The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Keegan Kjeldsen of Slumbering Sun and Destroyer of Light

—

How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

I think of art as the transformation of our incommunicable emotional states into a form that emotionally moves others. I had the dream of being a touring musician for a long time, and first realized this goal in 2012 with my other band, Destroyer of Light. I’ve kept up touring since then in spite of the mental and emotional (and financial) toll it has taken because traveling around performing live music is perhaps the best feeling I have experienced on this earth.

Describe your first musical memory.

My dad is also a musician, and when I was a very small child, he helped me compose my then-magnum-opus, entitled, “You Can Drink Hot Cocoa”. We sang and played it together, him on guitar, and me adding the percussive elements.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

Seeing Sunn O))) perform live forever changed my life and my perception of what music can be or do to an audience. It transcended the purely auditory; it was like an interruption in normal reality, as though the outside world was dissolved and some metaphysical truth were being revealed.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

The few times in my life that I’ve managed to perform in front of a thousand people challenged my deep-seated cynicism and self-doubt. I usually expect that every effort will end in disappointment. I suppose this is another reason why I love playing music, because it has expanded my horizons of what is possible.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

Hopefully it follows with someone’s personal and psychological development. I am not the same person I was in 2012, or 2015, or 2018, so why would I write the same music? The underlying emotional reality being conveyed is differently so one’s art should manifest in a different way as they grow as a person.

How do you define success?

The ability to feed myself and pay the rent with my art would be nice. This is the success that most of us are looking for, but admittedly that few of us get – so you have to be at peace with never succeeding in this way. Which, I suppose in a Daoist way or something like that, is its own form of success. Whatever it is, over the years I’ve come to appreciate this other form of success more: how the unique experiences and memories, friendships, great performances, and adventures out on the road are themselves the reward for following one’s dreams.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

A lot of gore got shared around on the early internet and it probably scarred me as a child.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

I’ve always dreamed of having a series of videos that create a storyline to accompany a concept album with related lyrics, one for every song, so that it’s a film alongside the album. Hopefully a double LP that can play for an hour and a half. The only problem with this is that it’s prohibitively expensive.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

Art is our greatest weapon in humanity’s ongoing war against reality.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Christmas with my family, up in the forests of Colorado. We’re doing a reunion this year, so the whole extended family should be there. Usually it snows, and there’s nothing like being at the foot of the Rockies, sitting around the fireplace with your loved ones, on a snowy night.

https://www.facebook.com/slumberingsun
https://instagram.com/slumbering_sun
https://slumberingsun.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/destroyeroflight/
http://www.instagram.com/destroyeroflightofficial/
http://destroyeroflight.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/heavyfriendsbooking/
https://www.instagram.com/heavyfriendsrecords/
https://heavyfriendsrecords.bigcartel.com/

Slumbering Sun, The Ever-Living Fire (2023)

Destroyer of Light, Panic (2022)

Touring on the heels of their finest work to-date — that being late 2022’s Panic (review here) — is a decent position for Austin’s Destroyer of Light to be in, and the band who’ve been together for more than a decade now seem to be making the most of it. They’ll do a full run of the East Coast and then some just as Spring begins to show up, and look to personify the doomed spirit of their most recent work while kicking ass as they do on stage. Doable? For them, almost certainly.

They go in the company of fellow Lone Star staters Temptress, and while I’m not sure who else will be on these bills, filing out local opener slots, etc., the one-two is a punch worth taking even before you get to a complete lineup for a given night. I’ll admit, I’ve had a hard time getting back to show-going mode as regards clubs post-pandemic, but if you can make it happen, these are artists for whom your direct support matters. To that end, I’ll remind you that today’s Bandcamp Friday as well, though if your email inbox and notification flood is anything like mine, you don’t need that reminder. There it is anyway.

Dates follow, as per social media:

Hey East Coast friends, remember that tour we had to cancel back in 2020? Well, we are coming back and this time bringing our Texas friends with us, Temptress. Hope to see ya out there. Poster art by Daniel Marschner.

