Birmingham, Alabama-based melodic doom metallers EMBR are working toward the release of their self-titled sophomore full-length Dec. 8 on Black Doomba Records. Preorders start Nov. 10. “Nomega” arrives as the second single of three from EMBR ahead of the album, coming behind “Black,” which was posted in July. From both tracks together, one might extrapolate a few things about the record to come.

EMBR issued their debut, 1823 (review here) — one of a series of outings with numerical titles, which is a methodology that would seem to have been left behind at least for the moment — in Summer 2020 through New Heavy Sounds, and the returning four-piece of vocalist Crystal Bigelow, guitarist Mark Buchanan, bassist Alan Light (since replaced by  Justin Regelin, who’s in the video) and drummer Eric Bigelow have not grown any less expansive. With a strong foundation in metal, they come across in “Nomega” as more confident in themselves and their sound. One will hear consistency between “Nomega” and “Black” — as would be expected from two songs on the same album, though nothing is absolute — and the recording by Matt Washburn (Mastodon, Atheist, Elder, etc.) assures that tonal heft is not lost to atmospheric breadth.

Layered whispers and screams back Crystal‘s crooning verse and chorus lines as the video plays through a They Live theme that would make it worth sticking around to the end of the clip even if the song didn’t. Not slow, but not hurried, “Nomega” has push behind its movement — Light‘s full-of-punch bassline reminding in the song’s turns of Faith No More‘s “Last Cup of Sorrow” — and balances that with giving the vocal melody room to feature as it does. As with “Black,” the abiding feel of “Nomega” is dark — a nice contrast to see them playing in a white room — and accounts for the grunge background the band willfully embraced on their 2023 covers EP, Idolatry, but is unmistakably metal in its construction.

So what do we learn? To be on the lookout for the album, primarily. Maybe also that as severe as EMBR‘s sound gets, they remain grounded in their approach and conscious of dynamic in their material. We knew that, probably, but a little reinforcement is always welcome. As you listen, keep ideas about craft in mind. Think about building the arrangements. The tone of guitar and bass, the position of the drums in the mix, where the background whispers are, all that kind of stuff. EMBR seem to be inviting their listenership to bask in the details. Doing so is bound to make one look forward all the more to when EMBR lands.

Video premieres below, followed by more info from the band, the lyrics, and so on. Please enjoy:

EMBR, “Nomega” video premiere

“Nomega” from the album ‘EMBR’ (2023) Black Doomba Records
Order here: https://embr2.bandcamp.com/album/nomega
More info/all band links: https://linktr.ee/blackdoomba
More info/EMBR: https://www.embrrockband.com/

EMBR formed in 2015. Their mission statement is to find the happy medium between both sonic worlds, to walk with one foot in somber density and the other in a place of blissful, uplifting tranquility. They have released 5 EP’s and 1 full length album.

Statement about the single, “Nomega” from Erik Bigelow (drummer) ” Nomega is essentially about the dark spirits behind the curtain. The frauds, scam-artists and cheats draping their two-faces in propaganda and deception. It’s about the pillagers, thieves, and highwaymen that steal our dreams from under us. It’s also a call to action to hold these rotting corpses accountable and pull them from the “branches”. “

Lyrics:
“Nomega” (Crystal Bigelow, Erik Bigelow, Mark Buchanan)

Slipping with their forked tongues
They slide in and out
Shifting and shaping they change
Cutting and scraping the remains
Melting and merging they slip
They drift deep into the night
Dripping with their deeds soaked and wet
Devils be dragged into the night
Try to hide
Stay out of sight
Devils be dragged
So they can feel their bite
Reach through the branches
Drag ’em out
Pulled out into the open now
Wrapped in all that was stolen

Video: Erik Bigelow
Cover art: Erik Bigelow

Recorded at Ledbelly Sound Studio
by Matt Washburn

Recording Musicians:
Crystal Bigelow – Vocals
Mark Buchanan – Guitar
 Justin Regelin – Bass
Eric Bigelow – Drums

EMBR, “Black” (2023)

