THE STORY
Murder Tag is a supernatural themed supergroup comprised of musicians Mike Borchardt (guitar, backing vocals), Stephanie Gunther (bass, vocals), and Carlo Minchillo (drums, guitar, keyboard). Borchardt is the vocalist and guitarist of Nihiloceros and guitarist in Treads, Gunther the vocalist and bassist of Desert Sharks, and Minchillo the drummer of The Planes, Glass Slipper, and creator of the Brooklyn Drum Collective.
Inspired by late 80’s goth and 90’s grunge, rock, and alternative, the band draws its influences from artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Soundgarden, The Cure, The Wipers, Ghost Funk Orchestra, Smashing Pumpkins, and The Crow Soundtrack.
All songs for the film were recorded at Danbro Studio, a rehearsal space in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Recorded by Carlo Minchillo and Araw C., the final touches (including backing guitar on “Eternal”) were added by Jeff Berner (Studio G engineer and guitarist for Psychic TV). The songs were mixed by Berner and were mastered by Carl Saff.
OFFICIAL RELEASE MAY 7 2021
ABOUT THE SONGS
A brief account of our inspiration and collaborative approach to creating music
FULL MOON
Track 1
“Eternal” - Initially inspired by Motorhead and the lack of supplies to light candles during the filming of DIY horror film “Jen’s film”, “Eternal” began as an aggressive anthem, channelling punk and metal roots. The song, originally a melody hummed by Carlo Minchillo in between filming takes, laid the foundation and musical skeleton of Murder Tag. As Minchillo and Mike Borchardt developed the song, the tone shifted. The beat slowed and became more tom heavy, the guitar more wailing. 80s goth influences like The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees and 90s alternative groups like Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails became muses. The band agreed that they wanted to keep the song’s vibe heavy and dark, but didn’t want to lose spaciousness with speed. “Eternal” begins like a horror movie itself - starting off seemingly innocent, then abruptly shifting to something darker, weaving between sinister verses and a hopeful chorus. The lyrics and vocal melody were written by Borchadt, who added backing vocals and guitar to the track. The lead vocals, bass, and additional backing vocals were sung by Stephanie Gunther. Carlo Minchillo wrote the original melody and played guitar and drums on the song.
ETERNAL
Track 2
“Full Moon” - After spending 5 hours shooting “Jen’s film title” in the bitter Brooklyn cold, the friends that had signed up as actors and assistants for the horror film started getting loopy and inspired. After joking about starting a band called “Murder Tag” (an idea Stephanie Gunther playfully suggested after a tag scene in the park), song title suggestions for the imaginary group began flowing. Inspired, Carlo Minchillo immediately began writing Murder Tag melodies in his head. Melodies he described as the soundtrack to the film, and later recorded and shared with his musical recruits Gunther, and Mike Borchardt. “Full Moon” is the eerie and powerful result of this collaboration. Equal parts suspenseful and hypnotic, the listener is wooed by dark lyrics and soaring vocals, punched with haunting whispers and ghostly percussion. Inspired by 60s goth and 90s alternative, the verses and bridges have a disorienting and dizzying effect - a conscious effort made by guitarists Minchillo and Borchardt. With layered melodies and panning effects, “Full Moon” spins the listener towards something sinister and satisfying. Lyrics, vocals, and bass were written by Gunther, backing vocals and guitar by Borchardt, and guitar, drums, and original melody by Minchillo.