Michael Nhat – “Onslaught”
Dear Dearists,
Today I am excited to announce the recording of “Onslaught”. A 13 track album written and produced by myself. I have had the artwork, title, and sound I knew I wanted since 2007, but it’s taken me 7 years to make this happen. It was worth the wait. Let me tell you about each song.
1. “The Wrong Charlie To Fuck With”
This is about racism. I was determined to make something that was in the same vain of “The Wrong Nigga To Fuck With” by Icecube. Nailed it!
2. “Skin Hanging Off”
In middle school I had a handful of obsessions. One of them was horror films. This song talks about how I built a life-scale Freddy Krueger Claw from scratch.
3. “Don’t We Pay For Splatter?”
I have abandonment issues. I don’t let my guard down these days. I think it’s because I did as a child and was hurt. I think I got attached to some foster siblings and this is about the consequences of that. It’s about a best friend who was like a brother to me. We lived together. We went through the same racism together. And in the end he left too, and my reaction was beating him with a bike chain lock.
4. “Holy Smoke”
I get high. I get so high that it’s dangerous for me because I black out right where I am standing. This is about the dangers of landing after falling. It seems I’ve landed and left dents in doors or almost land with my face on the corner of a cinder black.
5. “I’m Acrophobic”
I made a beat that ended with some intense noise. I must have been high. I was listening to get some ideas to write about and the conclusion made me think of falling. I thought, maybe this is the harsh sounds of wind we’d hear from first hand experience. I became so engulfed in that happening to me, that I started to cry. So I started writing about that. Falling and fear of heights.
6. Bucktooth (Awkward Japanese Troops)
When I was a child I remember watching Bugs Bunny. I remember every now and then an older cartoon of his would play and it’d have these racist caricatures of Japanese Soldiers. I remember feeling confused. I didn’t understand it at first, but as I got older I realized I don’t live in a country that wants to see Asian-Americans succeed.
7. “Chong Kim“
This is a true story about young woman who was tricked and forced into prostitution and escaped it years later. I have a strong empathy for women. I think I am a closet feminist.
8. “The Plates Full Of Insects”
The first verse is about signing up to hear an audible sound that kills you with decibels. It was inspired by a Japanese cyber-punk film “Rubber’s Lover“. The second verse is about these horrific thoughts I was having for a few months straight of my penis getting sliced up by razors. I later realize the pain in my penis after rough sex was was inspiring me to think about pain in that area. I did not enjoy the pain, but every now and then it makes me scared someone is going to razor up me up in my sleep.
9. “We Got Hammers That Replace Our Hands”
I didn’t realize it until after i finished this song, but it resembles an old song of mine people used to like “Everyone Knows Werewolves Kill”, but better. This is also the first song I recorded for “Onslaught”.
10. “Be Afraid Of The Old”
I performed this once and sent the lyrics in a mass email like this in 2010. I finally recorded it this year. I knew it was going to go on this album. It’s a rebuttal to family, friends that say “You’re never going to make it”. Or “Get a real job”. Every unsuccessful musician with support like that should hear this. It’s a shame to see talent get talked into quitting by the people you think will be there for you. I hope this song gives you something to think about when people you know doubt you and your passion or creative endeavors.
11. “Birth To Something That Isn’t Human”
Have you seen “Eraserhead” by David Lynch? This is my cover of that film. That’s right a cover. I didn’t go the “feel-good” route with this one. I wanted it to have a haunting stab of strings to match the terrifying content and overall theme.
12. “A Song About Racism For Asians”
The title says it all.
13. “Praying For Time”
When I finished the album I knew I wanted a cover song to end it. I recorded Nirvana’s “All Apologies”, Michael Jackson’s “Remember the Time”, and Radiohead’s “Like Spinning Plates (Live Version). I wasn’t happy with the results.I decided on doing one more. George Michael’s “Praying For Time” just fit.
Download “Onslaught” at:
- Itunes $4.99
- GooglePlay $4.99
- Spotify
TEN-HEADED SKELETON 