Russian Circles have come back swinging from the pandemic. Their new record, Gnosis, is their most unapologetically heavy yet. That's saying something, because their last album, 2019's Blood Year, was already crushing. 

There's an even greater directness to Gnosis. It builds on their trademark blend of post-metal, black metal atmospherics, and calculated use of dissonance. Pure metallic catharsis is no longer confined to just the climax of a track, but forms the bedrock of many of the strongest riffs on the record. 

From the lead track Conduit on, there's a singularity of purpose to Gnosis. It pummels the listener not simply with riffs, but riffs with a strong melodic hook. It's not an undynamic record, either. In fact, thanks to the deft hand of Kurt Ballou on production, the mix has room to breathe in between the hammer blows.

Full interview via Guitarworld.com

Tacoma, Washington mathcore/metalcore greats Botch have released a new song and video, “One Twenty Two”. Their first song in twenty years, it will be included on the re-issue of their wildly influential second album, We Are the Romans, which was also announced today, available as a 2xLP and CD on November 4th via Sargent House. Watch the Dimitri Luedemann-directed video. There was never any intention for the band to release anything else, but when guitarist David Knudson went to write his debut solo LP, it made sense. He explains: 

“During Covid, I was writing my debut solo LP, and mentally, I was sick of everything in quarantine. Lots of frustration had set in at home, and I figured the best way to deal with it was to write something heavy. I had no intention of writing anything for Botch, but when I was thinking of a singer to collaborate with, I thought, “Hey, I know the best hardcore singer ever to do it,” so I hit up Dave V. He was super excited and so it just kind of snowballed from there. There was never any intent or conversation about getting back together or writing. It just happened so naturally and was a great release for all of us to make it happen without any of the traditional pressure an “active” band faces.” 

Bassist Brian Cook, guitarist David Knudson, drummer Tim Latona, and vocalist Dave Verellen formed Botch in 1993, becoming one of the most ground-breaking and influential bands during a pivotal shift in heavy music. Their final show was June 15, 2002, the same day as the release of their final EP, An Anthology of Dead Ends. The members would go on to play in These Arms Are Snakes, Minus the Bear, and Russian Circles, among others, with acclaim for the band coming mostly post-breakup. We Are the Romans went on to become one of the most influential albums ever for the genre garnering posthumous acclaim across the board.

Deafheaven’s Infinite Granite was released on August 20, 2021. 

To commemorate we have made all Infinite Granite merchandise, vinyl and cds 15% off through this Friday, August 26, 2022 at Hello Merch and in EU at Evil Greed - both stores ship worldwide. 

Thank you to all that have listened. 

all links: linktr.ee/deafheaven

There’s no doubt that Rundle’s music – which occupies the hypnotic intersection between doom metal, affecting singer/songwriter folk, and densely layered shoegaze – doesn’t often cross over into pop. It is, however, at least in the same neighborhood; on albums such as 2016’s Marked For Death and 2018’s On Dark Horses, she found soaring hooks and sublime melodies within stormy musical exorcisms, the likes of which make a moving target of genre, even when the aesthetic itself remains uniquely her own. 

In 2020, the artist began to release a sequence of music that challenged the basic idea of what an Emma Ruth Rundle album is meant to sound like. First came a full-length collaboration with experimental metal band Thou, May Our Chambers Be Full, in 2020, which juxtaposed her melodic dream-doom against the Louisiana group’s complex sludge. Then came two even more audacious records: a singer/songwriter album with no backing and almost no effects, and an instrumental set of solo guitar improvisations – neither of which is easily marketable. Commercial albums these are not, but Rundle nonetheless trusted her instincts, even when faced with the uncertainty of how they’d be received.

Full interview via Guitar.com

Russian Circles are in their element onstage. The trio of Mike Sullivan, Brian Cook and Dave Turncrantz thrive on the chemistry that comes from sharing the same proximal space, building intensity from the physical act of performance. That’s not always easy to do as an instrumental band, but through years of touring and honing that psychic musical connection, Russian Circles have grown into a formidable live presence. If you’ve seen them, you definitely remember it. 

That very fact led to a conundrum for the band once Covid shut down all live music in 2020, canceling their tour behind their then-new album Blood Year and having to rethink their approach to creating something as a band. They ended up doing something they’d intended to do a long time ago, and began to work on their own individual home studio setups, and from there they let the ideas flow—crafting music from scratch, from a distance, but coming together on a common wavelength even without the luxury of a shared space. 

Gnosis, out this month via Sargent House, is a surprisingly physical and menacing album in spite of the distance. It’s the most urgent they’ve sounded in years, capturing something undeniably visceral. Yet for how dark and turbulent this set of songs is, Cook says that being able to work freely and on their own schedule—with no expectations beyond the opportunity to make something—made it unusually satisfying to throw themselves into. 

“Having deadlines and things like that sometimes is a good motivator, but with a record like this where there was no real deadline, just writing for the sake of enjoyment, knowing that the future was a question mark, that’s kind of the way I feel a band should operate or artists should operate,” he says. “I’m not working on a schedule, just doing it because it comes naturally. In a year of a lot of negativity and bleak outlooks, it was this really reassuring and optimistic reminder that we can mix things up, and do things in a way that feels like it’s creating a better reflection of who we are.” 

We spoke to Cook about Russian Circles’ new album Gnosis, capturing live energy via remote files, and personal growth.

