Kommunity Fk Releases Archival Single 'TRIBULATIONS' Ahead of 2027 Album Reissue
The track marks the first archival release from Independent Project Records ahead of the expanded reissue of the band's influential debut.
Independent Project Records (IPR) announced a Halloween surprise as Los Angeles goth punk band Kommunity FK released the single 'Tribulations' on all DSPs. This is in advance of an expanded reissue of the band's debut album The Vision and The Voice (originally released by IPR in 1983) coming in 2027.
Remastered now for the first time, 'Tribulations' features the sound of bat wings flapping away amid unearthly static and the rattling, ominous rumble of drums and bass. Shattering guitars join in, soon followed by frontman Patrik Mata, described in the release as one of the most commanding and magnetic frontmen the 'punk gothique' has ever known. Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan personally requested a sit down with Mata earlier this year on his podcast The Magnificent Others.
Kommunity FK, the band Mata formed in 1978, was a singular presence in the Los Angeles underground, post-punks with a vision both edgy and romantic who ended up paving the way for the deathrock scene of the '80s. The dark, storming power of the band's music is as eerie and enchanting now as it was in 1983, when their debut LP The Vision and The Voice was released by Independent Project Records.
Details of the expanded version of The Vision and The Voice will be announced shortly.
About Independent Project Records
Known for their unique musical sensibilities and extraordinary artwork and design, Independent Project Records is a favorite of record collectors and music fans alike for their bespoke packaging and attention to detail. Grammy-nominated founder Bruce Licher's graphic design and his hand-letterpress packaging have been a mainstay in music circles since 1982's Tragic Figures from Savage Republic. Since that time, the label has released seminal albums and singles from artists as diverse as Savage Republic, Alison's Halo, Human Hands, Kommunity FK, Camper Van Beethoven, Scenic, For Against, Deception Bay, Half String, Autumnfair, The Dentists, Tone, WOO, Stereolab and more.
Since the label's relaunch in 2020, IPR has released new music, lost albums, reissues with bonus tracks on digital, compact disc and vinyl formats for a variety of artists including A Produce, Afterimage, Alison Clancy, David J, Half String, Bruce Licher, Greg Lisher, Jeffrey Runnings, The Ophelias, Red Temple Spirits, Savage Republic, Scenic, Shiva Burlesque, Springhouse, Torn Boys, WOO and multiple various artist compilations. Coming up in 2026 and 2027 are new titles and expanded reissues from David J, Driveway Ceiling, Kommunity FK, Middle Class and more.
Founded in 1980 by musician and artist Bruce Licher, Independent Project Records and its sister entity Independent Project Press are known for their instantly recognizable hand-printed record covers for bands including Camper Van Beethoven, For Against, Polvo, R.E.M., Savage Republic, Silversun Pickups, Stereolab and more. Aside from creating much of the artwork on his vintage two-ton hand-fed letterpress, Licher was nominated for a Grammy Award for his design work on the IPR released debut album from For Against. In 2020, the label was relaunched by both Licher and Jeffrey Clark with new and archival releases and is distributed by MRI/The Orchard and via Proper Music Group outside the USA and Canada. IPR is based in Bishop, California, at the base of the Eastern Sierra Mountains.
Photo Credit: Linda Aronow
Photo Credit: Linda Aronow
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