Led by the singer, songwriter and manga artist CHE, MURDAH SRVC are a band with a unique sound and a story to tell. I chatted to CHE about the project and new single, THANATOS.
By Graeme Smith
“In MURDAH SRVC I wrote a story, turned [it] into a manga and I wrote the soundtrack of it which I perform live with a three-piece band,” CHE says.
Alongside him in that three-piece are Alessandro “Calti” Caltabiano who plays synths and does the programming, and Silvio Maccarrone who plays drums. The trio are based in Catania, Italy, but draw much of their inspiration from the far east.
“I grew up watching anime on TV,” says CHE. “For many years, my routine was drawing the whole afternoon after homework. My dream was to become a manga artist such as Hirohiko Araki (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure) or Tetsuo Hara (Fist of the North Star). Then, during my teenage years, I started making music and in college I kinda left drawing behind to focus on gigs. Drawing was always there somehow, but when I started MURDAH SRVC project ten years ago I really decided to put my two passions together at their best.”
And there’s no better example of this combination than latest single, THANATOS. An anime video accompanies the track and, while the music is great, I did find myself most mesmerised by the video, probably because I’m an aficionado myself.
But that’s to take nothing away from the music, which channels the smooth dance beats of late ‘90s and early ‘00s acts like Modjo and Spiller. I asked CHE why he leaned into that sound.
“[THANATOS] started off as a ballad I wrote,” he explains. “Then I brought this demo to John Lui, and he completely changed it. House music was very unsettling at the beginning to me, especially because of the theme covered by the song – death, grief, erasing memory and toxic relationships – but I decided to trust his vision, and it paid off in the end. When I perform this song live everybody loves it.”
It’s an interesting combination – bringing together the usually uplifting dance sound with a story that’s so emotional, but I agree it works. The electronic beats pulsate like a racing heart and CHE’s expressive vocals provide a memorable organic layer.
The track tells the story of a mad scientist who manipulates the mind of his second wife to make her forget that his first wife was her twin sister. Its chorus homes in on the chaos in his mind because he hasn’t forgotten. It feels esoteric, but the theme of trying and failing to move on from love is universal.
THANATOS is the product of an inventive mind and CHE’s ability to combine his musical and artistic backgrounds makes MURDER SRVC an act to be reckoned with. If you’re deep in the world of manga and anime, you may have even heard of them. They’ve played in the UK before, including a set at London Anime & Gaming Con.
“[London Anime & Gaming Con] is one of my fav places to perform at,” says CHE. “People are so open, curious, even if they don’t know me, they are willing to listen and have a great time. Plus, over the years I built a little following so it’s lovely to meet each other every time. Last time it was absolutely epic, and I can’t wait to perform again there!”
And he had more praise for UK audiences.
“I believe the UK audience is so used to listening to original music without prejudice that if your music is good, they’re gonna root for you,” he says. “We had six shows [on their last tour], some with the support of amazing bands such as Noise Makers Guild (Nottingham), Dead Happy (Birmingham), Ainakanna (Tokyo, Japan), [and] Pulses (Nottingham).”
There won’t be any touring for a bit as CHE and his band works on his first album and comic book, set for release in 2026. He’s promising another single before then end of this year too.
Until then we can enjoy the infectious beats and rich storytelling of THANATOS. The single is out now, and you can listen to it below.
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