Mr Denton on Doomsday returns with ‘The Infinite Staircase’

For the last 15 years, Mr Denton on Doomsday has been dishing out high-octane experimental rock. Over the years, the Lansing-based group has performed in front of 10,000 people at Common Ground, and has shared stages with The Misfits, Three Days Grace and Candlebox — to only name a few.  The band — which comprises vocalist Josie Jo Taylor, Brian Alspaugh (guitar, vocals), drummer Benjamin Martin and bassist Evin Myrick — releases its new self-released LP, “The Infinite Staircase,” Saturday at The Avenue Café. Show starts at 9 p.m. That same day, the album also hits all streaming platforms. 

When and where did you record “The Infinite Staircase”?

Brian Alspaugh: We started recording this album in 2019 at Elm Street Studios here in Lansing. Due to COVID, and other circumstances, this album feels like it has taken an infinity to record. The studio has now closed and we were forced to work on the mixes virtually. Our previous albums were “Origami Trail” in 2014 and “The Mouse Circus” in 2009. These new songs have a more expansive quality. We try to never make the same album twice, and I believe that is reflected with this album.  This new album is more introspective and less overtly political.

What are a couple of your personal favorite tracks on the new album?

My favorite from this album is the lead-off track, “Just Stop Fidgeting.”  This is the first song we have written dealing with our singer’s chronic illness. She suffers from CRPS, a severe pain condition that currently has no cure.  We have spent years in and out of hospitals and doctors’ offices. I really enjoy the colliding sounds in this song. It’s atonal and chaotic, capturing the feeling of intense physical pain.

Being in a band during a pandemic is no doubt difficult — how was it for Mr Denton?

This is the longest we have gone without playing a show since our inception.  It’s difficult and frustrating to lose one of the most important pieces of my life.  I have felt incomplete without live music. COVID has slowed down the progress and release of this album significantly.  We had a 2020 tour set to go which was also wiped away. As a DIY band, it hurts to see all of that hard work wasted.  So many great venues, local and otherwise, will never open again. 

We didn’t know when we played The Loft or Mac’s Bar that we would never set foot on those stages again. We are excited to finally be performing live again.  We have never taken it for granted.  When something is taken away it creates a void.  I sincerely hope that we can see live music return stronger than ever, and I know that it will.

Looking back, what is the most memorable show you’ve played?

Common Ground was amazing! Performing for thousands in our hometown in between tour dates is a highlight of my life. Having gone to Common Ground when I was younger, it was always a hope to someday perform at. We also had great times on tour, traveling from Eugene to Trenton, New Jersey.  We are lucky to have fans and friends across the country to take us in. We will forever be grateful for those experiences. We are excited to finally be performing live again. 

Have you noticed any lyrical themes on the new LP?

We are in a time of great change and believe the lyrics reflect that. Change is inevitable both in the world and in the band. This album marks the final for our former bassist Matt Bush, and we welcome Evin Myrick into the fold. The name of the album itself refers to growing and learning from the repeating cycle of life. We will find ourselves in a similar spot again.  Do we learn from it and move ahead?  Or do we walk in a circle?  It is a challenge to myself to keep moving forward and learning from past mistakes.

Sonically, what sounds were you going for on this record? 

We were looking to capture how we felt at that moment in time. In this case it led to new and interesting approaches to song development. We have gotten both mellow and heavier, depending on the track. On “The Great Escape,” we added keys and were attempting our version of a funeral dirge.  With “P.O. Box Concealer,” we have gotten close to our version of ’90s rock. 

Over the years, who has inspired your playing the most?

Most definitely King Crimson. They have a unique approach to song construction that has always appealed to my ear. I have always tried to take a song and twist it beyond its breaking point. Our drummer, Ben, has been influenced by intense energy and odd timing of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Mars Volta. Josie draws from a wide range of influences especially Dredg — whose bassist Drew Roulette was kind enough to create the amazing artwork for this album. It is unreal that a member of one of our favorite bands designed the art for us. Evin brings a heavier bottom end to the music, with a more metal palette than the rest of the band.