There are few bands in the Minnesota music scene that can translate the world at large into an all-encompassing wall of sound the way Another Heaven does. Their last release For Ever, released in 2018, was described by the band as a "crushingly heavy yet intensely melodic collection of songs that casts a jaundiced eye on the modern American wasteland." There's a certain nihilistic tint to the lens the band looks through, and before the world came to a halt, Another Heaven was in the process of putting together their debut record, but instead of sitting on that music, the band has decided to put out a three-part series of singles over the next few months. Each part in the series features two original songs and a cover.
Another Heaven kicks everything off with "Knot," a slow-burning track about the Earth destroying humanity. The lyric "A dying Earth's sweet revenge" floats among cavernous guitars and washing drums. It's a bleak response to our currently bleak ecological situation. The single's B side, "Lifted," acts as an anthemic response to "Knot." The track coalesces with Ali Jaafar, Cole Benson, and Aaron Lemay working in lockstep to create a monolith of escapism. "Lifted" feels frantic in its drive to get away from this reality. Jaafar's vocal performance alternates between serene in the verses and agitated during the choruses. Despite the protagonist's best attempts to transcend this mortal coil, even for a minute, there's a grit and bitterness of what's down below. Also included is a cover of John Cale's "Big White Cloud" which was reimagined by Lemay. The original whimsy has been twisted into what feels like a new anthem of defiance, but not in the protesting to get a haircut kinda way.
The band released a cryptic lyric video for "Knot" on Thursday, April 30. You can watch that video below.
"Knot Single Series pt. 1" is out now. Go pick it up on Bandcamp today while they are still waiving their fees.
Comments
Post a Comment