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APP
LIVE APPEARANCES
Razorhouse will be performing July 17th at Lizards Liquid Lounge, Chicago IL
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VIDEO

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On Underwear Factory Toy Records

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MUSIC

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WORDS
All lyrics by Mark Panick except "Nevermind" by Leonard Cohen
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Life tears (the strange)

Life tears the strange

from tendon and bone

barely alive

I am the bastard

In the corner of the room

 

Whither and moan

Doesn’t make any difference

When you’re alone

Life is some shitty business

 

nothing remains

of your will

or the memory

of your name

 

Whether you know

Its not the real burden

Left to your own

Poison thru out the system

 

your skin is on fire

Let it burn 

to guide us to new lands

 

Whither and moan

breathings a risky business

tear at your bones

this year there is no Christmas

Forfeit the loan

Burn down the family

Business

out on your own

life is some shitty business

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Morrows day

Tell your lover they’re the one

love until the culling done

tell the sisters of the gun

we can’t protect them anymore

 

this is your morrows day

 

and it doesn’t really matter

 

And the world sees beauty through the barrel of a gun

in the maw in the maw in the catty of the maw

you don’t own the morrow in the heaven of the pause

 

Tell your lover they’re the one

love until the culling done

tell the sisters of the gun

we can’t protect them anymore

 

this is your morrows day

 

and it doesn’t really matter

 

catty in the culley in the all night long

Erase your face

Avoid all transactions

in the marketplace

gimme all your money

we’ll wipe every trace

though it sounds appealing

In the obvious ways

You need something solid

to be disengaged

 

Desperation goin down

you can smell it like cologne

all over town

desperation goin down

goin down

Isolation going down

and its tagged on the walls 

of the subways uptown

Isolation goin down

goin down

 

Cancel all subscriptions

and leave no trace

give us all your money

we’ll erase your face

though it sounds appealing

In the obvious ways

You need something solid

to be disengaged

 

Disconnection goin down

in the fear that we know

when were living underground

disconnection going down

goin down

 

Desperation going down

its written in the eyes

that wander this town

desperation goin down

 

Avoid all transactions

with the human race

and you’ll be much safer

in a quiet place

as you cut your losses

and you make your way

Its a fine distinction

that we cut this way

 

Desperation goin down

and its tagged on the walls

of the subways downtown

Desperation goin down

goin down

 

Isolation goin down

in the fear that we know

when were living underground

isolation going down

goin down

 

Desperation goin down

you can smell it like cologne

all over town

desperation goin down

goin down

Disconnection goin down

in the fear that we know

when were living underground

disconnection going down

goin down

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Scolds bridle

Cauterize the bone, leave it on the fire

tell her your not home, tell her your a liar

And you won’t be at the after party

And you won’t be, in the car

All the wrong in the world I see

All the wrong that I own

 

Dedicate and own possession of the fire

are your thoughts your own

when all you loves on trial

And you won’t be in the commissary

And you won’t be…at all

When your lost dreams

seem secondary

as your breath stalls …in the dawn

 

in the dizzy parabolic

of this carnival of pain

in distracted affectation

she invokes

your Christian name

 

in the brining of your senses

and your broken skin attire

we are reaching our conclusions

we are reaching thru the fire

we are dancing on a wire

we are calling out the gods

 

we wanna see

we wanna feel

we wanna be real

 

disconnect the phone, tear at all your wires

go outside alone in search of your desires

And you can’t be

where they’d rather have you

And you won’t go

unknown

how the world seems

so ordinary

how the world seems

unkind

 

in the eyes of the forgotten

in the cues of guilt and hope

we will bind your broken bones

and lash your heart with sailors rope

 

In the war to define meaning

an the conscript misanthropes

these boundaries that contain us

and the fear of letting go

 

how we destroy

the things we love

in all our best intentions

no instructions from above 

 

we wanna see 

we wanna feel

we wanna be real

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The good loser

I’m gettin too good at losing

I’m gettin too slow on the draw

maybe its time for choosing

tween what really matters

what don’t at all

 

what side of the line, will you be on

what side of the line, do you care

maybe losing your mind, the long way

maybe losing it all, was the door

 

