Waikoloa-based punk rock band El Sancho has just released a new three-song picture disc vinyl record titled How to Kill a Zombie.
The record was produced by Lost Alley Records, a boutique audio company based in San Francisco that creates limited edition vinyl releases using two modified 80-year-old Presto 6N record cutting lathe machines.
The record features new full-color artwork by artist Mauro Salmaso, which depicts the band as zombies playing instruments. The artwork builds on the zombie theme from their most recent album, Our Part in the Darkness, also created by Salmaso, who is based in Caracas, Venezuela.
Since its release in Feb. 2021, Our Part in the Darkness has been played on radio stations around the world, from national shows on Sirius XM to local Big Island stations like Ka’u Radio, KONA 100.5 (Radio Alchemy), and KNKR 96.5 (Kohala Radio). In a recent album review from renowned underground music magazine Maximumrocknroll, the reviewer compared El Sancho to classic punk bands the Descendents and Crimpshrine, noting the album is “Catchy and infectious for sure.”
For the new picture disc, the band chose three of their favorite songs from the album – “Never Listen,” “Color Blind” and “How to Kill a Zombie,” which features drummer Tony Joyce on lead vocals.
Michael Carney, the owner of Lost Alley Records, said “I had collaborated with Alan [Kasameyer, El Sancho guitarist/vocalist] in 2015 on Gold Minor’s Bone Flowers album, and we’d been wanting to do a project together again. This seemed like the perfect thing to work on.”
The three songs were remixed in mono and mastered by Carney for the vinyl release. “With fickle vintage equipment it is important to get the sound right, so I spend a lot of time making sure the records come out the way the band intended.” Each record is handmade using the vintage lathes by Carney and individually numbered. As the records are produced one at a time, the sound can vary slightly on each, making every copy a unique version.
“In the digital age I still love having analog copies of music,” said Nate Werneck, El Sancho’s bassist. “Having something you can hold in your hand changes how you react to the music.” Werneck also stated that the band has additional releases in the works for later this year, including a cassette and another vinyl record.
The records are for sale on the band’s Bandcamp page and will be available at their May 1 concert at Willie’s Hot Chicken in Kailua-Kona. El Sancho takes the stage at 7 p.m., followed by Kona-based alternative rock band The 1201, who will finish out the evening starting at 8:30 p.m. The event is free, all ages welcome, with food and drinks available for purchase.
Connect with El Sancho
Bandcamp: https://elsanchohawaii.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elsanchohawaii
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsanchohi
Web: https://www.elsanchoband.com
May 1 Concert details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1170889553360263
Photo of Michael Carney: Kimberly Varney