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Vestal Claret Self-Titled Album out Now

vestal claret

The 15-year history of Vestal Claret is nearly as murky as the cult-minded doom in which the Connecticut-based outfit specialize. Their new self-titled full-length arrives as a return for multi-instrumentalist/engineer Simon Tuozzoli (also of Owl Maker) and vocalist Phil Swanson (Seamount, ex-Hour of 13, etc.), as it’s been six years since they issued The Cult of Vestal Claret (review here) through Cruz del Sur Music. That offering was as cohesively metal as anything the band had done up to that point, and it seems that the new one is looking elsewhere for inspiration. I dig that, and medieval folk and cult doom go together pretty well, so yeah, sign me up for this one. Justin de Tore on drums don’t hurt either.

Interesting though that for the record they wanted to get less metal they got a dude who’s worked with Power Trip and Cavalera Conspiracy to mix it.

Wonder if they’ll do shows when such a thing becomes possible? It’d be something to see Vestal Claret live after all this time.

From the PR wire:

Vestal Claret Vestal Claret

Vestal Claret release new album

Critically acclaimed occult metal band VESTAL CLARET are pleased to announce that they have released their new self-titled album via Bandcamp.

Purchase/Stream the album here: https://thecultofvestalclaret.bandcamp.com/album/vestal-claret

After a dozen physical releases on various formats and labels, to a more and more saturated genre, Vestal Claret set off to compose something musically broader and songwriter-oriented. Cliches were avoided, as well as anything that could gallop or be muted in its riffing.

The first two songs written from the new record were “Abandoned” and “Shadows.” Their creation, released as the demo Two Stones 2017, was meant to be an experiment to pursue the possibility of stepping away from any heavy metal tendencies. Those two songs became a template for creating a new life for Vestal Claret, while also bringing the band back closer to its original intent.

Musically, the new recording relies on Simon’s natural progressive nature. Influenced by his years in the New England music scene and his love of medieval folk, the creative process for this recording was an ideal situation. He had complete freedom to perform and produce as broadly as he could imagine.

Phil wrote the lyrics while driving cross country, spending well over a year living in a van, split between the beaches of Southern California and the Sedona Arizona desert. Isolation and recluse are its strongest influence.

Mixing and mastering was provided by Arthur Rizk (Powertrip, Sacred Riech, Cromags, Cavalera Conspiracy, Code Orange, Pissed Jeans, Ghostmane, Inquisition) and drums were performed by Justin de Tore (Magic Circle, Innumerable Forms, Mind Eraser, No Tolerance, Rival Mob).

No boundaries or barriers confine this new vision of Vestal Claret. It contains as much simplicity as it does complexity. It has no intent nor idea to be a genre recording. Its only ambition is to complement the bands maturity as musicians and songwriters to the best of its current ability.

Vestal Claret is:
Phil Swanson: Vocals
Justin DeTore: Drums
Simon Tuozzoli: Guitars, Bass, Organ, Percussion, Vocals, Various Instruments

Additional musicians:
Matt Campbell: Piano
David Caldarella: Violin
Jessie May: Cello
Madeline Baldwin: Vocals
The Mother: Vocals

https://www.facebook.com/VestalClaret/
https://thecultofvestalclaret.bandcamp.com/

Vestal Claret, Vestal Claret (2020)

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