Its not like I planned to be here

its not like I planned at all

life has its way with the weather

whether you believe 

or not at all

 

what side of the line, will you be on

what side of the line, do you care

make up your mind, in your own time

on what we do or do not share

 

   

Feels like a time to remember

seems like a time to recall

how in the hell did we get here

how far down the well, do we fall

 

what side of the line, will you be on

what side of the line, do you care

maybe losing your mind, was a blessing 

maybe losing it all, was unfair

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My Other War

Excavations of a world we call our own

in desperate

negotiation to keep 

the knife off of the bone

I’m tired of stupid

I’m tired of lies

Its lost all meaning

We are not really alive

 

Lift your head and brace your shoulders

a world of brutes wants only soldiers

leave the hive without your tribe

and the world eats you alive

 

You call it research

I call it lies

you twist the meaning 

to fit your compromise

We’re tired of stupid

We’re tired of lies

Its lost all meaning 

we are not really alive  

 

Revelations in the

dreams we walk alone

In measured 

calculations to kill 

the darkness in our souls

I’m tired of petty

these seeds

we’ve sown

I’m tired of tired

In fear of dying

all alone

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Floatin down the river

Floatin down the river in my dead mans shoes

Dodgin all the debris screaming from the pews

hopin for a miracle but really needing two

hold on little darlin we got one more left to lose

 

Everything is changing not everything is new

landscapes re-arrangin traditions come unglued

Momma has her medicine and Daddy has the blues

All we took with us is our hog tied views

 

Flail’in down the river with the madhouse blues

cursing at the system, its cruelty and abuse

hopin that the oars don’t break and hoping for some news

pinin for a warm spot where I can dry my shoes

 

Hopin that the shit don’t rise and hoping for some clues

lookin for some landfall where I can park my blues

give us back our barbesol and give us back our shoes

now the rivers rising and there’s reckoning to do

 

Drowning in a river of our own refuse

graspin for intentions really ain’t no use

someone throw a line before it ain’t no good

I’m going down again I’m on my last breath too

 

 

There needs to be a reckoning there needs to be a truth

something to hold onto and something to abuse

ain’t no tears like yester tears its time to bust it loose

come on pretty momma its time for us to choose

  

Bobbin down the river with the cowboy blues

water logged and sinkin in my dead man shoes

thinkin that I’d run my luck and thinkin that I’m done

Father son and holy ghost the stalinists have won

 

There needs to be a reckoning there needs to be a truth

something to hold onto and something to abuse

give us back our barbasol and give us back our shoes

now the rivers rising and there’s reckoning to do

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Nevermind
(Leonard Cohen/Pat Leonard)

  

The war was lost, the treaty signed

I was not caught, I crossed the line

I was not caught, though many tried

I live among you, well disguised

 

I had to leave, my life behind

I dug some graves, you’ll never find

The stories told with facts and lies

I had a name, but never mind

 

Nevermind Nevermind

The war was lost, the treaty signed

Theres truth that lives and truth that dies

I don’t know which so never mind

 

You’re victory was so complete 

that some among

thought to keep

A record of our little lives

the clothes we wore our spoons our knives

the games of luck our soldiers played

the stones we cut, the songs we made

Our law of peace which understands

A husband leads, a wife commands

 

And all of this expressions of, 

the sweet indifference

some call love

the high indifference some call fate

but we had names more intimate

 

Names so deep and names so true

the blood to me their dust to you

there is not need that this survive

Theres truth that lives and truth that dies

 

Nevermind Nevermind

I live the life I left behind

Theres truth that lives and truth that dies

I don’t know which, so never mind

 