EMBR on Facebook

EMBR on Instagram

EMBR on Bandcamp

EMBR website

Black Doomba Records website

Black Doomba Records on Bandcamp

Black Doomba Records on Facebook

EMBR have a new record apparently in the can and they’ll release it as their first offering as part of the emergent lineup of Black Doomba Records. The Birmingham, Alabama-based four-piece join the ranks of MNRVA, Grave Next Door, HolyRoller, Grave Huffer and DayGlo Mourning, with whom they collaborated last year on a cover of “Bury Me in Smoke” from Down‘s seminal Nola LP, and their signing to Black Doomba comes shortly after the release of their Idolatry four-song EP with covers of Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots. Because the ’90s, that’s why.

They also come to Black Doomba as veterans of New Heavy Sounds and while I don’t have a release date for their next offering as yet, one imagines they’ll get there sooner or later since they’ve had a productive run of offerings since 2016, before they lost that second ‘e’ in their moniker.

In a spirit of looking forward, here’s word from the PR wire:

Progressive Doom Band ‘EMBR’ Signs With Black Doomba Records!

EMBR has many solid releases under their belt. In 2016 they released ‘261’, followed by ‘271’ and ‘326:Spiritual Dialysis’. They released their debut full length album ‘1823’ on the UK label New Heavy Sounds in 2020 to critical acclaim. After ‘1823’ they released the 4 song EP ‘Idolatry’ and also a single for “Mary Did You Know” in December 2020. In 2021 EMBR released a 3 song EP, ‘1021’, to commemorate New Heavy Sound’s 10-year anniversary along with a cover of the Down classic “Bury Me in Smoke” in collaboration with DayGlo Mourning.

EMBR has completed the next album in which they used the current cultural chaos as fuel. It will be released via Black Doomba Records.

Statement from Tommy Stewart, Black Doomba Records, “I’m very proud to be able to work with the unique sound and talents of EMBR. We’ll have more information to release about their newest album describing the meaning of the album, title, and cover art soon, planned to be available in 2023.”

https://www.instagram.com/embr_
https://www.facebook.com/embrband/
https://twitter.com/embr_rock_band
https://embrband.bandcamp.com/music
https://www.youtube.com/@EMBRBAND
https://www.embrrockband.com/

https://www.blackdoomba.com/
https://blackdoombarecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/blackdoombarecords/

EMBR, Idolatry (2023)

EMBR & DayGlo Mourning, “Bury Me in Smoke” (Down cover)

I try really hard not to make these shows suck. I do. And I think I’m mostly successful in that endeavor, but I tried extra hard this time. With my voice tracks as well as the playlist, which is almost entirely new music apart from the Orange Goblin and Mars Red Sky songs. I wanted to put a little life in my voice and I hope I managed to do so. I know last ep was a special consideration, with the death of Eric Wagner and all, but I’m not trying to be the most softspoken guy on Gimme Metal or anything. I just want to play music that isn’t necessarily aggro all the time. I’m actually pretty excited generally about doing so.

Tried to show that a little bit more. Nobody said anything to me about it or anything. I highly doubt anyone gives a crap. As long as I’m not doing like three-song shows with no voiceovers, Gimme seems content enough to let me do me. But just for myself, I wanted to hopefully convey a little bit of how much I enjoy talking about and sharing music. That’s the point of the whole thing.

Thanks for listening if you do and/or reading. I hope you enjoy.

The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at: http://gimmemetal.com

Full playlist:

The Obelisk Show – 09.17.21

Crystal Spiders	Septix	Morieris
Canyyn	Crush Your Bones	Canyyn
Orange Goblin	Cities of Frost	Healing Through Fire
VT
Sonolith	Star Worshipers	Voidscapes
ASTRO CONstruct	Hand Against the Solar Winds	Tales of Cosmic Journeys
Slowshine	Living Light	Living Light
EMBR	Born	1021
Vokonis	Null & Void	Null & Void
VT
Floored Faces	Shoot the Ground	Kool Hangs
Carcaňo	Riding Space Elephants	By Order of the Green Goddess
Malady	Dyadi	Ainavihantaa
River Flows Reverse	Final Run	When River Flows Reverse
Gondhawa	Raba Dishka	Käampâla
Mars Red Sky	Crazy Hearth	The Task Eternal
Terminus	The Falcon	The Silent Bell Toll
Djiin	Black Circus	Meandering Soul
VT
Negură Bunget	Brad	Zau

The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is Oct. 1 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.

