Even unto the very name of the band, drone heavy Connecticut outfit When the Deadbolt Breaks have always done exceedingly well in creating a sense of mire and an atmosphere of threat. Put those two together and what you wind up with is a feeling of impending violence — one that pays off periodically with bursts of grindcore from out of the droning morass — from which there’s no escape. Led by guitarist/vocalist/engineer Aaron Lewis, the band released their latest outing, Drifting toward the Edge of the Earth, last month on Ear One Productions, and basked in the challenge they laid out for their audience over the course of the album’s two discs, an entire one of which they dedicated to the 51-minute exploration, “My Coffin is Loaded with Sand and Fire.”

Rest assured then that the sonics of their lurching, sneaking Godflesh-derived plodding “Sleeps in Burning Hills” are duly fucked. And rest doubly assured that the video for the song, which was directed and edited by Lewis himself (that’s him with the cigar in the image above) and Charlie Winthal, is likewise. Culminating in quick, vague jumpcuts that give way to eerily peaceful footage of forest sunset, there’s a sense the whole time that something vile will happen, is happening, has happened. Lewis doubles as a photographer and is no stranger to fetish-based work, and it’s precisely that air of sexualized violence/violent sexuality that comes through across “Sleeps in Burning Hills.” I won’t spoil the narrative thread, but things hardly seem to turn out well for the lady in the white dress. Take that, purity.

If you think you’re up to the sensory assault that Deadbolt bring to bear across “Sleeps in Burning Hills,” then yeah, you’re probably not. When the Deadbolt Breaks harness a very particular brand of the aurally deranged, and that they’d match it with visuals so fitting here only speaks to an expansion of their disturbing aesthetic. Like an escalating serial killer.

Enjoy:

When the Deadbolt Breaks, “Sleeps in Burning Hills” official video

When the Deadbolt Breaks on Thee Facebooks

Ear One Productions

I haven’t gotten the lab results back yet, but I’m pretty sure two solid hours of exposure to the tornado of aural malevolence that When the Deadbolt Breaks conjures could have lasting psychological effects. The Connecticut trio have announced that their fourth album, the no-less-cumbersomely-named Drifting Toward the Edge of the Earth, is available now for pre-order through Ear One Records and that it will ship out as a 2CD digipak later this month. Goodness gracious that’s a lot of doom.

Here’s the info:

When the Deadbolt Breaks is releasing our 4th full length record with Ear One Productions. This record is close to 2 hours long on 2 cds. This record is our heart and soul, while we are currently writing for a new record yet again, we pushed ourselves with “Drifting Toward the Edge of the Earth”. Its dark, eclectic and honest.

After a ton of work, we are really psyched to have landed When The Deadbolt Breaks a record deal w/ Ear One Records… (Just in case you didn’t know When The Deadbolt Breaks is Aaron Lewis, Mike Parkyn and Rich Kalinowski). The record label is doing a really cool pre order special where you get the CD (it’s a double CD!) for $10… ($13 w/ shipping). If you’re able to swing ordering the CD, we would be hugely great full for the show of support. So, just throwing it out there… If you have the $13 to spare, we would really appreciate you doing a pre order.

“Drifting Towards The Edge Of The Earth” the new double album from CT’s When The Deadbolt Breaks A nearly two-hour-long diverse, debilitating doom/sludge metamorphosis taking place, the mammoth album is available as a limited edition double CD digipak.

This is a pre-order. Digipaks are expected to start shipping on or around Aug. 27, 2013

http://earoneproductions.bigcartel.com/product/drifting-towards-the-edge-of-the-earth

When the Deadbolt Breaks, “The Scavenger’s Daughter”