3/22 – Houston, TX – Black Magic Social Club
3/23 – Lafayette, LA – Freetown Boom Boom Room
3/24 – Birmingham, AL- The Nick
3/25 – Atlanta, GA – Boggs
3/26 – Tampa, FL – Brass Mug
3/28 – Miami, FL – Gramps
3/29 – Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub
3/30 – Savannah, GA @ El Rocko
3/31 – Asheville, NC – Fleetwoods
4/1 – Richmond, VA @ Wonderland
4/2 – Baltimore, MD – The Crown
4/3 – Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus Bar
4/5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Black Forge Coffee
4/6 – Columbus, OH – Spacebar
4/7 – Detroit, MI – The Sanctuary
4/8 – Kalamazoo, MI – Papa Pete’s
4/9 – Chicago, IL @ WC Social Club
4/11 – Indianapolis, IN – Black Circle
4/12 – Louisville, KY @ Planet of the Tapes
4/13 – Nashville, TN @ Cobra Lounge
4/14 – Memphis, TN @ Growlers
4/15 – Fayetteville, AR @ Smoke & Barrel
4/16 – Tulsa, OK @ Whittier Bar

Destroyer of Light:
Steve Colca – Vocals/Guitars
Keegan Kjeldsen – Guitars
Nick Coffman – Bass
Kelly Turner – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/destroyeroflight/
http://www.instagram.com/destroyeroflightofficial/
http://destroyeroflight.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/heavyfriendsbooking/
https://www.instagram.com/heavyfriendsrecords/
https://heavyfriendsrecords.bigcartel.com/

Destroyer of Light, Panic (2022)

Now a decade removed from their debut album, Austin, Texas’ Destroyer of Light remain persistent outliers in doom, and that seems to suit them just fine. Panic, recorded by Matt Meli — with whom they’ve worked since that self-titled first record — and topped off with Samantha Muljat cover art that hints toward the sonic depths contained in the songs, their fourth full-length is aptly-titled Panic, self-released, and continues the progression that’s been a linear thread through their work all along.

As they’ve matured, Destroyer of Light — the returning four-piece of guitarist/vocalist Steve Colca (also synth), guitarist Keegan Kjeldsen (also piano, harsh vocals, acoustic guitar), bassist Nick Coffman and drummer Kelly “Penny” Turner — have unfurled an increasingly melodic approach, and if their intent in Panic is to encapsulate some measure of the pandemic-born anxiety of the last several years since the release of 2019’s third record, Mors Aeterna (review here), then the tension of not only the title but songs like “Contagion,” the highlight centerpiece “Before You Die” and the concluding “Nightmares Come True” do so with a surety born of a group who know their craft. This comes through regardless of the turns any of the individual seven inclusions is making at a given stretch, as the band draw together varied material that hits all its marks stylistically while maintaining an overarching flow that feels like classic doom despite a more modern style. That is to say, at a tightly-packed 38 minutes, Panic is more methodical, more thought-out and more carefully put together than the title might lead one to believe.

Alongside the opening distorted strums of “Darkshimmer” at the album’s outset is, almost inevitably, an echoing air raid siren. It almost gets buried by the ensuing things-are-about-to-get-lurchy feedback, but it’s there, and by the time what becomes the central riff of the song starts just before a minute into its total 7:14 — opener and longest track (immediate points) — the atmosphere is set. Tonal largesse, rolling groove, a layer of lead guitar all seem to welcome the listener into the unfolding terrain as the chug of the verse emerges, and “Darkshimmer” becomes the first installment of a side-A-spanning trilogy marked by Kjeldsen joining Colca on vocals, adding deathly growls and rasp to the clean-sung verses and hooks. This takes place on “Darkshimmer” and “Contagion,” with side A rounded out by “The Midnight Sun,” and that feels as purposeful as it obviously is.

“Darkshimmer” teases a false ending before picking up in its last minute, and beginning with piano playing its chorus progression, “Contagion” — which Colca maintains was written before covid and follows not the only sci-fi narrative lyrically — is a standout hook for Panic as a whole; Colca‘s self-harmonies among the band’s catchiest. That it too gives over to a more brutal approach, specifically toward the end, brings a cast of sludge to the proceedings, and that fits Destroyer of Light well. I’m not sure I’d give up the penchant for melody that’s taken hold in their sound gradually over the last 10 years and especially over the last six or so, but in adding to the existential weight that carries across Panic, those flashes of brutality only give more breadth to this material and thus only make it stronger, allowing for the fluid transition to cleans-only as “The Midnight Sun” arrives with a sample and lays out a speedier push at first and an especially spacious solo later on — the plodding bass and drums in that back half deserve specific mention; you feel that slog — emblematic of the focus on side B to come.

