http://www.submasq.net/
1/22/13 12:09PM
I'm incredibly excited for this. New 7" EP and plans for the band to enter the studio to record their next full-length. Will it be "In Pastille Colors"? or maybe called something else. Their debut record came out nearly 10 years ago.
bmouth link
Israeli/American outfit SUBTERRANEAN MASQUERADE, which features in its ranks Paul Kuhr of NOVEMBERS DOOM on vocals, has set "Home" as the title of its new EP, to be released in March.
Eight years after the release of SUBTERRANEAN MASQUERADE's acclaimed album "Suspended Animation Dreams", "Home" features two tracks: the new title cut and a cover version for THE MISSION UK's"Beyond the Pale". The effort was recorded at various studios around the world with a lineup that included drummer Mathan Shmuely ofORPHANED LAND, bassist Mike Feldman of NOVEMBERS DOOM, and Arabic orchestra, featuring violins, oud, bazuki and lyra. According to a press release, the EP contains "lots of vintage keyboards and the band's heaviest guitar parts ever."
Says SUBTERRANEAN MASQUERADE songwriter and mastermind Tomer Pink: "We got so excited while writing this long-due follow-up that we decided to release a two-track EP as a teaser for the album. This is gonna blow people's minds!"
"Home" was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY,BLOODBATH, NIGHTINGALE) at Unisound studios in Örebro, Sweden.
The EP will be released only on seven-inch vinyl for now and will be available to pre-order directly from the band. It is limited to 300 copies only —100 transparent orange and 200 regular black. The artwork was created by longtime collaborator Travis Smith (OPETH, KATATONIA).
SUBTERRANEAN MASQUERADE plans to enter the studio later this year to record a new full-length album.
I don't think I shared/posted this ever on here. But it probably bares sharing to emphasize my interest and excitement about the return of this great band again.
mp.com link from may 27 2009
1. Suspended Animation Dreams
2. Wolf Among Sheep (Ok maybe the other way around?)
3. No Place Like Home
4. Kind of a Blur
5. The Rock N Roll Preacher
6. Six Strings To Cover Fear
7. Awake
8. X
It's really a tastefully composed concept record about a guy and a dream or dreams? Conceptually, I'm still not too deep into it, but musically, it is incredibly tasteful. It's like progressive folk-rock with some subtle sax and rich, soaring strings at times that leave a mark in your mind everytime you hear them. The vocals kind of minimal at times, and then maybe one of my favorite parts of this band, is how they blend the death growls with such character. You can make-out mostly everything their singer says in the harsh style. And it fits really well throughout, with the moods of each section or part of the music.
Also not to be missed, how pretty they use the female vocals in this album. They work really well on an emotional level. I'm not sure who they got as singers (in spots they are in a group, and other times it's just 1 female singer), but to hear them on a progressive death album is not something I recall hearing about too often.
I mean sure, they do remind me of groups like maudlin of the Well, Agalloch/Sculptured and even Opeth. But there is without a doubt a really unique approach to songwriting. I guess it's one example of music that successfully combines harsh with beauty. Heavy with gentle, etc. Much like bands such as motW or Pain of Salvation have done as well. But perhaps not in this specific approach. Almost like if Jethro Tull or King Crimson added some death metal to their sound. It's very organic, which is kind of rare now-a-days.
I recently purchased their previous EP "Temporary Psychotic State" which is also in the same vein. Very much foreshadows what the band would do soon after with SAD. It's only 2 tracks, "Temporary Psychotic State" and "Observation Through Metamorphosis" which clocks in about 17 minutes long. In a way, you could attach it to SAD and it might work, as those 2 tracks are great but not nearly long enough for me. I may make it a habit of always listening to them together now in fact.
