photo by LJ Ripley @ripleyscurse
On August 29, Lathe Of Heaven (Brooklyn, New York) released their brand new “Aurora” LP through Sacred Bones Records. It is the band’s sophomore long-play release following their impressive debut “Bound By Naked Skies” LP (2023).
LOH was formed in 2021, and I can confidently say that it was one of the best developments of that year for this genre. LOH is a distinctive band that draws inspiration from the past while moving forward creatively. They are among the groups that not only innovate within the urban melancholic rock genre but also chart new paths for it.
They are not alone in this dance; they are certainly among the dedicated bands that expand the dark horizon with given passion and remarkable music. The new album “Aurora” contains 11 songs of new post-punk music…to die for. I listen to their music, and what I hear reflects their clear momentum in their journey so far: inspiration, guts, and you know… this music is no longer meant for ‘revival’ situations – The ‘revival’ cuts off the beauty from the new flowers of this long-suffering genre of music. Lathe of Heaven constructs a new post-punk sound, weaving in occasional hints of deathrock and an (un)certain gothic influence in their style and lyrics throughout.
I share all this because, to my ears, the entire new legacy is unmistakably present in each track. It’s as if I’m standing by an open window above the rehearsal grave where they practice, or in the garage where they experiment with riffs and choruses, or in a smoky studio where they record these striking gems from their lives. There are impressive yet simple orchestrations, with a lot of moments that really stand out, demonstrating their characteristic talent and deep understanding of their urban ‘passions’. The entire album is an adventure and a remarkable journey through the cities of the real world. And it encompasses elements of poetry, melancholy, and the restlessness of the present; there is so much richness in this fantastic album.
I have decided, for quite some time now, to follow these new bands on their meanderings. I can no longer tolerate the ‘necrophilia’ of the ‘revival.’ The ‘revival’ lasted at most ten years, but now we are approaching twenty years of the ‘revival’ dark music. I don’t want another revival. What I seek from the genre I love is for it to continuously surprise me and provoke questions to make me shake with it, and not to be sad and look with awe at the ‘glorious past’ . I’ll listen to these new songs right away while wearing my headphones, and I’ll take a long walk through my city, and stand above its ‘strange’ world, and open my lungs to the quarry on the hill to allow it to breathe (and exhale) my dark breath. Can you guess which album I plan to take with me as I close this article? It’s called “Aurora” by the Lathe Of Heaven!!!
Keep Up With Lathe Of Heaven.
Written by Mike D.