Both halves of Panic — the first with three songs, the second with four shorter on average — organize themselves going from their longest to shortest tracks. That’s a two-second difference as the aforementioned “Before You Die” (5:24) gives over to “Cold Air I” (5:22), but true nonetheless. More crucial perhaps is the abiding mournfulness of the guitar that begins “Before You Die” and the lumbering that ensues, vocals soaring upward from the deeper places in the mix, an emotive doom metal that has become Destroyer of Light‘s own over time blossoming in misery. “Cold Air I” rolls out in more active fashion but holds firm to the heft, and expands the arrangement of backing vocals in the chorus, an example of the band trying new ideas and a theme that will continue into the acoustic-led “Cold Air II.”

Certainly they’ve had quieter stretches on records before — 2017’s Chamber of Horrors (review here) had atmospheric intros to its two sides, etc. — but “Cold Air II” is distinguished in its form and embraces the pairing of acoustics and synth in a way that feels legitimately new from them. What’s more, there are vocals, and amid the vague impressions from “Planet Caravan” as they explore that contemplative guitar line before the keyboard sweeps in to lead the way instrumentally through the last two-plus minutes, there’s a sense of completion that is resonant and no less immersive than was the rawer heaviness of “Darkshimmer” or “Contagion.” At four and a half minutes and directly fed into by the ending of “Cold Air I,” as one might expect, “Cold Air II” lays claim to new ground with an unquestionable confidence.

It’s not the first flash of Candlemassian vibe on Panic, but “Nightmares Come True” feels particularly drawn from that classic, epic doom mindset. No complaints. It’s a deceptively quick undulating riff in the verse, opening in the chorus, and it re-grounds the album at the finish after “Cold Air II,” summarizing the reach of side B with a return of the thud and straightforward take that marked side A. That’s a lot to ask of a four-minute song, but Destroyer of Light cap by emphasizing urgency, and so recapture some of that initial tension. They remain pervasively grim in perspective, and familiar comparisons to the likes of Pallbearer persist — because, well, when you’re this sad and this heavy, someone’s gonna make that connection — but this comes even as they offer some of their most gleaming melodicism, and as they have all along, they refuse to stagnate creatively, each of Panic‘s well-defined halves marked by elements that increase their range on the whole. One would expect or hope for nothing so much as for them to continue to flourish as they do here.

Destroyer of Light, Panic (2022)

Destroyer of Light on Facebook

Destroyer of Light on Instagram

Destroyer of Light on Bandcamp

Heavy Friends Records on Facebook

Heavy Friends Records on Instagram

Heavy Friends Records store

When Destroyer of Light are done — and hopefully that’s not for a long time and many more riffs from now — there’s gonna be a whole lot of people who will be sorry they never got to see them in-person, and there’s going to be a whole lot of people who will be really glad they did. Now, I’ve been on both ends of that equation, and I firmly believe the former is a bummer and the latter is the stuff of glorious revelry, but you can go ahead and figure out which said of this particular fence you want to be on. Me, I’m glad as hell to have seen this band. I wouldn’t mind doing so again at some point.

The band’s new album, Panic, will be released on Nov. 11, and they’ve got the single “Contagion” streaming now, putting the sorrowful chug of Pallbearer to their own apocalyptic and atmospheric use. It hasn’t been that long in actual-time since their Spring 2019 LP, Mors Aeterna (review here), even if it seems like it, but it seems their sound is particularly suited to uncertain times, and one need not look far to apply the metaphor to “Contagion,” even as guitarist/vocalist Steve Colca informs it was written before covid happened.