I could not kill, the way you kill

I could not hate, I tried I failed

You turned me in, at least you tried

you side with them, whom you despise

This was your heart, this swarm of flies

This once was your mouth this bowl of lies

You serve them well, I’m not surprised

you’re of their kin, you’re of their kind

 

 Nevermind Nevermind

I had to leave my life behind

The stories told with facts and lies

you own the world

so never mind

 

Nevermind Nevermind

I live the life I left behind

I live it full I live it wide

thru layers of time

you can’t divide

 

My woman here my children too

their graves are safe, from ghosts like you

in places deep with roots entwined

I live the life I left behind

The war was lost the treaty signed

I was not caught, I crossed the line

I was not caught though many tried

I live among you well disguised

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gameinfo

GAME BOARD & RULES

The gatefold art on the vinyl LP (out April/May and available for pre-order March 20th, 2023) features a board game designed by Panick & Blair Gauntt which draws on Razorhouse’s association with the Mayan Popol Vuh and incorporates touchstones of the band’s artistic history.

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​ENTER THE RAZORHOUSE

This is more a journey than a game. Take this pilgrimage to acquire experience and knowledge. All you collect along the way is that which you carry inside, that of real value not a suggested or perceived cultural value.

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Do not take this journey with anyone with whom you have conflict. Issues must be resolved before entry. Do not ignore the Xilbalbans rules and whims. The penalties for such cannot be imagined in the human world.

Xilbalban EDICTS

 

Both players use one die and can choose their avatar for the game board.

You move segment to segment performing rituals.  You roll die as instructed.

You can move between houses (only moving left to right or east to west) per the Xilbalbans instructions.

 

As you enter each “song house” you must recite the first 3 words in the lyric of the song associated with that house.

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And as you exit each “song house”, if you wish to retain your skin and organs, you must recite the last 3 words of the lyric associated with that “song house”.

1

Step One
THE TWINNING

You and your partner perform the twinning ceremony to enter; it must be performed exactly per the Xilbalbans instructions or you will not retain the sacred knowledge held inside.

 

You must first write down on a piece of paper your last sin of excess or self betrayal, fold it up and place it in your twin’s mouth as they do the same to you. Then laying down upon the earth, side by side, twine your fingers with the hands that lay between you, looking at the Moon or Sun you both beseech the first Grandmother Xmucane to bind your souls for all eternity (Grandmother is kind and will heed your request and twin you together). This ceremony cannot be reversed.

 

You and your twin enter the 5th house the Razorhouse.

2

Step Two

You and your twin lay a burning ember (a match) on a piece of ham (in a sink or metal tub please) to symbolize the burning pig heads of Razorhouse, and say, 

 

“Let us dance for the

Xilbalbans, let us sacrifice ourselves!” 

 

The aged merchant god of the underworld spoke, “Don’t be afraid. Don’t be ashamed. Just dance this way: first you’ll dance to sacrifice yourselves, you’ll set fire to my house after that, you’ll act out all the things you know. We want to be entertained. This is our heart’s desire, the reason you had to be sent for, dear vagabonds. We’ll give you payment”.

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You and your twin collect seven bone skins and can move on.

3

Step Three

You and your twin follow One and Seven Hunahpu into Dark House. A torch was brought along with seeing smoke, and the bearer said, “My lord gives you these, but they must be returned unused in the morning”. One and Seven Hunahpu are angry and without hope. You huddle in the corner until your torch goes out.

 

Tip

It would be wise to hold your complaints should the Xilbalbans be listening.

In the morning you and your twin roll the die once each to arrive at a seven or pay the torch bearer 2 bone skins to be shown the way. You and your twin can move on.

4

Step Four

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As you and your twin enter; you are compelled by the ravens to sing.

And here began their song named “Camacu” they sang out the lament of their very hearts and guts.

“Alas!

We were lost at Tulan!

We shattered ourselves!

We left our elder brothers behind!

Our younger brothers!

Where did they see the sun?

Where must they be staying?

now that the dawn has come?”

 

You and your twin must sing the lament before proceeding,

You and your twin can move on.

