For an unpaid blog created by a small group of people on a part-time basis, I think we do a fair job of covering new releases across a broad spectrum of metal. But more metal is being created today than ever before, and we miss out on a lot of albums, EPs, and splits that deserve attention. Torrid Husk’s Caesious is a prime example.
Caesious is a three-song EP released in February of this year by Grimoire Records, and it was this West Virginia band’s second collection of music, following their 2013 debut album Mingo (yeah, we missed that one, too). It drew very favorable (and well-written) reviews from sites such as Metal Bandcamp and Invisible Oranges, but I still overlooked it. Fortunately, I’ve been given a chance to make amends by premiering the official video for one of the excellent songs on Caesious — “Cut With Rain”.
The video was directed and filmed by Tyler Davis (who is also the vocalist and guitarist for Maryland’s Barbelith) in the woods near Martinsburg, West Virginia, not far from the cabin where Caesious was recorded. It’s a beautiful setting, and the video is beautifully made.
The song itself is similarly attention-grabbing. It’s a head-whipping storm of black metal fury, energized by flaying riffs, off-the-hook drum work, and vocals that alternately scald and boom from cavernous depths. Not only is the music performed with truly impressive technical skill, it’s also memorably melodic — as well as viciously decimating. One of the things that makes the video so interesting to watch is the way in which Tyler Davis edited the imagery of a tranquil natural setting so as to fit music that’s essentially a riveting aural conflagration.
Torrid Husk’s Facebook page is here. Caesious is available on cassette and CD, as well as a digital download, at this location:
http://grimoirerecords.bandcamp.com/album/caesious
Now, here’s the video for “Cut With Rain”, followed by a player for the entire EP.
Torrid Husk – Cut with Rain from Grimoire Records on Vimeo.
7 Responses to “AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: TORRID HUSK — “CUT WITH RAIN””
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
This is exactly the videoclip-in-the-forest that we all dreamed to make as teenagers but didn’t have the balls to make (or rather the result was ingloriously shelved because of Immortal-like aesthetics). These guys will certainly have something strong in the coming years to show. Right now the riffing is a bit problematic, but the ferocity, ouch! Props to the drummer and to whomever did the production/mixing, outstandingly clean and feral at the same time. puts to shame many bands in big labels.
Very good point about the production — I thought it was excellent too. And I should have mentioned that the recording, mixing, and mastering were all done by Noel Mueller of Grimoire Records. It’s an unusual concept: for the bands they sign, Grimoire records the albums as well as releasing and promoting them.
https://www.facebook.com/GrimoireRecords
A full service label I believe they call it. They also prefer to come to your practice space and record you on site rather than bring the band into a studio. This EP was recorded in a cabin out in the woods as I recall.
Yes indeed, in a cabin in the woods. It really is a pretty amazing concept for a full-service label.
Hmm, that’s very interesting. To be honest, I get an urge to criticize it; it’s very hard for audio engineers to make a living today, with an increasing amount of bands self-producing because the means (PCs and cheap or pirated software) are available to all. So this seems like a bit of a promotion stunt for these guys to get work… Still, they are releasing cds and not just downloads, which entails the possibility of financial loss, so they must love what they’re doing. And if the bands are happy, that’s what matters. I’m going to listen to their other stuff too, out of curiosity.
awesome song and a really cool video 🙂
Music videos always seem to be so much sleeker on Vimeo.
On an unrelated note, that drummer is a beast.