They’ll be out doing shows when the album is issued, playing in Dallas that night. I would expect more dates to follow as well, but here’s these in the meantime, from social media with a quote from Colca about “Contagion” hoisted off the PR wire:

To celebrate the release of Panic in November, we have some shows lined up. Mark it in your calendar and come hang with us. Artwork by Samantha Muljat.

Nov. 3rd – Lafayette LA @ Freetown Boom Boom Room
Nov. 4th – Bryan TX @ The 101
Nov. 5th – Austin TX @ Kickbutt Coffee

Nov. 9th – Tulsa OK @ Whittier Bar
Nov. 10th – Fayetteville AR @ Nomad’s
Nov. 11th – Dallas TX @ Cheapsteaks
Nov. 12th – San Antonio TX @ Faust

“Thematically, the ‘PANIC’ album deals with natural disasters and people losing their minds as a result,” Steve Colca tells us. “They become selfish in panicked situations. This song, ‘Contagion,’ is about a virus that is causing people to go crazy and turn on each other. End-of-the-world type paranoia and chaos-type mania. Ironically, I wrote this song — the music and lyrics — prior to the pandemic. There’s some moments of calm in the song, but ultimately it becomes heavingly heavy.”

Destroyer of Light on ‘Panic’:
Steve Colca – vocals, guitars, and synth
Keegan Kjeldsen – Guitars, Acoustic, Piano, Backing screams and vocals on Darkshimmer, Contagion, and The Midnight Sun.

Destroyer of Light:
Steve Colca – Vocals/Guitars
Keegan Kjeldsen – Guitars
Nick Coffman – Bass
Kelly Turner – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/destroyeroflight/
http://www.instagram.com/destroyeroflightofficial/
http://destroyeroflight.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/heavyfriendsbooking/
https://www.instagram.com/heavyfriendsrecords/
https://heavyfriendsrecords.bigcartel.com/

Destroyer of Light, Panic (2022)

The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Steve Colca of Destroyer of Light

—

How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

I write and play guitar and do vocals in various projects including Destroyer of Light and Temple of Love, as well play guitar in Lady Strange (High n’ Dry Def Leppard only). Ever since I started my first band at 15, music has been a passion for me. I played rhythm guitar in my first few bands from 15-23, and then I started a 3 piece sludge band that I originally wanted a separate vocalist for, but then I said screw it, and started throat scream/singing in a Matt Pike/Scott Kelly mix from 23-29. From 26-29, I fronted a melodic death metal band as well with growls and high pitch screams.

When I moved to Texas and started Destroyer of Light in 2012, I wanted a frontwoman and to combine melodic doom vocals and death metal growls, but once I again, I said screw it and decided to do it on my own. Becoming a vocalist has been an incredible journey for the last 16 years, and I am glad that I took on the challenge. With the new Destroyer of Light stuff, I feel like I have gotten to the point I’ve wanted to since I first started the band. With the guitar and singing, it is continuous learning curve and growth, and that’s why I love and still do it at 39 years old and have no intention to slow down.

Describe your first musical memory.

Two of the greatest memories from my first band were Brent Oberlin from Thought Industry booking our band at Harvey’s in Kalamazoo, MI, and he actually took somewhat of a “liking” to us, and helped us with shows from time to time. Also, the first time that I got to play Club Soda in Kalamazoo, which was a legendary club for all of us. As a teenage kid, that was a big deal.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

So many to choose from. We’ve gotten to share the stage with some legends that I grew up listening to that I never thought I would. One recent memory is our first post pandemic local show on the Mohawk outdoor stage on 4th of July weekend. A bunch of local homies: Abject Terror, Greenbeard, and Eagle Claw. It was a packed crowd and the energy was electric. You could just feel the happiness of everyone being at a live show again from the bands to the crowd. That’ll be one for the books.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

A few times. However, I would say that 2016 was a weird year. I contemplated quitting Destroyer of Light. Music wasn’t fun for me and started losing my passion for it, which music has always been my cathartic release. I’ve battled depression and anxiety from my teenage years to adulthood, and music has always been my constant. There’s been times I’ve strayed from it and I go down a dark path. With that said though, as a result, we wrote, recorded, and released the Hopeless EP, which is a very honest record about depression and sadness. Every time I listen to it, it’s pretty powerful… and glad that I stuck around because I feel we are writing our best stuff now.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

It leads to personal and musical growth. The last few years, I’ve been expanding my musical influences in all my songwriting. If you keep doing the same thing, it gets boring and repetitive. So, you have to mix it up. Sometimes play with new musicians, start new projects, and if your main band stays together long enough, expand and explore with your sound. During the pandemic, Destroyer of Light wrote and recorded two new records and we kind of let loose. You got new wave, ’90s grunge, melodic doom, heavy rock…

These records were really fun to write because we just let it flow. Can’t wait for people to hear it.

