WL//WH Track Of The Day: CRUEL REFLECTIONS “Heaven or Hell”

Track Of The Day  CRUEL REFLECTIONS  

I have always had a soft spot for the Californian band Cruel Reflections since the early days leading up to their self-produced debut album “One Year” around 2018, which came out almost at the same time as the start of this blog, and their 80s inspired sad yet infectious post-punk sound with hints of jangly Indie Rock ala the Smiths, catapulted into the sunny Los Angeles skies.

Equally gloomy and catchy, made of vibrant and energetic drumming, contagious groovy sinuous melodic bass lines, evocative emotional-ridden six-string chords, and impassioned deep vocalizations, the group has always known how to walk the line between past and present in an effortlessly convincing and intriguing way.

Fresh from a record deal with German independent label Cold Transmission Music, the band, now back as a duo, albeit seemingly without the original charismatic drummer, have dropped the first preview from the upcoming sophomore 11-track LP “Through Motions” due out May 7, 2021, on Digipak CD with lyric booklet & Digital.

“Heaven or Hell”, while lyric-wise exposes the painful emotional scars begotten at the hands of extremism in religion, unbridles ominous incessantly snaking bassline throbs gurgling and wandering in and out along with punchy galloping drum beats, building seething angst, surrounded by swishing reverberations, whilst piercing sparkling guitar melodies desperately whine and burst atop somber, distressed male vocals unearthing anxiety and shame from the desperate deceptions of ritual control.

Keep up with Cruel Reflections :

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