Californian sludge aggressors Worship will issue their second full-length, Tunnels, on July 17. “Without” is the third single from the album to make its way to the public ahead of the release — handled directly by the Salinas (about an hour south of San Jose, near-ish to the coast) trio — and in following the title-track and “Searching for Light,” it brings a particular kind of angularity and tonal weight that my East Coast ears can’t help but relate to Swarm of the Lotus. This is a comparison I make neither lightly nor often, but while Worship touch on post-metal ambience in “Tunnels” itself and “Searching for Light” resolves in blastbeats and a charging insistence of riff, “Without” — premiering in the video stream below — brings apocalyptic chug and vocal intensity to bear in repetitions that feel like punches to the side and the harshness of the presentation overall, yeah, that takes me back.

Maybe Worship know that band and maybe they don’t — it’s not impossible since they were on Century Media for a hot minute there, but Neurosis and Converge also make sense as common root influences — and as the three tracks show together, the entirety of Tunnels holds more than just aggressive, physical push in store. I haven’t heard the full record as yet, but I find the combination of weight and depth in what Worship are doing enticing enough to be on board anyway, and the idea of seeking in “Without” — a reckoning with the lack of the divinity one was raised to believe in — is especially suited to the catharsis of the resulting anger in those screams. I’m gonna try not to wax poetic about it, but hey, if you’re looking for god and you come up empty, you might end up sounding like this. Not that I’d know.

Tunnels is up for preorder now from Worship‘s Bandcamp. Do it while you’re thinking of it.

Enjoy:

Worship, “Without” visualizer

Andrew (vocals) on “Without”:

Without is about finding god. Growing up loosely Catholic I always thought the idea of a traditional god was unsettling. Once I found Slayer all bets were off and I took the “fuck god I’m an atheist” position. In my 20s I tried to fill that void with alcohol and sex but still ended up empty, even after getting sober. At 30 I started practicing buddhism. The combination of meditation and mindfulness changed everything for me and I realized that god, or whatever you want to call it, can be found in that stillness inside all of us.

“Without” from our new album coming out July 17th on streaming platforms and vinyl.

Preorders available at: https://worshipcult.bigcartel.com/

Lyrics:
Where have you been?
Been searching for you all my life
in this maze of false endings
believing I was there
Believing I was with you

I thought I’d found you
in crowds
in people
in moments

but it was emptiness
It was temporary
I was numb

I found substance
I found love
I found sex
but still without

I was a fool
It has been
all along
right here
inside of me
in my heart
in the quiet

It’s inside you
It’s inside you
Its inside you
Its inside

now my search for god is over
its inside me
in the silence

Track List:
1. Serpents
2. Paralyze
3. Tunnels
4. Without
5. Searching For Light
6. The Cave

Worship is:
Josh- Guitar
Andrew- Vocals
Kyle- Drums
Richard- Bass

Worship, Tunnels (2020)

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