How do you define success?

Success comes in many forms. I’m 39 years old, I still get to play guitar through loud amps, play shows with other awesome bands, and go on tour. I get to create and record music in some cool places with my musical friends and go through that process. I will also say this too, when a fan comes up to me and tells me that our music has gotten them through some dark times, or our music uplifts them when they are in a dark place, that means something to me because I’ve been there and that is why I write music and play because other bands’ music did that for me. So, that is success to me.

Would I like to play big arenas, play in front of sold out crowds, make big money, and drive in a limousine with a pool drinking gin? Hell yes I would, but you know, I don’t need that to feel successful in the arts, that’s just an extra bonus if that ever happens.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

Most gas station bathrooms in small town USA

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

During the pandemic, I wrote a song that was in the vein of Sade. I would love to do something in the style of Sade or Steely Dan. One of these days, I will release a smooth jazz/funk album. That day will come if I live long enough.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

Art should be defined on what you create and do in its purest form. The way you express yourself through your art and letting yourself be honest and open with the people experiencing your art, I find that to be the most important.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

MLB Baseball playoffs, NFL football season, and Halloween. Best time of year.

https://www.facebook.com/destroyeroflight/
http://www.instagram.com/destroyeroflightofficial/
http://destroyeroflight.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/heavyfriendsbooking/
https://www.instagram.com/heavyfriendsrecords/
https://heavyfriendsrecords.bigcartel.com/

Destroyer of Light, Generational Warfare EP (2020)

Austin doomers Destroyer of Light have never been shy about getting a little weird to one degree or another, so to find them taking on a track from The Cure isn’t necessarily out of character by any means. Still, they certainly change the context of the song and give it a sense of heft to go with its sinister lyrics. I’m not going to lay claim to ever being a fan of The Cure — no doubt I’m a loss that continues to burn in Robert Smith‘s belly to this day — but I get the appeal, and Destroyer of Light‘s take on “Lullaby” is a fair interpretation of the darkness one can find in their otherwise harmless-seeming melodies.

While we’re talking about Destroyer of Light not being shy, it’s worth noting that the EP on which “Lullaby” appears, Generational Warfare, is being released on March 27 through Heavy Friends in an edition of 100 copies to coincide with an April tour that will bring the four-piece to the Eastern Seaboard supporting not only the new two-songer, but 2019’s excellent Mors Aeterna (review here) as well. They’ll do shows in the South with Order of the Owl and hit Grim Reefer Fest in Baltimore on the stretch, and no doubt run out of 7″s long before the shows are done.

Announcement came down the PR wire. Preorders are on Bandcamp:

DESTROYER OF LIGHT: New EP and April Tour Announced

Generational Warfare EP is released 27th March on Heavy Friends Records

The EP will be released on ultra-limited edition 7” vinyl (only 100 copies available) and can be pre-ordered HERE: https://destroyeroflight.bandcamp.com/album/generational-warfare

Formed in 2012 in Austin, Texas, harbingers of doom Destroyer of Light are no idlers. Within a year of forming the heavy-as-hell/louder-than-war quartet released their self-titled EP and in doing so kick started what would become an ongoing DIY endeavour; driven by huge riffs, hallowed tales and endless road journeys.

This March the band return with a brand-new two-track EP entitled Generational Warfare, which is ferried deep into the breach by a commanding cover of one of The Cure’s most celebrated songs, ‘Lullaby’:

“For years, I’ve wanted to cover a The Cure song,” explains guitarist/vocalist, Steve Colca. “Not only am I huge fan, but I always thought that they had some songs that could easily be constructed into a doom song. I think a lot of people don’t realize how heavy the Cure’s music is, especially if you’ve seen or heard them live. We all agreed that ‘Lullaby’ was the perfect choice. The lyrics are super dark and when we started working on it, it just fell into place.”