Gimme Metal website

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Birmingham, Alabama-based melodic crushers EMBR release their 1021 EP on Sept. 3 through New Heavy Sounds as part of the label’s 10th anniversary EP series. The band — who I like to think shed their second vowel when they went from five members to four between their first and second EPs — issued their debut album, 1823 (review here), in July 2020 and in addition to being their first LP, it was their first release with guitarist Mark Buchanan and bassist Alan Light in the band along with founders Crystal Bigelow (vocals) and Erik Bigelow (drums). I don’t know the timing on the two joining the band and the songs of 1823 being written, but there’s no question the return to the more-than-just-the-Bigelows incarnation that released 2019’s 326: Spiritual Dialysis — which would seem to have been made when Eric was undergoing actual dialysis; kidney since replaced — has helped EMBR push themselves into new territory on 1021, and it shows on each of the tracks in a different way.

In the quote from Erik that follows the full EP premiere below, there’s some discussion of genre. Is it metal? Is it doom? And so on. I don’t know if that’s a question artists should really be on the hook to answer for their own work, beyond the occasional clever tagline or playful sloganeering. In any case, I understand where he might have some trouble tagging it. 1021 — with “Vesuvius,” “Born” and “A Grave for the Axe” each meting out their purpose with a mixture of brutality and melody — is a sharper execution even than the band had a year ago, and in continuing their collaboration with Matt Washburn, the four-piece clearly show influences beyond standard riffy fare. They did on the record too. Here though, that’s coupled with an efficiency of craft that’s brought more into focus immediately on the speedier “Vesuvius.” There are elements of modern progressive metal in the construction, and Crystal‘s arrangements switching between soar-ready clean singing and masterful screams are most certainly metallic as well, but tonal thickness is still a factor and is all the more highlighted on “Born.” The only song to top five minutes (it does so by six seconds), it rolls out at the start and lurches its way into a more midtempo chug, playing back and forth for the remainder, but if doom is just about playing slow — it isn’t — that’s where that’s happening.

How then to account for the angular riff of “A Grave for the Axe,” the open, melodic verses or the growl-topped surges that follow? The skillfully mixed layers throughout and the insistent payoff? It’s a progressive vision of sludge and more extreme metals that doesn’t really have an efficient genre tag. And as finding that very complexity was the band’s intention as stated, 1021 can only be judged as a success. That’s the math of it. As to the listening experience? This sounds like a band who are not fucking around. Metal’s hard impact delivered with doom’s thickened bludgeon, melody no less a weapon in their arsenal. Right on. What I’ll be interested to hear from them on their next offering, whenever and whatever that is, is what lessons they take with them from doing this and how their dynamic with the lineup of Bigelow, Bigelow, Buchanan and Light (sounds like a law firm, most definitely is not) continues to evolve, whether they push more toward metal than doom as they do in parts here, or if some of the murkier aspects of 1823 find their way in amid the atmospheric clarity of what they show on 1021. At just 14 minutes, 1021 is a cliffhanger in that regard, but the forward potential makes them all the more an exciting outfit in the present.

So again, yeah, mission accomplished. And if you can’t keep the numbers straight, well, I feel you. A listen or two through the EP will clear you right up.

Enjoy, and happy anniversary to New Heavy Sounds:

Erik Bigelow on 1021:

From my experience, conversations and discussions, a lot of people have varying opinions on what “doom” is. There are some common opinions that the majority agree on, sure… Slower tempos, down-tuned guitars, thick and heavy tones, etc. There is definitely more to it than that, but I’d say that’s the stripped down (very rudimentary) recipe.

To build on that – people have different ears and hear things differently. That’s just the nature of music. There are boxes and there are people whom stick within the cube. Then there are people who don’t mind the box being torn open. Both are totally cool. I’m simply stating (in a long-winded format) that – Genres can be tricky sometimes, and “doom” is different to different people – it’s quite diverse in my opinion.

