With a band like Weeping, ugliness is a virtue. The New Jersey three-piece play a mutation of death metal that cuts out much of the genre’s pretense, self-consciousness, and other fatty bits that dilute the prime objective of sonic violence. The result is throbbing, pummeling music that bristles with rage but not angst, horror but never schlock, a feeling that only through hideousness can one reach true honesty. It’s not for everyone, but if it was, it wouldn’t be Weeping.
The band’s new EP, Ethereal Suffering In The Light of God, brings their aural contempt to a swollen, poisonous head. The riffs hereon are bulging with menace from the get-go, painting a picture as bare and fraught as the unthinkable sufferer on the album sleeve. The guttural vocals sound more like howls than growls, and the drums are a percussive thicket of thorns around the listener, making one feel crowded and always in danger. It’s an incredibly effective offering, the kind of death metal album that makes you feel more than think.
“Ethereal Suffering in The Light of God really pushes the intensity level in comparison to the demo I Don’t Hear the Angels Calling,” says guitarist/vocalist Theo Vlahos. “While our writing time was limited, I think it made us focus on being meticulous in the details of each individual song. I think additionally, being in a studio for the first time all together really allowed us to let certain songs hang in the studio and keep the human imperfections that make our sound unique.
“While not a concept record lyrically the theme of continuous unrelenting human suffering is relayed in the instrumental aspects of the release as well,” Theo continues. “Stylistically this release draws from various expressions of death metal as well as some appearances of doom and hardcore elements. This release is an accomplishment for us in that we could finally meld all of our influences together and create a piece of music that puts emphasis on more than one aspect of our sound. Every song feels like a separate departure into what Weeping is capable of musically while still keeping enough continuity in style to cohesively blend the songs into a punishing experience.”
Check out our exclusive stream of Weeping’s Ethereal Suffering In The Light of God below:
Weeping’s Ethereal Suffering In The Light of God drops Friday, 5/21, and is available for preorder.
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Words by Chris Krovatin
