The Welsh death-doom band The Drowning have been active for more than 15 years, and in that time have released four albums and a pair of shorter releases, and the fifth full-length, The Radiant Dark, is now headed for a November 8 release by Transcending Obscurity Records. As a sign of what it holds in store we’re presenting today the premiere of the third track to surface so far, this one aptly named “Harrowed Path“.
This new song provides a great example of The Drowning‘s ability to meld emotionally dark melodies, shattering vocal intensity, and head-hammering aggression, channeling both grief and rage in powerful fashion.
“Harrowed Path” builds and changes, creating a dynamic listening experience. As if building a scaffolding upon which facades will be constructed, the band begin with a pounding rhythm and moaning chords, overlaid by slow-moving waves of cold, sorrowing melody. The music will become more intense, but the vocals — a combination of belligerent roars and petrifying shrieks — are intense right from the beginning.
Following the first of two bridges, skittering and trilling leads and a winding, exotically reptilian melody add further dimensions to the music, while the rhythm section maintains the head-moving drive, accented by acrobatic fills. And then the song really starts charging, the hammering force of the bass becoming more destructive and the drums more maniacal, before reverting to a stomping groove. After the second bridge, the band deliver a head-banging chugfest laced with bursts of blaring guitar, a shrill reverberating solo (and a bit of drum soloing as well), and a final eruption of feverish fretwork.
Transcending Obscurity recommends The Radiant Dark for fans of Warcrab, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Hex, Esogenesi, Illimitable Dolor, Chalice of Suffering, and Evoken. The artwork and layout were created by Matt Vickerstaff (Darkthrone). Explore pre-order options via the first link below — and also check out the two songs that have previously premiered from the album.
PRE-ORDER:
https://drowningwales.bandcamp.com/
THE DROWNING:
https://facebook.com/DrowningWales
TRANSCENDING OBSCURITY:
http://tometal.com/
http://facebook.com/transcendingobscurityrecords