5
Step Five

Access to Song House

erase your face

You and you twin enter. Recite first 3 words of lyric of song to enter. One and Seven Death want to wear your face, if you leave without your face you will never be recognized not even by owls. This is the making of the oven, the great stone oven The Xilbalbans made it in the image of the places where the sweet drink is cooked. The messenger of One and Seven Death arrive and deliver this message:

 

“Give your faces to our Lords. You do not use them properly, you abuse and ignore the great truths! You wallow in empty thoughts. Give my lords your faces and stay in Xilbalba as unknown and undisturbed. For you will not be recognized through the entire river of time.”
 

Tip

it would be wise to prostrate yourself before the messenger and modestly decline. You and your twin must then recite the last 3 words from the lyric from Erase your face. You and your twin can move on.

6
Step Six

You and your twin enter. You are lost in the wastelands; you wander in search of comfort and familiarity.

 

Wailing Woman beseeches you and your twin to bring her to the other side while Lust Woman attempts to lure you into a lurid sexual dance of the wastelands. To escape you must remove the trash inside the cave of waste (your bathroom); only order and cleanliness shall dissuade the Xilbalbans. You and your twin can move on.

7
Step Seven

You and you twin enter the Cave of Bats. Upon entry the bats could not leave and they were starved. The bats attempt to draw blood for their sustenance.
Tip: cover your necks with your tunics. Nine Deer enters and tells of the coming of Lord Scab Stripper and Lord Blood Gatherer and their intentions to drain your blood. You or your twin must roll a 7 before they arrive. You and your twin can move on.

8
Step Eight

You and you twin enter into the pitch black. Upon entry you and your twin are beaten with sharp fronds. Somewhere and everywhere in the room you and your twin can hear Lust Woman laughing, she is taking her revenge, for you did not respond to her advances. You and your twin must both roll 3’s before you are too injured to leave. You and your twin can move on.

9
Step Nine

You and your twin enter Dark Night of the Soul. Though you have travelled far, your past loves and wrongs attend a banquet. Your actions and reactions during the banquet shall determine if you may leave. The Lord Demon of Woe has slipped into your head domain and you must find the path to quiet the thoughts. Through meditation you and your twin can free yourselves from the continuous nightmare trail that Lord Demon of Woe drips from his war axe.

You and your twin can move on.

​10
Step Ten

You and your twin enter. This is your chance for giving up, remove your deadman’s shoes, jump into the river to start the game over. You are overwhelmed and wish to regress back to the start in hopes the wheel is more benevolent. Exhaustion and mental fatigue can be your worst enemy; recognize when you need to care for your flesh and mind. You can seek spiritual knowledge from the old Grandfather the sack bearer by rolling a 5 from your first try and you will be transported directly to Song house - Life Tears the strange, here you and your twin must recite the first 3 words of the song Life Tears (the strange) and upon completing that the 1st Grandfather the sack bearer will teach you and your twin the ways to navigate humanity and remain true to who you are. Afterwards you must recite the last 3 words of the song only then can you and your twin can move on.

​11
Step Eleven

You and your twin have been conjured back to life by Blood magician McGuinness.  At times a random conversation may open a door you did not see. Speak honestly and passionately to draw shaman, witches, those holy, and blood magicians to your journey. Even if they do not share their magic their company is worth the effort.

 

Sing of the beauty of connecting flowers, cut wreaths for the Xilbalbans, praise their mockery of death. Leave this room with a better understanding of positive chains of power. You and your twin can move on.

12
Step Twelve

 

You and your twin enter. Recite first 3 words of lyric of song to enter. Then pour a small amount of water into a shoe and wait for it to dry while making a list of things for which to forgive yourself.

 

After making the list of at least 3 things and reciting the leaving lyric you and your twin can move on.

13
Step Thirteen
Song House:

Codex Jun

You and your twin enter. Nothing is as it appears; 3 dimensions are moving but not in unison, you desperately hold onto one and wait for moments to cross into others. You must each recite first 3 words of lyric of the first song.