Full interview via Treblezine.com

“It’s not an ‘Yngwie’ sense of classical,” Russian Circles’ guitarist Mike Sullivantells us. “It’s more symphonic. Especially with layering and looping. You can create something you can hum, that can be stuck in your head – not just thrashing.” 

Clunky genre labels like post-rock, post-metal and instrumental progressive sludge have always done Russian Circles a disservice. There’s a classical feel to their arrangements – just not in the way you might think. Their eighth album, Gnosis, is as crushingly dense and devastatingly emotional as ever, sweeping between heavy, droning textures, pummelling riffs and gorgeous clean passages. 

Their symphonic approach means melodic clarity is essential – throughout all the intensity, the band’s three members are always audible. Mike Sullivan’s guitar, Brian Cook’s bass and Dave Turncrantz’s drums are given room to breathe, both through deft arrangements and meticulous production. 

Gnosis was tracked in two studios. The drums were recorded in Chicago’s Electrical Audio, with Sullivan and Cook playing live alongside Turncrantz’s takes. “I don’t think there were any songs to a click,” says Sullivan of the process. “There’s one that’s synced to a syncopated delay on the guitar, that was it. Compared to previous records, it was more, ‘no click, just jamming’ – just playing what felt good.”

Full interview via guitarworld.com

Russian Circles have released their first ever music video for the title track of their forthcoming LP Gnosis, available next week, August 19th, via Sargent House. The Centerpiece of the album “Gnosis” begins with a slow-build exercise in krautrock methodologies—drones, guitar arpeggios, cosmic synth, hypnotic drum patterns—that eventually explodes into the wall-of-sound bombardment Russian Circles are known for. The accompanying video, directed/edited by Joe Kell, is full of dark imagery driving towards the actual definition of the word “Gnosis.” The band explains: 

“Gnosis is a special song that has grown with us over a number of years. The main theme of the song was reconceptualized so many times that it provided nearly endless arrangement options. It's rewarding to see such a minimal song idea evolve into one of our most dynamic and fully-realized songs to date. 

When discussing a concept for the video, we agreed we wanted cinematic footage of nature and humanity. Ultimately, we wanted the video to feel fresh and inspiring despite dealing with a dark theme. Similarly, we wanted to compel viewers to rewatch the video and get something new from each viewing. Somehow, editor Joe Kell masterfully made this all happen.” 

Gnosis eschews the varied terrain of those past works by employing a new songwriting technique. Rather than crafting songs out of fragmented ideas in the practice room, full songs were written and recorded independently before being shared with other members, so that their initial vision was retained. While these demos spanned the full breadth of the band’s varied styles, the more cinematic compositions were ultimately excised in favor of the physically cathartic pieces.

Few artists have committed to the ethic of apocalyptic – even gothic – Americana as completely as Colorado’s David Eugene Edwards. From his early work with The Denver Gentlemen and 16 Horsepower to the last two decades of material he has offered via Wovenhand, Edwards practically haunts every stage, and album, with spirits that are simultaneously spectral and Biblical. On this episode of the True Tunes Podcast, John J. Thompson sits down with Edwards in front of a live audience at the Audiofeed Festival in Champaign, Illinois to talk about his origins, his musical concepts, and his mystical perspectives on everything from the nature of art and humanity to the essence of spirituality and redemption.

Full interview via truetunes.com

Genre-jumping Belgian trio Brutus has announced a new album Unison Life for October 21st via Sargent House. The follow-up to their breakout Nest, Unison Life is a concept of longing for a life of total peace. The album confronts the obstacles that stand in the way of a Unison Life and the acts of bravery that help to surpass the trials. Today watch the video for the first single, “Liar.” Filmed in Morocco, it’s the first narrative-driven video the band has ever done. The song acts as a bridge between Nest and Unison Life, combining the changes in the direction they’re known for with the concentrated force of the new album.  “Liar” follows the previously released song “Dust” from the album. 

Unison Life is Brutus at their most intentional. They were more deliberate about their sound than ever, having had the time and space to really consider their direction due to the global pause on touring. “I wanted every song to feel like the last song we’ll ever write,” singer Stefanie Mannaerts explains. “It killed me inside because it’s almost an impossibly high standard, but that was my personal goal for this album. It was a two-year quest of trying to do better.” The result is a blistering illustration of a boundary-pushing band at the top of their game. 

Since their formation in 2014, Brutus has made a name for themselves with their restless, emotionally raw rock that traverses the landscape of metal, punk, post-hardcore, and beyond – often in the same song. The three members first met in their hometown of Leuven, where they cut their teeth playing in different local bands. Their influences are wide and varied. Drummer/vocalist Stefanie Mannaerts – who grew up above a music shop run by her family – is into a variety of genres from post-metal to electronic music. Bassist Peter Mulders is more of a punk guy, while guitarist Stijn Vanhoegaerden is into country and more melodic rock. Their diverse tastes come together through Brutus to create a sound that’s as heavy as it is unexpected, full of beauty and surprises.

Russian Circles - "Betrayal" 

Russian Circles' music has never been one-note, but for years, the instrumental trio made albums that were reliable to reach for when you needed some epic post-metal to throw on and let your thoughts wander. Instrumental metal to study and relax to, perhaps. Well, you're not getting any work done when "Betrayal" is playing. The band's latest Gnosis single is gobsmackingly heavy from the jump, like a giant ball of fire rolling down a mountain that never slows down before it reaches the city below. Who needs zone-out music in times like these anyway?

Full list via revolvermag.com