Complemented by ‘These Walls…’ a song written and recorded during sessions for last year’s impressive Mors Aeterna album on Argonauta Records, Destroyer of Light’s Generational Warfare EP is released on 27th March 2020 on Heavy Friends Records. The band also embark on a month-long tour this April and will play a number of dates alongside Atlanta riff-men, Order of the Owl. (For the full list of dates see below.)

APRIL TOUR DATES:
3/4 – Rudyard’s – Houston, TX
4/4 – Freetown Boom Boom Room – Lafayette, LA
5/4 – TBA – New Orleans, LA
7/4 – Blue Note* – Tampa, FL
8/4 – Las Rosas* – Miami, FL
9/4 – Will’s Pub* – Orlando, FL
10/4 – The Jinx* – Savannah, GA
11/4 – The Atlantic* – Gainesville, FL
12/4 – Archtype* – Jacksonville, FL
14/4 – 529* – Atlanta, GA
15/4 – The Odditorium – Asheville, NC
16/4 – Slim’s – Raleigh, NC
17/4 – Wonderland – Richmond, VA
18/4 – Ritual Bar & Venue (GRIM REEFER FEST) – Baltimore, MD
19/4 – Gold Sounds – New York, NY
20/4 – O’Briens – Boston, MA
21/4 – Dusk – Providence, RI
22/4 – Tubby’s – Kingsland, NY
23/4 – Mohawk Place – Buffalo, NY
24/4 – Gooski’s – Pittsburgh, PA
25/4 – Black Circle Brewery – Indianapolis, IN
26/4 – Mag Bar – Louisville, KY
27/4 – Riot Room – Kansas City, MO
28/4 – Whittier Bar – Tulsa, OK
*w. Order of the Owl

DESTROYER OF LIGHT:
Steve Colca – Guitar/Vocals
Nick Coffman– Bass
Keegan Kjeldsen – Guitar
Penny Turner – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/destroyeroflight/
http://www.instagram.com/destroyeroflightofficial/
http://destroyeroflight.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/heavyfriendsbooking/
https://www.instagram.com/heavyfriendsrecords/
https://heavyfriendsrecords.bigcartel.com/

Destroyer of Light, Generational Warfare EP (2020)

The grim magic of lurking tradtional doom has been with Destroyer of Light all along, but the Austin, Texas, four-piece have never brought it to bear with the poise, presence or level of accomplishment they do on Mors Aeterna. Their third full-length out May 24 as their debut for Argonauta Records follows behind 2018’s Hopeless EP (review here) and 2017’s Chamber of Horrors (review here), both of which seemed to paint the band’s shifting focus in real-time. Their earlier work on 2014’s Bizarre Tales Vol. 2 EP or their 2012 self-titled debut was more in a burly heavy rock vein, but it was the Endsville split/collaboration with Godhunter (discussed here) in 2015 that really began to mark their turn to darker, more sinister, doomly fare.

Mors Aeterna — which brings forth 10 tracks in a relatively concise 44 minutes peppered with interludes throughout like the intro “Overture Putrefactio,” the keyboard-laced “The Unknown,” the piano-led “Pralaya’s Hymn” and the penultimate foreboding of “Into the Abyss” that launches directly into the megacrash of semi-title-track closer “Eternal Death” —  is unquestionably Destroyer of Light‘s crowning achievement to-date. It presents their sound as a work of directed vision while proffering memorable stretches from the emotional strains of “Dissolution” onwards, but neither casts its lot entirely with classic doom nor the post-Pallbearer modern sphere. As they’ve done throughout their career, Destroyer of Light reside in a place between, and it’s a place that sounds more theirs than it ever has before.