 

You and your twin find yourself standing before The Daykeeper the Grandmother Xmucane as they set out the days. “Just let it be found, just let it be discovered, say it, our ears are listening, may you talk, may you speak, just find the wood for the carving and sculpting by the builder. Is this to be the provider, the nurturer when it comes to the planting and the dawning? You corn kernels, you coral seeds, you days, you lots: may you succeed, may you be accurate.” You and your twin must read this out loud and chant “ALL honor the Daykeeper, the Grandmother Xmucane!” You and your twin must then recite the last 3 words from the lyric from the last song.

 

You and your twin can move on.

14
Step Fourteen

 

You and your twin enter. Recite first 3 words of lyric of each song to enter either house. The root of fiery splendor was implanted at the citadel at The Bearded Place. The penance done for the gods increased here, striking terror again, and all the tribe were terrified, small tribes and great tribes. They witnessed captives arrive to be killed for the splendor and majesty of Lord Noble Sweatbath and Lord Itzayul along with the great houses and the Lord Quiches. You and your twin must sacrifice something close to you to move on; tear a hole in some piece of clothing and let go of a judgement you carry against another. You and your twin must then recite the last 3 words from the lyric from the last song.

 

You and your twin can move on.

15
Step Fifteen

You and your twin enter. You must each recite first 3 words of lyric of the first song. For now you have arrived at the citadel of Rotten Cane as the name is spoken by the Lord Quiches. The Lords Noble Sweathbath and Plumed Serpent came down among the Xilbalbans, together with all the other lords. There have been five changes and five generations of people since the origin of light, the origin of continuity, the origin of life and of humankind. Continuity’s importance on you and your twin’s journey cannot be overstated. They built many houses there for the gods.

 

 

You and your twin must build something for someone else in need, it could be a bowl of cereal for a young lord or as elaborate as a treehouse. Then reciting the last 3 words of the last song from Codex Du you and your twin can move on

16
Step Sixteen
Song house:

Codex Tres Lingua

You and your twin enter “the bundle of flames”. Such was the death of all four of our first Grandfathers and fathers. You must each recite first 3 words of lyric of the first song. When they disappeared their sons remained on the mountain of Hacauitz. All those on Hacauitz gathered on each day and that was for the remembrance of their fathers. For them, the day of the bundle was a great one. They could not unwrap it; for them it stayed bundled, they called it “The bundle of flames”. It was given this epithet, this name, when it was left in their keeping by the fathers who made it so, as a sign of their being.

 

You and your twin must make a sign of your being, bundle something of inspirational fire and hide it for your sons or daughters to find later. Now reciting the last 3 words of the last song off of Codex Tres Lingua you so your twin can move on.

17
Step Seventeen
Song house:
Winters teeth & Meatwalker

You and your twin enter Winters teeth. You must each recite first 3 words of lyric of the first song. Both you and your twin must cleanse your remaining teeth so as not to despoil the reading.

Out loud you must both speak the names of the Lords of the Greathouses;

 

Lord Face Stealer 

Minister of blood rivers (responsible for ecology)

Lord Aulem (loser of the Citadel battle at the Lord Quiches)

Mother of conflict (the masked one, the wearer of bridles)

Lord Nine Death

Lord Minister of Serpents (whom slept in a serpent ball)

 

Lay prostrate on the floor before the Lords, then you and your twin may rise to recite the last 3 words of lyric on the last song Meatwalker. You and your twin can move on.

18
Step Eighteen

You and your twin enter the Great House of Lord Monk Tweedley, Lord of minor demons and lord of the swollen head, Lord of where the woodbine twineth. A chaste lord, his modesty was foremost in his daily practices.

 

You and your twin as to not insult Lord Monk Tweedley must exchange clothing with each other to represent the understanding of another plight. But you can only exchange clothing in a blackened room, no torch light must be present. The dark represents the purity of not knowing. After the exchange you and your twin can move on.

