By Robert Duguay

Tomahawk readies a rare tour stop in Boston as its members reconvene after more than a decade.

Tomahawk. Photo: Courtesy of the artist

What separates a supergroup from your typical band? The former’s creative output is expected to meet, and perhaps even exceed, expectations. Letdowns threaten to undercut the group’s mystique; success can be a mind-blowing confirmation. Featuring Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, and numerous other projects), his Mr. Bungle bandmate Trevor Dunn on bass, Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard) on guitar, and John Stanier (Battles, Helmet, Mark of Cain) on drums, Tomahawk has been celebrated for emitting a noisy barrage of dark, eclectic sound that blends alternative rock, metal, experimental rock, and off-kilter pop.

As part of their “A Huge Waste of Your Time and Money” tour, the quartet takes the stage at the House of Blues in Boston on July 30. The show starts at 6:30 p.m., with Seattle sludge legends the Melvins opening.

I spoke with Stanier ahead of the show about his many projects, his long history with Boston, and what’s next.

The Arts Fuse: Over the course of your career, you’ve played in a wide range of projects—Tomahawk, Mark of Cain, Helmet, and now Battles—along with numerous other collaborations. Is it difficult to shift among all these various musical demands?

John Stanier: Every project is completely different; the music and the people change every time, so you have to adapt. You’re dealing with different personalities, different material, sometimes even different labels. Mark of Cain, for instance, is based in Australia. Every situation is unique, and I approach each one based on what’s needed.

AF: With Tomahawk, you’re part of an experimental supergroup with Patton, Denison, and Dunn. Given how established everyone is, what stands out about creating this kind of avant-garde material together?

Stanier: In Tomahawk, I play more in the background. It’s almost like a traditional setup of guitar, bass, drums, and singer. Compared to that, Battles is completely open-ended, and in Helmet I could do whatever I want. As part of Tomahawk, I have some freedom, but I focus on serving the music. In fact, I like having those boundaries. It’s an amazing project that just won’t die. It’s kind of wild how long it’s lasted—everyone has other things going on, but we always find our way back.

Every time we regroup for a record or a tour, I think it might be the last. Then years pass, someone reaches out, and it starts again. It’s a refreshing, professional project that just keeps going—and I love those guys.

AF: This year marks 25 years since the band formed, and this tour is your first in 13 years. How did you prepare after such a long gap?

Stanier: From the start, it was always a project—everyone had other commitments. When Trevor joined, I don’t think we even played together until soundcheck for the first show. That’s kind of crazy, but we all take it seriously while juggling other things, so time is tight. There’s never been a huge amount of preparation—it just clicks.

For the first record, we spent about 24 hours together after trading tapes, then recorded quickly. In Nashville, we rehearsed for maybe a day or two before tracking, and the whole album was done in about four days. Mit Gas was similar—no real prep. I love that process.

AF: You’ve played Boston many times. What’s it like coming back to the House of Blues?

Stanier: I’m in Boston all the time—I practically lived in Somerville for a while because of my girlfriend, though she’s moving to New York now. Sometimes it feels like I’ve played Boston more than Philadelphia, even though I’m based in New York. It’s just part of the Northeast corridor at this point. I’ve played a lot of venues there, and I really like the city.

AF: Looking ahead, could this run of shows lead to a new Tomahawk record? Any other projects to mention?

Stanier: I can’t say much about Tomahawk right now—maybe something, maybe not. But there is definitely a new Battles record coming out.

Rob Duguay is an arts & entertainment journalist based in Providence who is originally from Shelton, CT. Outside of The Arts Fuse, he has also written for DigBoston, Aquarian Weekly, Providence Journal, Newport Daily News, Worcester Magazine, New Noise Magazine, Manchester Ink Link, and numerous other publications. While covering mostly music, he has also written about film, TV, comedy, theater, visual art, food, drink, sports, and cannabis.