“Anti-supergroup” Tar Pond released their debut album this past Friday, March 20. 

Titled Protocol of Constant Sadness, the album was described in a press release as “sonic doom and gloom, the soundtrack of brutality downright dripping with heaviness, framed by apocalyptic, Tom Waits-like vocals.”

Tar Pond features late Celtic Frost bassist Martin Ain, Coroner drummer/lyricist Marky Edelmann, Playboys/Beelzebub vocalist Thomas Ott, Demolition Blues guitarist A.C. Kupper and guitarist Stefano Mauriello.

Much of Protocol of Constant Sadness was recorded between 2016 and 2017, before Ain passed away in October 2017. After nearly dissolving without releasing the album, the band regrouped to finish it, adding Demolition Blues bassist Monica Schori to the line-up to complete recording.

A video for the album’s lead single “Please” was released on March 6. According to a Facebook post debuting the song, it was “brought to life in true old-fashioned analogue spirit at New Sound Studio with producer Tommy Vetterli (guitarist, Coroner).The video was shot on 8mm film by Thomas Ott and Marky Edelmann during a road trip in New Mexico, and completed with the magic editing touch of Gion-Reto Killias. The cover artwork for the single was created by Thomas Ott.”

Protocol of Constant Sadness is available in an exclusive vinyl-only edition through the band, as well as on all digital streaming sites.

An album release show was slated to take place on March 20th in Zurich, Switzerland, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. A new date has not been announced yet.