(written by Islander)
Is it a coincidence, or something like the alignment of stars in a constellation? Over the last month I’ve repeatedly been struck by impressive new music from bands located in the great state of Maine, and then enthusiastically spilled words about each of them. Bands like Obsidian Tongue, Blood Chariot, Stone Crown, and now Namebearer.
By some measures that’s surprising: Maine is in the bottom 10 of our States in population, and its location is remote from most of the country, which creates challenges for bands to get outside of New England if they want to expose themselves through touring. On the other hand, there seems to be something about the State’s rocky coast, its rivers, forests, and mountains — and its distinctive history and culture — that proves to be conducive to the creation of distinctive forms of metal, and especially black metal.
And because the community of such bands isn’t large and sprawling, it seems to lead to inspirational connections among them.
photos by Lincoln Sample
We’re told that the band we’re focusing on today, Namebearer, was formed in 2023 as a solo project by founding member Brian Tenison (Eave, Obsidian Tongue-live), who initially drew inspiration from the likes of Abigor, Circle Of Ouroborus, and Blut Aus Nord. But the project evolved quickly when Tenison‘s close friend and collaborator Brendan Hayter (Obsidian Tongue, Obsequiae-live, Thrawsunblat, Blood Chariot, Stone Crown) was brought on board to contribute session drums.
This collaboration led to the release of Namebearer‘s first demo last year, and now, with Hayter as a full-time member, the duo have recorded a debut EP named Industries Of The Fading Sun that will be out on May 2nd. On the new EP Hayter‘s role has expanded, as he has contributed vocals and synthesizers in furtherance of what is described as the duo’s “shared vision.” Here’s how that vision is described in the press materials we’ve received:
Shimmering with grim, heavy energy, Industries Of The Fading Sun conjures hazy visions of an apocalyptic world, the two members merging progressive, psychedelic, and atmospheric elements to craft a visceral and immersive sound. Industries Of The Fading Sun envelops listeners in a gripping exploration of a planet teetering on the edge of oblivion.
The lyrics were written in English and then translated to Finnish with the assistance of Veera Anttila. Blending their distinct influences with their evolving collaborative energy, NAMEBEARER continues to carve out a space in the musical landscape, where emotional depth and experimental sound converge.
Today we have a tangible demonstration of these visions in our premiere of a song from the EP intriguingly named “Black Vein, Atom Drum.”
Some songs slowly lead listeners by the hand toward the band’s main objective, but not this one. It immediately submerges the listener in dense, dramatic, and heaving waves of daunting sound, pierced by scorching screams and fretwork that’s shrill and flickers like fire. The drumming is a steady march at first, but it too catches fire and explodes.
When the song downshifts into a lumbering cadence, wild cries soar skyward with wrenching intensity, and near-crystalline elements soar too. The vocals, doubled-up, become even more tumultuous, as the music pulsates — like strident yearning — and then the music itself really becomes tumultuous — like some combination of avalanche, mortar fire, and razor-edged ice storm, with shattering screams and malignant roars galore.
The music is wholly immersive and wholly harrowing, earth-shaking and earth-splitting, sweeping in its scale, wave-like in its momentum, and tormented in its mood — briefly broken only by a soft and elegant instrumental interlude. The vocals continue to be wide-ranging and striking in every phase, including the raw singing, and the drumming is a constant attention-grabber, including the fascinating progressions at the end, which might attract the label “tribal.”
We also have a statement to share from Brian Tenison about the song:
“When writing this song, I went back and forth, wondering if parts of it were too divergent from the rest of the EP or from what I wanted NAMEBEARER to be. There’s a section starting at 3:04 that I considered reworking, or even cutting, but Brendan’s contributions to that part put those doubts to rest. In particular, when he screams the song title at the top of the riff, it invokes an energy that perfectly complements the layering. Brendan’s drumming and synth work also gave the section a unique, almost hypnotic movement. The clean guitar break at 4:42 was another of his ideas, and all of these aspects of this song really showcase his creative input.
“Currently, I handle most of the songwriting for NAMEBEARER, but Brendan adds his own compositional touches wherever he sees fit, and he makes a huge impact when doing so. It’s been incredible to see how well this collaborative approach has come together for Industries Of The Fading Sun. ‘Black Vein, Atom Drum’ is a prime example of the creative synergy Brendan and I have found since he became a full member of the band.”
One other song from the new EP was released into the world before “Black Vein, Atom Drum“, and we’re including a stream of it next. Here’s what Tenison had to say about that one:
“Roughly translating to ‘Depths of the Frozen Lake,’ ‘Jäätyneen Järven Uumenissa’ is a true representation of the mission behind NAMEBEARER. I am heavily inspired by Finnish underground masters such as Circle of Ouroborus, Kêres, and Cosmic Church, for their ability to create enveloping atmospheres through a truly unique and raw expressive lens. No frills, just honest creation.
“In writing this EP, my focus was to take note of their accomplishments and let them inform me in the hopes of making an equally effective statement of my own. This song also features the only Finnish singing on the EP. My Finnish is certainly a work in progress, but I took great care in translating the lyrics with a native speaker and working on correct pronunciations. Hopefully I was able to pull it off!”
This song is every bit as dynamic, as elaborate, as electrifying, and as wholly captivating as the one we’ve just premiered. To be sure, it’s distressing too, and even hallucinatory, and again features dramatically varying vocals of both shattering and forlorn intensity (including uber-deep growls, sky-high singing in Finnish, and solemn spoken words).
By the end it sounds like a demolition job fueled by pain — in line with the description of the album as “a gripping exploration of a planet teetering on the edge of oblivion.”
Recorded by the band, Industries Of The Fading Sun was mixed by Brian Tenison and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios (The Body, Magic Circle, Magrudergrind), and the record is completed with logo, cover art, and layout by Shannon Jordan.
The members of Namebearer and their allies in Falls Of Rauros have also banded together to launch a new label/collective for their circle of regional acts called Hidden Dawn, which also currently includes Rhûn, Stone Crown, Blood Chariot, and others. See more about that HERE.
Industries Of The Fading Sun will be released digitally on May 2nd, with a physical version likely to follow. Preorders are live at Bandcamp now.
PRE-ORDER:
https://namebearer.bandcamp.com/album/industries-of-the-fading-sun
FOLLOW NAMEBEARER:
https://www.instagram.com/namebearer.metal
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