically in unison, is: “Ask our girlfriends!” Followed immediately by another chorus, “No! Don’t really do that!”

The commitment to their craft as individuals as well as a group has resulted in album for which Chron Goblin are undeniably stoked. “It’s a huge accomplishment for us,” Purdy adds. ”We think people will like it, it’s a lot heavier of a record for us. We’re really excited about it.”

Chron Goblin’s sound has never been easily definable. Perhaps some of their success can be attributed to never getting too comfortable within a certain genre of music. Brett Whittingham (drums) mentions, “We never set out to be like, ‘Let’s make a stoner rock band,’ or, ‘Let’s make a band set within certain parameters.’ We never tried to be bound certain constrictions, it’s kinda like whatever happens, happens.” He reflects, “I mean the name, Chron Goblin, probably has some connotations towards stoner rock and we’re cool with that.”

Aside from hammering out an entire album in just under two weeks and preparing for a Western Canadian tour in support of the release, Chron Goblin has had several other marked accomplishments this year, including an opportunity to perform at the renowned Desertfest in London, England this past April.

”It was pretty surreal, there’s video on YouTube where you can see hundreds of people walking by nodding their heads, the security guards stopping to check it out. It was pretty insane.” The experience Richard Hepp (bass) describes definitely set a high bar as to where Chron Goblin see themselves heading. The trip across the pond to perform at one of the largest stoner rock festivals in the world is pretty remarkable, but don’t worry, the gents haven’t let it go to their heads. “To even have the stage manager say, ‘Do you know where you’re playing? The Stones have played this stage.’ It definitely set a bar, a humbling bar,” adds Sandulak.

The collective efforts of the group have managed to carry the guys far this year and they show no signs of slowing down. “It comes down to passion. It’s rewarding, it’s a lot of hard work and there are days that are more challenging than others, but when you reach a milestone like that, it makes it all worth it,” says Purdy, referring to the band’s headway this past year and all that work will be no doubt worth it. Let down your hair and let it swing. Summer’s not over yet and the guys in Chron Goblin are ready to prove that life is for the living.

Chron Goblin are set to release their sophomore LP, Life for the Living, on September 21 at the Palomino.

By Cobra Collins
Photos: Trevor Hatter