Photo: Monika Deviat
Vancouver’s doom grunge duo Post Death Soundtrack will drop their new album, Veil Lifter, on April 16, a symphony of heathen guitars, brazen bass, a bubbling cauldron of vicious sounds, and the crushing voice of Stephen Moore.
Explaining the album, vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Stephen Moore shares, “Much of it is written in heavy metaphor and dream language, as I’ve always felt it’s more powerful to paint a picture rather than be overly direct. Ideas from Advaita, the Gita, Zen, and philosophers like Krishnamurti find their way into the concepts and lyricism here and there, but for the most part, this is a purely raw album intended to evoke deeply personal emotion, as it was written from a truly dangerous place.”
He goes on, “‘Veil Lifter’ is dedicated to the memory of my hero and wonderful Father, Ted George Moore, who I know would be proud of what we’ve created.”
Post Death Soundtrack comprises Moore (vocals, guitar, lyrics), Jon Ireson (bass, additional guitars, production), and Casey Lewis (drums).
According to Ireson, “The bones of the songs came together very quickly, arranging all the drums, rhythm guitars, and some of the bass in two crazy week-long bursts. The album really came to life once we started adding Steve’s great vocal layers, added some fuzzy melodic bass lines to move the plot along, and the icing on the cake was bringing in Casey Lewis. He had worked with Steve on several projects before and his intensity, personality, and feel make the record really punch.”
Entry points on the album include “The Die Is Cast,” rolling out on dark, brutal guitars and weighty percussion, all topped by Moore’s implacable, rasping vocals, infusing the lyrics with grimacing textures.
“Icy Underground” reveals the black energy of doom, riding a mid-tempo rhythm composed of heavy drums and a fat, woolly bassline. Mantra-like, Moore’s voice gives the lyrics elegiac, psalm-like flavors, prowling relentlessly through the atmosphere.
Brimming with primal dynamics, “Lowdown Animal” pulsates with vicious, storming guitars as Moore imbues the lyrics with primordial timbres, like an instinctive reaction to cruel circumstances. It’s one of those voices that comes across as bleeding from a wound in the throat.
Talking about “Lowdown Animal”, Moore says,” “The hyena has become a kind of symbol for the band. With lions, tigers, and bears, you have a good idea of what to expect from their brute strength. But hyenas represent the outsider, the unwelcome drifter, the cursed sneak. We’ll sneak up, surround the mighty lion, and take it down while laughing.”
The agitating intro to “Tide Turns Red” introduces fulminating guitars, skintight, brawny drums, and the sensation of frenzied urgency. While punk-like guitars, clotted with dirty textures, infuse “Pin Prick” with insolent tones, pressurized by mordant colors.
Lewis’ walloping drums inject “Immovable” with lacerating seizures as Moore’s shredding voice tears gashes in the sky, howling with aching emotion.
With Veil Lifter, Post Death Soundtrack unleashes sepulchral gravity, crawling malice, and taut, unrestrained animal appetites.
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