Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan and the Icarus Line’s Joe Cardamone have formed a new duo called Dark Mark vs. Skeleton Joe. “The fact that it’s not like anything either one of us have done before is what makes this so interesting for me,” Lanegan says. “I just wanted to make some instrumentals that I thought Mark’s voice would shine on, something hard with space for Mark to let go,” adds Cardamone.

Dark Mark vs. Skeleton Joe’s debut single features two dark electronic-tinged tracks, “Dark Mark Theme” and “Skeleton Joe Manifesto.” The 12″ is out today on vinyl (it won’t be on streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music). “’Dark Mark Theme’ is one of my favorite tracks,” says Cardamone. “The lyrics are awesome and the instrumental component is just mean. Together, it all ended up as a powerful combination.”

“’Skeleton Joe Manifesto’ is a four-in-the-morning-in-the-Paris-underground type of track,” according to Cardamone. “Mark and I both sweat the good dance music from the past, so the two tracks just seemed like a cool chance to strobe out, if that makes sense.” Lanegan adds, “I think of ‘Manifesto’ as bizarro gospel music with Joe as Christ. The theme is just twisted perversity, or at least that’s what it was intended to be. I think it’s safe to say that we achieved it.”

“There is an entire full-length Dark Mark vs. Skeleton Joe record in the can that we’re finalizing now. Some little touches here and there still, but all in all we got a record on the way,” Cardamone continues. “We were originally intending to release it earlier, but, with the pandemic, and other things going on in the world, it just hasn’t seemed appropriate,” Lanegan explains. “Now, we both feel more comfortable creeping some of this material into the open, and these two tracks are just a teaser for what’s to come with the full length.”

Stream “Dark Mark Theme” b/w “Skeleton Joe Manifesto” below.

The “Dark Mark Theme” b/w “Skeleton Joe Manifesto” 12” single is out now via Rare Bird/Kitten Robot Records.