With EMBR we take what elements we like from the genre and add our own feel to it. We’ve all been musicians for a long time and we all have slightly different tastes and styles – We try and write what we want to hear – it’s as simple as that.

With this new EP “1021” we tried to push past the walls of our own cube. While there are elements of “doom” in these songs, there are sections that are in another vein altogether. We set out to be EMBR (of course) but we also set out to show a different side of the band.

Is this EP “doom”? Is it “metal”? Is it “rock”? I’ll let the listeners decide. As I stated I think genres are becoming more and more tricky to define. What I do know is we had a hell of a great time writing and recording these songs and we all hope you enjoy them.

Worldwide – https://newheavysounds.bandcamp.com/album/1021-e-p
USA and Canada orders can be made via Embr’s Bandcamp page. https://embrband.bandcamp.com/music

The EP was recorded and mixed by Matt Washburn at Ledbelly Sound in Dawsonville, GA, and mastered at Soulfire Sounds in Birmingham, Alabama.

EMBR are:
Erik Bigelow – Drums
Crystal Bigelow – Vox
Alan Light – Bass
Mark Buchanan – Guitar

EMBR on Facebook

EMBR on Instagram

EMBR on Twitter

EMBR on Bandcamp

EMBR website

New Heavy Sounds on Facebook

New Heavy Sounds on Bandcamp

New Heavy Sounds website

Birmingham, Alabama, atmospheric doom four-piece EMBR will release their debut full-length, 1823, on July 17 through New Heavy Sounds, and if you stick around until the end of the new single “Where I’ve Been” taken from the seven-song/40-minute offering, you’ll catch a vicious scream from vocalist Crystal Bigelow. That’s a theme to which the band returns throughout the offering, but the most significant impression of 1823 is also right there in the same track’s blend of tonal heft and melody. Guitarist Mark Buchanan and bassist Alan Light crunch out weighted riffs and chug as Crystal‘s voice careens overhead in the mix, drummer Eric Bigelow anchoring the proceedings and rolling them forward from one verse to the next.

Opener “Prurient,” which directly precedes “Where I’ve Been” on the album, is more immediate in its execution, but if EMBR are quick to showcase their breadth early on in the record, that’s something that only continues to serve them well as the rest plays out, the sprawl early on in the subsequent “Stranger” giving way to an especially massive lumber before receding again, demonstrating an awareness of structural variation as well as an ability to simply shift between levels of aggression, tempo, and so on.

Those with a veteran experience of New Heavy Sounds‘ output might be tempted to hear “Where I’ve Been” and liken EMBR with Welsh outfit Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, and granted some of the melodic float is a shared aspect, but aside from a lack of sci-fi thematic throughout, certainly the growls and screams that intertwine in the verses of “Powder” are a distinguishing factor, and one Crystal uses fluidly to add richness to the material. She works in layers on “Powder,” and though it’s one of just two tracks under five minutes long on the album, it earns its place as the centerpiece both through its sheer impact and through the shift it represents in style.

With “Eyes Like Knives” unfolding with an emphasis on patience after, EMBR bring out some synthsizer to further bolster the melody as 1823 works into its second side, and though they weren’t exactly daring monotony up to that point, neither does it feel like too much, the depth of the mix allowing plenty of space for the additional element. “Eyes Like Knives” resolves in a memorable hook with the line, “Come and take it all away,” repeated, ahead of a last crash and amplifier hum transitioning into the quiet start of “Your Burden,” which surges forward before its first minute, the guitar finding a melancholic place that is both familiarly doomed and distinct in its conveying of mood. The verse opens and Crystal enters over quiet guitar, bass and drums, but naturally the chorus picks back up, and surprisingly, “Your Burden” doesn’t recede again until the close.

