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Derrick, the founder of Make This A Take Records, issued the following statement:
The band played shows with kindred spirits like Louise Cypher, Raien, Yage and Stop It! and, in 2006, released the “Amor Fati” EP on Art For Blind Records. To me, it became an instantly captivating essential document, a a release that spoke to me in ways that hardcore hadn’t done before, with a vulnerability and sliver of light. Seeing them perform at the inaugural Motionfest that year sealed it; Mesa Verde would be a band that I would carry with me forevermore, documenting a difficult period of our collective lives and the wider punk/hardcore community, their coruscating desperate screamo articulating what mere words could not. Beyond the darkness, there seemed hope.
In 2008, I remember standing at the back of Mucky Mulligans as Mesa Verde and Kaddish wrapped up the first Book Yer Ane Fest and having my brains splattered against the wall. That was also the first time that I picked up a copy of the incredible and essential Ecossemo masterpiece “The Old Road” LP on vinyl. I didn’t have a record player at the time but it was needing to listen to this LP and the first Kaddish record (which I believe I acquired the same day) that led to me getting one, a tipping point for what will now be a lifelong obsession.
If there are two bands who, for me, full embody and the spirit of DIY punk/hardcore and inspired me that this (running shows, doing a label, trying to be a progressive part of a wider movement for change, etc) was achievable, then it was Mesa Verde and Kaddish. They revitalised me, sparking a determination and drive in me that abides. I came into the hardcore scene comparatively late, youthful naivety clouding my vision of the bigger picture and our whole interconnection, but I will remain forever thankful for the lessons that it taught me and the inspiration it gave me.
Much has come to pass in the ten years since Motionfest; some of it beautiful, some of it tragic. Mesa Verde played their final show in 2009, moving forward in their personal lives like we all must. What they left behind a 15 track legacy of vital, invigorating screamo/hardcore that still stands up among the greatest in Scottish DIY, and lit a fire in my heart. I can put on the “Amor Fati” EP and be instantly transported back in time, arguably a simpler, more innocent time. That EP moved me in ways I cannot fully articulate but I know what it means. It was inspirational. I’m very proud to carry that spirit in my heart, to call Mesa Verde friends, and hope that I continue to carry that early spark everywhere I go.
Open Mind/ Saturated Brain described MESA VERDE in late 2015:
MESA VERDE were a truly under appreciated band. They were on the cusp of being great but there was one tiny thing lacking (I don’t even know what it was), and the band instead only reached ‘really fucking good’ status. The use of dual screams and a dizzying array of instrumental sections from serene and atmospheric to chaotic and driving are absolutely flawless. Fans of the bands mentioned above should get a kick out of MESA VERDE. The music is always amazing and very mature, and that’s with me including the band’s first demo titled ‘In Silence We Will Slow Dance‘, which happens to house my favourite song named “Any Excuse for a Waste“. This 2005 self-released EP was limited to something like 100 cassettes and was followed up with the ‘Amor Fati‘ cdEP in 2006. This release is a bit more controlled but doesn’t abstain from knocking you the fuck around, with “Clarity with Distance” being a great opener, “MRB” being fucking fantastic and the epic and spacey “Dance Dance Dance” which rolls through almost 12 minutes of mad Battle Of Wolf 359 feels. Hot damn what a record. Last came ‘The Old Road‘ 12″LP. The instrumental opener “A Deep Sleep Without Dreams” is a nice start that blends Sed Non Satiata with Pelican. “For the Tree that Fell” the band takes a harsh, German emo-violence turn that reminds me of Danse Macabre with a short, warbly vocal section that Locktender must have jammed a million times before incorporating their vocals. “When the Canary Dies Run Like Fuck” begins heavy as all hell with nods to The Flying Worker! and quite possibly Orchid. “No More Bad Future” follows the same lines with the short, spastic cluster bombs of noise. “Post-Youth” is the closer and at 13 minutes in length it’s no wonder. MESA VERDE also released a posthumous song “In ’64” on a compilation called ‘Make Yer Ane Comp II‘ in 2011 which while decent isn’t necessarily mind blowing. It does remind me a lot of The Saddest Landscape as well as We Had A Deal and results in as a much quieter outing than all previous releases. So yeah, download the discography cuz this band is definitely worth your time.