19

Step Nineteen

Song house:

Hobo Stomp

You and your twin enter a vagabond encampment, this is the domain of Lord Corntassel keeper of nettles. You and your twin must recite the first 3 words of Hobo Stomp to enter. To travel through you must travel as the vagabonds in the encampment. You and your twin must put nettles (suggested alternative to nettles-crunched up paper) under your tunics as you traverse the vagabond encampment. as you show pity for the vagabonds and their sufferings by sharing their plight. You and your twin can move on after reciting the last 3 words of the Hobo Stomp song

20

Step  Twenty
Song housE:

Morrows day &  
Dawn of the slippery

You and your twin enter. You both must recite the first 3 words of the lyric of Morrows day song to enter Song House Morro. Inside, you once again encounter Xmucane Grandmother of One Monkey and One Artisan.

One Monkey demands you entertain his brother by creating a song about your journey through the houses thus far.  Then you must sing it directly to One Artisan his brother.

Upon completion, you and your twin must recite the last 3 words to the lyric in Morrows Day song to move to the Great House next door.

 

As you enter Song House Slippery, you and your twin must recite the first 3 words of Dawn of the Slippery. You and your twin will then enter the lair of the Snatch Bats. These are not earthly bats, they are bats of Xilbalba. They are an animal that eats the moon, they covet human possessions as entertainments. [Tip: You would be wise to give them the bone skins you acquired earlier.] Before departing Song House Slippery you and your twin must recite the last 3 words of the song Dawn of the slippery. You and your twin can descend back to the ascension stone entry. You and your twin can move on after reciting the last 3 words of the Dawn of the slippery. You and your twin can move on.

21

Step Twenty-One

You and your twin enter a vast mesa. In the distance you see Hunahpu and Xbalanque sweeping out the court of their fathers. As the Lords of Xilbalba heard, you hear their thoughts as loud and terrifying voices. “Who’s begun a game up there, over our heads? Where is their shame? Stomping around this way? Didn’t One and Seven Hunahpu die trying to magnify themselves in front of us? All are hereby summoned. You must refrain from speech in the face of the Xilbalbans.”

One and Seven Death enter and point at you and your mute twin and Hunahpu and Xbalanque. They announce “We will play a game and see what mettle the rude ones have.” Since you are mere humans and have few ball playing skills you lose badly to the Xilbalbans. Tamazul the toad boy enters and bids you and your twin to follow. “I have your fate in my belly as an answer.” You must roll your dies to either proceed across the ladder and miss the grand house just beyond or proceed on into the house and acquire the benevolence and blessings of Noble Lord Sweatbath. 1 to 5 on a roll moves you through further and you cross the ladder. You and your twin can move on to whatever fate awaits you.

22

Step Twenty-Two

Song house:

Scolds Bridle

You and your twin enter. You both must recite the first 3 words of the lyric of the first song.Upon entry you and your twin must sit facing each other placing your left hand on your twin’s shoulder. After reciting the 8 sacred song titles of the Scolds Bridle, each must speak from the heart as to the meaning you hold in each other’s friendship. This connection is your protection, it cements your sheathing; without it you will end up beaten and wounded more than would be expected. You and your twin can move on; you have been enlightened and now carry knowledge not accessible to most earthly beings. You and your twin can move on after reciting the last 3 words of the the last song. You and your twin can move on to whatever fate awaits you.

23
Step Twenty-Three

You and your twin enter. Preparing for egress, you and your twin must speak to the chat sank ch’eken (the leaf cutter ants) and pay homage to The Grandmother of days and Old One Death the Lord of all Xilbalbans. A wreath of flowers and fragrance must be left behind to mask your human smell and to honor all Lords of Xilbalba. After such glorious presentation, you and your twin can move on.

24
Step Twenty-Four
The final step

Upon entering the serpents tail you and your twin must reflect on your pilgrimage and document testimony of your personal revelations.

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