https://www.high-endrolex.com/18

Forming the Void Premiere Video for “Unto the Smoke” from Relic

forming the void

Louisiana-based prog-metal tinged outfit Forming the Void release their second album, Relic, March 17 via Argonauta Records. The song for which they have a new video premiering below, “Unto the Smoke,” is the second to last track on that record. It arrives after a tumult of winding riffs, soaring shouts and rhythmic pummel, the four-piece outfit working in a range of modern influences from the post-Mastodon/Baroness sphere as they did on their 2016 debut, Skyward (review here), and then turning much of that on its head — they’re consistent in the regard of being quite heavy, despite pace or other aesthetic whatnots — with “Unto the Smoke,” opting for a slow, almost Sleep-minded crashing, lumbering doom riffing. Vocals hold to a sense of melody, but “Unto the Smoke” — well, the name says a lot. Compared to earlier tracks like the rushing “Biolazar” or even the rolling “After Earth,” which opens, it’s a departure from a lot of what Relic offers atmospherically.

If it tells you anything at all, the only thing that follows it is a cover of Led Zeppelin‘s “Kashmir.” Yeah, it’s like that.

You’d almost think Forming the Void have… range? Indeed, listening to the hook-laden “Plumes” before “Unto the Smoke” comes on, their production is steadily geared toward maximum largesse, but the band does work effectively within that to enact a scope between the various tracks. Admirable in intent, but more satisfying in the actual sound, and more so on repeat listens. It’s not a short record at a CD-era-esque 55 minutes — of which that Zeppelin cover accounts for 11 — but as with outfits like Summoner, there’s a purpose to every move the band makes throughout, and their careful execution, even in “Unto the Smoke,” gives Relic a sense of poise to go with that range. Nothing about it, front to back in that 55-minute span, is haphazard.

Hoping to have more to come on this one as we get closer to the release, or, you know, a review three months after the fact since that seems to be the timeline I work on nowadays (hangs head in shame). Either way, you can check out the premiere of “Unto the Smoke” below and beneath that find some comment from guitarist James Marshall about the clip’s origins as well as those of the song itself.

Please enjoy:

Forming the Void, “Unto the Smoke” official video

James Marshall on “Unto the Smoke”:

“The video was made by a Swiss artist who goes by ‘Gryphus’ who compiled it using clips from John Carpenter’s The Fog. The song itself is one of the more psychedelic songs on the album. There is a lead guitar odyssey at the end where Shadi really draws from his Middle Eastern roots. It’s also the slowest song on the album. The themes of the lyrics are transcendence and mortality.”

Relic by Forming the Void is released on 17th March 2017 via Argonauta Records.

Forming The Void:
James Marshall – Guitar/Vocals
Shadi Omar Al-Khansa – Guitar
Luke Baker – Bass
Jordan Boyd – Drums

Forming the Void on Thee Facebooks

Forming the Void on Twitter

Forming the Void on Bandcamp

Relic at Argonauta Records

Argonauta Records on Thee Facebooks

Tags: , , , , ,

Leave a Reply