Terror of the Deep resurfaces

WELCOME BACK: Terror of the Deep is returning to Wanganui after four years. PHOTO/ SUPPLIED TERROROFTHEDEEP

One of the Wellington's established music bands is joined by a rising star in Wanganui this weekend.

Internationally acclaimed Terror of the Deep is bringing its melodic and hook-heavy pop to Space Monster on Saturday, promoting new album Space Epic.

The band will be joined by the exciting Hans Pucket.

Terror of the Deep began in 2008 as a solo project of Oliver Dixon, but by 2010 had become a trio with Taipua Adams on bass and William Daymond on drums.

Terror of the Deep has released three albums and an EP during the past five years, the most recent being Space Epic.

In that time it has enjoyed radio play on the BBC and cultivated a following in Australia.

Having last been in Wanganui in 2011, there's a lot for local fans to catch up on.

"We've got a fourth member, we're a lot tighter than we were then and we've got more material," Daymond said.

The fourth member is Tom Watson, formerly of Head Like a Hole, who has long been a producer for the band but now tours as keyboardist.

"He played with us kind of every second or third show, now he plays pretty much all of them with us."

Space Epic is the band's latest effort to surprise fans with a new direction. "It's a concept album, which is kind of a bit of a dirty word in certain circles, about the Voyager programme of the late '70s," Daymond said.

"All of the planets aligned and they used the gravitational pull to bounce the Voyager programme into space. It's about that literally, but it talks about going into the unknown."

The tracks were originally recorded in 2013 but took almost two years to get to master. "It's been a real team effort."

After this tour the band planned to record another album of songs the members had written during the past two years.

-Terror of the Deep and Hans Pucket play at Space Monster of the corner of Drews Ave and Rutland St tomorrow. Doors open at 8.30pm. $10.