Photo: Ursula Bahr
Southern Appalachia doomhaze outfit Angelica & The Crooked Path recently released two debut singles, “Lily” and “Creatures of Spring.” Both songs were mastered by Ryan Williams and produced, engineered, and mixed by Dave Kaminsky at Studio Wormwood.
The band says, “We made our debut late this spring with two singles. The first, ‘Lily,’ aims to demonstrate our contrasting heaviness and sense of melody by fusing lumbering sludge riffs with celestial female vocals and a chorus with a hook. The second, ‘Creatures of Spring,’ is our more adventurous offering, showing an eclectic range of influence from genres such as post-rock, choral music, and jazz.”
Made up of – Esmé (vocals), Gerri (bass), Nicholas (drums), and Ursula (guitar), Angelica & The Crooked Path calls their sound “bloom metal,” a blend of clotted sludge and dream-pop that results in music at once primordial and delicate.
“Creatures of Spring” was inspired by the tale of the alleged Hungarian serial killer Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed and includes a quote from the 1992 noir comedy Death Becomes Her.
Opening on thick primeval guitars riding massive percussive blows, “Lily” rolls into a wicked, dread-laced melody, rumbling with black energy. Esmé’s Medusa-like vocals, almost ethereal, imbue the lyrics with haunting tones. The juxtaposition of gooey sludge and nuanced, ghostly timbres give the tune simultaneous dark and transcendent textures.
“Creatures of Spring,” softer and more elegant, highlights the wonderfully expressive and enthralling vocals of Esmé, ranging from initially sweet and melodic tones followed by taking on shadowy, chanting inflections dripping with portentous hues. Vaguely reminiscent of Amy Lee merged with Stevie Nicks, Esmé’s voice is nonpareil, surely the best new female voice in music.
With their inky black antediluvian music topped by the lusciously spectral vocals of Esmé, Angelica & The Crooked Path forge an imminent welter of emotions.
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