Chicago (IL) – Instrumental Blackened Doom Trio CANYON OF THE SKULL have partnered with The Obelisk for the premiere of forthcoming album Sins of the Past. Stream it below!
Sins of the Past (Album Stream):
In terms the musical style, the band’s aesthetic is formed more specifically by Black Metal, Funeral Doom, and classic Heavy Metal. Guitarist Erik Ogershok offers a fuller description of what CANYON OF THE SKULL have accomplished on Sins of the Past:
“I try to do different things with each record and this one is no exception. This record is visceral and immediate, like the self-titled, while being highly conceptual and dynamic like The Desert Winter. ‘The Ghost Dance’ is probably the best thing that I have written to date. ‘The Sun Dance’ is unlike anything that I have ever written before. It incorporates my basic philosophies of composition but applies them differently, one that I jokingly call prog-doom.
The main aesthetic and themes that Canyon of the Skull was founded on remain unchanged. This band has always been focused on telling the stories of Indigenous Americans and their environments, specifically those of the American Southwest. I am still surprised at how many people have never met an Indigenous American, but we are not extinct, and this band exists to tell our stories both past, present, and future. This record is a bit more broad with the subject matter since it involves the rituals of tribes far from the land of my people. Also, this record is more influenced by recent events that have an impact beyond Native communities. I don’t like to talk specifically about the deeper meaning of any of my compositions as I want people to discover their meaning in our music. These two pieces have very specific meanings to both me and the wider world and googling the titles is my recommendation for people that want to delve deeper for the literal meanings.”
The musicians of CANYON OF THE SKULL are a varied, creative bunch. Bassist Todd Haug is also the guitarist for Minneapolis thrash legends Powermad. He most recently performed as the second guitarist for Norwegian black metal legends 1349. Dummer Mike Miczek is well respected in the Chicago metal scene and has made a name for himself with both Broken Hope and The Atlas Moth. He also plays drums with Todd in Powermad. Both Erik and Todd are brewmasters for metal-centric breweries. Todd is one of the brewmasters at the ground-breaking 3Floyds Brewing Company. Erik is the brewmaster for WarPigs USA.”
“They do nothing but justice for the preservation of the cultures of Indigenous Americans and it’s with “Sins of the Past” that their work has reached a clear peak of excellence that’s a must-hear experience for anyone who considers themselves a fan of anything related to drone.”
– Head-Banger Reviews
“It probably goes without saying that a record comprised of two so drawn-out instrumental movements and makes so little play toward general accessibility probably isn’t going to be for everybody, but for more adventurous metallurgists and those craving depth and breadth alike, there’s plenty in Sins of the Past to inspire deep-dive listening, tracking each movement of the guitar, bass and drums as you go.”
– The Obelisk
“There’s nothing you can’t articulate with guitar and bass, especially when wielded so proficiently. Compelling.”
– Noob Heavy
Album Credits
Recorded at Decade Music Studios March 2019
Recorded and Mixed by Sanford Parker
Produced by Sanford Parker and Canyon of the Skull
Mastered by Collin Jordan at Boiler Room Mastering
Artwork Layout and design by Erik Bredthauer
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.