Harmonies at the outset of closer/longest track “Vines” (6:50) offer a false sense of security for the harshness to follow. Atop backing growls, Crystal‘s rings out, lines delivered atop sustained shouts in a repeating cycle, dramatic and of considerable presence. A tolling bell and nastier screaming takes hold after the midpoint, and the song caps with a final melodic stretch giving way to leftover guitar and ambient noise, speaking as did the harmonies throughout to a progressive bent that, even after three prior EPs, EMBR seem to be just beginning to explore.

As 1823 ends its run, it characterizes EMBR somewhere between doom and ambient sludge or post-metal, but one of the most encouraging aspects of the album is that it’s less about conforming to style than it is about offering its own take through largesse and range alike, the changes in structure and arrangement adding to the focus on craft that is so prevalent throughout. These aren’t days for making predictions, so I won’t take a stab at what it might lead to, but fortunately 1823 offers a satisfying enough listen that one has no real need to leave the moment.

The video for “Where I’ve Been” is premiering below. Beneath that is more background from the PR wire.

Please enjoy:

EMBR, “Where I’ve Been” official video premiere

Pre-orders: http://smarturl.it/Embr1823

Within the genre of heavy metal there can be an abundance of variation, color, texture and tone. There are many different shades and many different categories within that catch-all phrase. It’s not all about throat ripping vocals or Neanderthal riffage. As many who are not drawn metal’s immediate charms may perceive.

Heavy music can encompass a whole panoply of sounds, moods and ambition. It can surround you with emotional elegance and distressing chaos. There can be subtleness, thoughtfulness and deep introspection even when things get exceptionally heavy.

This is why New Heavy Sounds is thrilled to unveil our latest signing. We have partnered with four musically kindred spirits from Birmingham, Alabama, collectively known as EMBR. EMBR tick all the boxes overhead and beyond. We are very excited to be releasing their debut full length album ‘1823’.

EMBR already have 3 mighty EP’s under their belt. ‘261’ released in 2016. ‘271’ released in 2017 and their last EP titled 326: Spiritual Dialysis’ released in 2018. All 3 got them on the heavy underground radar.

After these 3 releases EMBR spent most of 2019 writing 7 new songs for ‘1823’. The album was recorded by Matt Washburn at Ledbelly Sound Studio (Mastodon, Royal Thunder) in Dawsonville Ga.

At this point, it is worth stating that the title ‘1823’ has special significance. It’s not just a numerical title, it has substance. Eric Bigelow (drummer) has been on the list for a kidney for around 4 years.

Eric received a kidney transplant in May of 2019. This happened right in the middle of writing the album. The kidney was from a deceased donor and all Eric and Crystal Bigelow (singer and Eric’s wife) know about the donor is that it was a young woman between the ages of 18-23. The album is dedicated to the donor and the surgeons at Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville TN. And what a fine tribute it is.

Musically ‘1823’ could be categorized as ‘Doom’. However, on this debut it’s obvious that EMBR have range, drive and a desire to add to the genre, to broaden it whilst staying true to its core fundamentals.

Rest assured, the band have all the nuts and bolts in place. Mark Buchanan (guitar), Alan Light (bass) and Eric Bigelow (drums) keep everything tight and weighty. Massive drop-tuned guitars, chest rattling low end, pounding drums, fuzzy distortion, it’s all there. But they also add in synths, a bit of grunge and alt rock flavors.

‘1823’ is set for release on New Heavy Sounds on July 17th 2020.

Like all NHS releases there will be a deluxe vinyl LP, in 2 color Black/Blue cosmic swirl vinyl. With printed lyric inner and full download. CD 4 panel digipack, with lyric booklet. Also available on all digital platforms.

Artist: EMBR
Album: 1823
Record Label: New Heavy Sounds
Release Date: July 17th, 2020
01. Prurient
02. Where I’ve Been
03. Stranger
04. Powder
05. Eyes Like Knives
06. Your Burden
07. Vines

EMBR are:
Eric Bigelow, drums.
Crystal Bigelow, vocals.
Mark Buchanan, guitar.
Alan Light, bass.

EMBR, 1823 (2020)

EMBR on Instagram

EMBR on Thee Facebooks

EMBR website

New Heavy Sounds on Thee Facebooks

New Heavy Sounds on Bandcamp

New Heavy Sounds website