We are so pleased to announce that we have the record in both color variants and CDs are on the way. You can order from Translation Loss or get it directly from us at shows! European distro news will be posted when we know it! See some of you at Conan in Portland tonight!
“The not-easily-pigeonholable PacNW metal band Usnea will release their first album in six years, Bathed In Light, on May 26 via Translation Loss (pre-order). They recently put out lead single “From Soot and Pyre,” and we’re now premiering second single “The Compleated Sage.” It’s an intense six-and-a-half minute song with elements of doom, sludge, post-, black, and death metal that never really fits neatly into any category. Here’s what vocalist/guitarist Justin Cory says about it:
“The Compleated Sage” is inspired by the hungry ghosts of Zen Buddhism and the wendigo demon of Native American lore; creatures who are insatiably greedy and self-interested to their own extreme detriment. Much like the basis of our entire current civilization. These parables exist to remind us of our interdependence and mutual fates.
We wrote this song later in the album-writing process, but it was based upon riffs I had been kicking around for a long time during quarantine. This is probably one of the most dynamic songs we’ve ever written. That said, it is also one of the funnest to play. Teeth-clenching shrill black metal morphs into a glacial funeral death-doom passage and then a psychedelic post-rock decay. It is also a challenging song to play and after 12 years as a band, I like that we are writing challenging music for ourselves.”
Our old friends from the British Isles are coming back to the Cascadian gloom to unleash their fury once again. They are touring with THRA and we are opening.
Our fourth record is finally in production and we should have more news on that really soon!
In the meantime we have some show announcements:
We are stoked to be playing with our old friends in Ninth Moon Black and Unhallowed Earth (formerly Sól) on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 at High Water Mark Lounge, Portland, OR.
Feb 11th, 2023
The next night we take it north with Ninth Moon Black again and our old tour mates in Un on Sunday, February 12th, 2023 at Bar House, Seattle, WA.
Feb 12th, 2023
Hope for darker days…
As the days get longer, we have this solstice festival to look forward to up in Pe Ell, WA.
Cascadian Midsummer (formerly known as Thirst For Light and Litha Cascadia) will be happening June 16th-18th, 2023 at Red Hawk Avalon featuring: Osi and the Jupiter, Mizmor, Aerial Ruin, Usnea, Drouth, Felsenmirror, Moonbladder, Woods Witch, Cedar Dreamer, River Irene and more TBA.