Intro, two songs, interlude, two songs, interlude, one song, intro, one song. Parsed out, it’s easy enough to see where the band — guitarist/vocalist Steve Colca, guitarist/synthesist Keegan Kjeldsen, bassist Nick Coffman and drummer Penny Turner — wanted to break things up to keep a given listener on their toes, but such structuring does little to convey the intricacy of Destroyer of Light‘s doom and how they blend atmospherics and nodder progressions in order to get where they do. The Candlemassian stretch of “Afterlife” or the bass-heavy chug-and-swing of “Falling Star” and the play off a spacier influence in “Loving the Void,” bringing psychedelia and doom together in such a fashion as to be beholden to neither so much as its own purpose — these moments go beyond the simple shape of the album and speak to the breadth that Destroyer of Light stake out across the album’s entirety.

They are heavy, yes. They are dark, yes. But if you think there can’t be detail as well to that, then a cut like “Burning Darkness,” with its rumbling low end foundation beneath the vocal melody and its consuming march to a destructive finish is simply going to be lost on you, let alone how the “heavier” songs interact with the interludes so clearly meant to and so effective at increasing the scope of Mors Aeterna overall. It is a record of bleak soulfulness and sincere exploration; the product of a commitment to creative growth that has shown itself across Destroyer of Light‘s discography. It feels very much like an arrival point.

And so it should, given that it’s their third record and they’ve put in some significant time on tour leading up to it — they’ll keep that thread going in Europe starting this weekend — but even more than that, Mors Aeterna seems to be working from a full-album conception. This also ties at least partially into the interludes and focus on mood and atmosphere, and it continues right up to the violin and piano that cap “Eternal Death” in a mirror to “Overture Putrefactio” at the outset. The interludes tie together the various movements of Mors Aeterna and help bolster the depth of even the most straightforward of its songs, feeding into an overarching flow that begins as “Dissolution” takes hold with its initial roll and continues through the relatively and somewhat ironically quick fadeout of “Eternal Death.”

All throughout, Destroyer of Light bask in a doom that cast in their image and spirited not by adherence to the tropes of genre, but by reshaping them to suit the needs of the songs. Destroyer of Light are a much different band now than when they started out some seven years ago, but the style they’ve embraced is something hitting its moment of realization and that — most importantly — shows no signs of stopping here. There’s nothing throughout Mors Aeterna to make one think Destroyer of Light have landed here and this is it. Rather, the quality of the songwriting and the sureheadedness with which they approach such outwardly bleak sonic terrain gives the impression only of further plunge to be had as they move forward. Still, this is an important step for the band and a convincing argument in favor of there being life after traditional doom.

It’s my pleasure today to host the premiere of “Burning Darkness.” Please find it below, followed by some comment from the band and their European tour dates.

Enjoy:

Destroyer of Light, “Burning Darkness” official track premiere

Destroyer of Light on “Burning Darkness”:

“Burning Darkness” is about this man traveling through the underworld, trying to figure out where he is heading. It is dark, it is really hot, and then he realizes that he has transcended into hell. This was a fun song to write because it is super melodic, but then really heavy. I wanted to add a “black metal” section to signify that he is hell and it is horrible! Lots of dynamics and influences showed in this song.

We are excited for our first European tour. We’ve been working really hard to get over there and for us to finally be here feels really good. Hard to believe we are, it’ll be awesome to have the new album with us too. Y’all will get the first chance in person! Hope to see you out there!

Set for a release on May 24th with Argonauta Records, Mors Aeterna will be available as CD, LP and Digital formats at: www.argonautarecords.com

Tour Dates:
10th May, Italy, Bologna @ Freak Out*
11th May, Italy, Genua @ Lucrezia Social Bar*
12th May, France, Lyon @ Le Farmer*
13th May, France, Toulouse @ L’Usine de la Musique*
14th May, France, Strasbourg @ L’Elastic*
15th May, Germany, Dresden @ Chemiefabrik*
16th May, Germany, Berlin*
17th May, Denmark, Aalborg @ 1000 Fryd*
18th May, Sweden, Stockholm @ Copperfields*
19th May, Sweden, Boras @ Cannibal Metal*
21th May, Switzerland @ Luzern*
22th May, Italy, Milan+
23th May, Italy, Turin @ Ziggy+
24th May, Italy, Vercelli @ Officine Sonore+
25th May, Italy, Treviso @ Altroquando+
* w/ Hell Obelisco
+ w/ Great Electric Quest

