jhulud Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Official press release: Expressionistic metal ensemble SUMAC have announced their new album, May You Be Held, out September 18th. Picking up where the band left off with 2018's critically acclaimed Love in Shadow, the trio of Aaron Turner (ISIS, Old Man Gloom), Brian Cook (Russian Circles), and Nick Yacyshyn (Baptists) push further into the extreme polarity of their sound with their latest collection of long-form composition and free-form exploration. Meticulously detailed and complex one moment, rudimentary and repetitive the next, and completely untethered and unscripted at seemingly random intervals—May You Be Held is an album that fluctuates between extreme discipline and control on one end and an almost feral energy on the other. "As an artist in this time of significant upheaval, society seemingly having reached the end of its current iteration, it's of critical importance to absorb and interpret this process of dissolution - and of the transformation that hopefully follows it" says Turner. "While I don't believe we're on the brink of collective destruction precisely now, this is clearly a pivotal stage in the story of humankind - and there is something that feels right about this music at this exact and very uncertain moment." SUMAC's work has always been about transition between different states of being. Our sense of normal, and indeed our sense of life, is now being shaken. We don't know what is coming next. We are looking for pointers towards the future, as well as things to hold onto in the moment. This is a fundamental aspect of May You Be Held's larger theme. Musically, it's about continual unification and divergence, and is imbued with the uncertainty inherent in that cycle. In that uncertainty there is also hope, frustration, madness, and a desire for connection. All this too is part of this moment in our history—everything happening at once, the simultaneous emergence of humanity's best and worst characteristics. Lyrically, May You Be Held follows the humanistic themes explored on Love in Shadow, partially informed by Turner's navigation of fatherhood and family life. "It's clear humans have figured out many ways over the centuries to acclimate to adverse circumstances, and even to thrive in them," Turner says. "My hope for our family, humanity and future generations, is that we find our way by doing what we have always done—invent, adapt, band together, and ideally, hold each other up through love and kindness." May You Be Held was recorded throughout 2017, 2018 and 2019 by Kurt Ballou at Robert Lang Studios, Matt Bayles at The Unknown, and at House of Low Culture. May You Be Held track listing: 1. A Prayer for Your Path 2. May You Be Held 3. The Iron Chair 4. Consumed 5. Laughter and Silence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek™ Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 (edited) Hell yes. Wasn’t expecting an actual LP so soon. Tremendous news. Guess I’m watching Thrill Jockey like a hawk, even though their variants seldom sell out before the albums get released. Edited July 9, 2020 by Derek™ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooks Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 ayyyy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicLima Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Well, fork my ear-holes, fan-freaking-tastic news!! Love me some SUMAC, excited for this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaoza Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Yesssss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
se7enstitches Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 This is sweet. Use this release to resurrect Hydrahead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaoza Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 http://thrilljockey.com/products/may-you-be-held archiced and Derek™ 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek™ Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 5 minutes ago, zaoza said: http://thrilljockey.com/products/may-you-be-held $18 for a double LP. Stay based, TJ. MCDELTAT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooks Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Up for $19 on Bandcamp as well: https://sumac.bandcamp.com/ daegor and Derek™ 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daegor Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 7 minutes ago, zaoza said: http://thrilljockey.com/products/may-you-be-held Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwgncpr Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 ordered with quickness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek™ Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 1 minute ago, rooks said: Up for $19 on Bandcamp as well: https://sumac.bandcamp.com/ Not seeing Media Mail at Thrill – not that $26 PPD is remotely bad for a double LP – but this is even cheaper and you get a download available day-of, if you care to have FLAC / 320 handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwgncpr Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Just now, Derek™ said: Not seeing Media Mail at Thrill – not that $26 PPD is remotely bad for a double LP – but this is even cheaper and you get a download available day-of, if you care to have FLAC / 320 handy. yep, I had it in my cart at Thrill, and then once I saw the bandcamp option, I quickly shifted there. Cheaper shipping + FLAC = yassssssss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daegor Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 1 minute ago, throwgncpr said: yep, I had it in my cart at Thrill, and then once I saw the bandcamp option, I quickly shifted there. Cheaper shipping + FLAC = yassssssss This Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhulud Posted July 9, 2020 Author Share Posted July 9, 2020 Sweet! Nabbed it from Bandcamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaoza Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 bandcamp it is. stoked for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portsi Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Thanks, got it from Thrill Jockeys website. Record + shipping to Finland only about 25 euros. I can't believe it! Cheapest record i have bought in ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek™ Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 I'm really interested by the fact this has been recorded over 3 years, dating back to 2017 – a year before Love In Shadow was released. No idea what we're in for but this band has an unbelievable track record for me. throwgncpr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elnombre91 Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Thrilljockey are definitely the MVPs for having a UK shipping option too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiced Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 1 hour ago, zaoza said: http://thrilljockey.com/products/may-you-be-held Yes ! Instant order !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyEnemy Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Stoked. Easy pick up, along with the new Soft Pink Truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwaysopenmouth Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Bandcamp LP was sold out but unless that’s another gold variant then i’m not too bummed about getting the TJ one. I’ve been on a Sumac and Isis kick lately so this was great news for me, they’re such a sick band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swallowtales Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Murdered by shipping as I couldn't check out shipping from the UK, but will be worth it cause Sumac are sick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek™ Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 1 hour ago, alwaysopenmouth said: Bandcamp LP was sold out but unless that’s another gold variant then i’m not too bummed about getting the TJ one. I’ve been on a Sumac and Isis kick lately so this was great news for me, they’re such a sick band. Same variant, at least going off the mockup. I strongly resonate with that Isis / Sumac kick, by the way. Been feeling that on a personal level for the last 3 years or so and wondering when (or if) it’ll wear off. I’m sure I’ve voiced this in another thread, but Sumac are especially fun because even after all this time I still find myself buckling up for each new record they put out. They’re awesome on first listen, don’t get me wrong, but they’re just so dense and cavernous... I feel like it takes me more time and effort to unpack their records than any other band these days. That’s not a complaint by any means. If anything it lends itself to crazy amounts of replay value. Once things begin to click into place and those curveball grooves and breakdowns become second-nature, and you become acquainted with the explosive payoffs at the end of those abstract noise sections... wew lad. Nothing quite like it. I’m never fully enamored with a new Sumac record despite fully “getting” the one before it, so at this point I’ve just accepted we’re in great hands and have every reason to be hyped. zaoza and MyEnemy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solitaryreign Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Missed the gold on TJ just when I wanted to check out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.