(written by Islander)

The members of the Detroit band Pillar of Light chose an evocative name for their group, one that describes an otherworldly image, suggestive of blinding wonder and perhaps even the appearance of divinity. Yet the image might also be perceived as daunting or frightening.

It turns out to be a name that’s fitting to their music, which is itself a multi-faceted experience capable of producing awe-struck reactions, but it must also be said that the musical edifice they’re constructing is as much supported by columns of obsidian rising from an abyss as pillars of light descending from on high.

That edifice, in its most fully realized form so far, is represented in the band’s debut album, Caldera, which will be released later this year by Transcending Obscurity Records. One single from the album (“Wolf to Man“) surfaced this past summer, and today we present another one as the fall encroaches. Its name is “Spared“. Continue reading »