Destroyer of Light is:
Steve Colca – Guitar, Vocals
Nick Coffman – Bass
Keegan Kjeldsen – Guitar, Synth
Penny Turner – Drums

Destroyer of Light, “Afterlife”

Destroyer of Light on Thee Facebooks

Destroyer of Light on Instagram

Destroyer of Light on Bandcamp

Argonauta Records website

Argonauta Records on Thee Facebooks

Argonauta Records on Instagram

Those of you still reeling from Destroyer of Light‘s 2018 Hopeless EP (review here) might want to sit down, but the band has set a May 24 release date for Mors Aeterna, the four-piece’s third album and first to be released through Argonauta Records. They’ll celebrate the record release at Argonauta Fest in Italy with The Great Electric Quest and others, and there is little doubt that US dates will follow behind the European incursion. Destroyer of Light are no strangers to hitting the road when called upon to do so, and a new album is plenty of occasion for it.

Motivations, info, art and the track “Afterlife” can be found below, courtesy of the PR wire:

DESTROYER OF LIGHT UNLEASH ALBUM DETAILS + FIRST SINGLE!

Formed in 2012 from constantly boiling musical cauldron that is Austin, TX, DESTROYER OF LIGHT has taken a straight forward approach to tempering the disparate and harmonious parts of their influences into a total sum of slow motion tidal heaviness that bows to no altar but that of the riff. With the smoky flavors of hazed out doom and the stomping cadence of rock’s heyday, the band both tickles and deafens the ears with the theatrical flashes of Mercyful Fate, the ominous tones of Electric Wizard, and the ferociously feral feedback of a Sleep dirge. May 24th will see DESTROYER OF LIGHT return with their third full-length album, Mors Aeterna!

Mors Aeterna is a concept album about a man who dies and travels through the underworld and experiences unpleasant scenarios. “There’s ups and downs, twist and turns, and ultimately in the end, he will float in hell for eternity and experience complete horror for the rest of his being, hence, Mors Aeterna aka Eternal Death“ the band explains.

Today DESTROYER OF LIGHT are not only sharing the hotly anticipated details about their upcoming album with us, but also a first appetizer with the single ‘Afterlife’!

“‘Afterlife’ was the first song written for this album. At this stage, the man does not know if he is alive or dead. So, he is in shock and scared of what is happening, he is trying to communicate with someone, but they can’t hear his cries. Oh, the horror.

We worked really hard on this new record to make it an experience and to give the listener a good, steady flow to go with the concept, we hope you enjoy it!“

Mors Aeterna tracklist:
1. Overture Putrefactio
2. Dissolution
3. Afterlife
4. The Unknown
5. Falling Star
6. Burning Darkness
7. Pralaya’s Hymn
8. Loving the Void
9. Into the Abyss
10. Eternal Death

Set for a release on May 24th with Argonauta Records, Mors Aeterna will be available as CD, LP and Digital formats at: www.argonautarecords.com

Tour Dates:
DESTROYER OF LIGHT, with special guests HELL OBELISCO
10.05.19 IT – Bologna, Freak Out
11.05.19 IT – Genua, Lucrezia Social Bar
12.05.19 FR – Lyon, Le Farmer
13.05.19 FR – Toulouse, Usine De La Musique
14.05.19 FR – Strasbourg, Tba
15.05.19 DE – Dresden, Chemiefabrik
17.05.19 DK – Aalborg, 1000 Fryd
18.05.19 SWE – Stockholm, Copperfield
19.05.19 SWE – Boras, Cannibal Queen
24.05.19 IT – Vercelli (Argonauta Fest), with The Great Electric Quest
25.05.19 IT – Treviso, Altroquando with Messa

Destroyer of Light is:
Steve Colca – Guitar, Vocals
Nick Coffman – Bass
Keegan Kjeldsen – Guitar, Synth
Penny Turner – Drums

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http://www.twitter.com/DoLAustinDoom
http://destroyeroflight.bandcamp.com/
www.argonautarecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords/
https://twitter.com/argonautarex
https://www.instagram.com/argonautarecords/

Destroyer of Light, “Afterlife”