Already one of British metal’s biggest names, WHILE SHE SLEEPS is about to shatter the sound barrier. Brace yourselves, because on March 29, they’re dropping their latest album, ‘SELF HELL’. If you thought their previous work was intense, hold onto your eardrums—this one’s going to rattle your bones and rearrange your neural synapses.
The Ambitious Approach
The band’s mantra for this album? “Make everything bigger and more unpredictable than ever before.” Forget subtlety; WHILE SHE SLEEPS is here to bulldoze through your expectations. Their recent singles, including the title track and the adrenaline-fueled banger ‘DOWN’ (featuring the ferocious Alex Taylor of Malevolence), are a testament to this audacious mission.
Guitarist Sean Long shared,
“This song means a lot to us. As much as we love a good breakdown and heavy riff, a lot of our passion lies within emotive musical pieces. This song has nearly brought us all to tears multiple times simply because it touches something in us that we hold very dear. A pain we all know and have felt down to our deepest core. The essence of our personal pain expressed in music is what the band is all about. Talking about the things we know are difficult but necessary. The working title was called 'radiohead' and that should help to understand the feeling it gave us when writing it. This contains the 'double whammy' that I stumbled across just before the song was finished. It went insanely viral when I posted it online so I just had to get it in the song. People have been saying it’s one of the greatest lead guitar parts of all time, I’ll take it."
Vocalist Loz Taylor continued,
“‘TO THE FLOWERS’ is emotional, tragic, and real life. We intended to make a short film that encompasses the real emotions of relationships, grief, love, death, and pain. Shot by the members of WHILE SHE SLEEPS, ‘TO THE FLOWERS’ ebbs and flows through an entendre of tragedy. This was a huge project to undertake, and we have poured our creative energy into directing this piece. We had a wicked time working on the film. This will hit home.”
“TO THE FLOWERS”: Chaos with Purpose
“TO THE FLOWERS” kicks off with spoken words from none other than the enigmatic philosopher and spiritual leader, Jiddu Krishnamurti. It’s like he’s whispering secrets to the universe, and WHILE SHE SLEEPS is there to catch them. But don’t mistake this for a tranquil garden stroll; it’s more like a sprint through a psychedelic jungle.
The Maelstrom of Influences
Picture this: a swirling vortex of musical influences, each one pulling you in a different direction. WHILE SHE SLEEPS draws from a cosmic palette—screaming vocals, melodic textures, punk energy, synths, and metallic breakdowns. It’s like they raided a musical thrift store and stitched together a Frankenstein’s monster of sound.
Expectations on Steroids
‘SELF HELL’ isn’t just an album; it’s a boundary-breaking manifesto. The band flirts with symphonic music, hardcore, synth-rock, and metal. Imagine a rollercoaster that defies gravity, and you’re strapped in, white-knuckled, wondering if you’ll survive the next loop-de-loop. But fear not—the band’s got this. They’re like mad scientists, mixing volatile elements to create sonic explosions.
Stadium-Prepared Anthems
WHILE SHE SLEEPS knows how to whip up anthems that could fill stadiums. Their choruses are like rallying cries for the disenchanted, the dreamers, and the headbangers. Picture a sea of fans, fists pumping, voices hoarse, and the band standing tall on stage, channeling raw energy. It’s a communion of chaos, and everyone’s invited.
DIY Ethos and Studio Adventures
The band’s DIY ethos remains intact. They’ve brewed this sonic potion in their own cauldron—Six Audio in Sheffield, Metropolis Studios in London, and the mystical Treehouse Studio in Chesterfield. The production duo of Sean Longand and long-term collaborator Carl Bown sprinkled magic dust over the tracks. It’s like they summoned thunderstorms and bottled the lightning.
Get Your Vinyl Fix
‘SELF HELL’ is up for pre-order, and vinyl enthusiasts, rejoice! The neo-orange vinyl and the hypnotic black/white swirl vinyl are the gems of its physical formats. Imagine spinning these records under dim lights, lost in the sonic labyrinth that WHILE SHE SLEEPS has crafted. And guess what? Every vinyl copy and bundle from their official store comes with a signed photo. It’s like owning a piece of rock ‘n’ roll history.
The Itinerary: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Odyssey
Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves for a sonic hurricane! The WHILE SHE SLEEPS juggernaut is revving its engines, and the roadies are tuning their air guitars. Why? Because 2024 is about to witness a metallic frenzy that’ll make your eardrums high-five each other. WHILE SHE SLEEPS is hitting the road.
1. Download Festival: Where Riffs Roam Free
First stop: Download Festival. Picture a colossal field, mud-smeared boots, and a sky ablaze with guitar solos. WHILE SHE SLEEPS will unleash their anthems like a pack of wild wolves. The crowd? A sea of headbangers, moshing like their lives depend on it. And the band? They’ll ride the riff-tsunami straight into Valhalla.
2. Festivals Across the Globe: From Samba to Sauerkraut
WHILE SHE SLEEPS isn’t content with conquering one continent. No, siree! They’re globetrotting like rock ‘n’ roll diplomats. Brazil? Check. France? Mais oui! Germany? Prost! Italy? Mama mia! Norway? Vikings, assemble! These festivals aren’t just gigs; they’re musical séances where the spirits of Lemmy, Freddie, and Janis join the mosh pit.
3. Architects’ North American Extravaganza
Imagine WHILE SHE SLEEPS as intergalactic hitchhikers, thumbing rides on Architects’ interstellar tour bus. North America, prepare for a collision of melodic supernovas. The venues will quake, the speakers will weep, and the fans? They’ll ascend to a higher plane of existence. Architects and WHILE SHE SLEEPS—like Batman and Robin, but with more distortion pedals.
4. France and Poland: Headlining Intimate Affairs
WHILE SHE SLEEPS knows how to throw a party, even in a cozy living room. So, they’re hitting up France and Poland for some intimate tête-à-têtes. Picture dimly lit venues, sweat-soaked walls, and the band inches away from your face. You’ll taste the sweat, feel the bass rumble your ribcage, and scream lyrics like ancient incantations.
Merch Alert! Vinyl Wizards and Signed Photos
Before you lose yourself in the mosh pits, snag some WHILE SHE SLEEPS merch. The neo-orange vinyl and the black/white swirl vinyl are like relics from a parallel universe. Spin them, and you’ll glimpse alternate realities where guitar solos cure diseases and drumsticks grow on trees. Plus, every vinyl comes with a signed photo—a backstage pass to the chaos.
So, dear music aficionados, buckle up. WHILE SHE SLEEPS is about to unleash sonic chaos upon the world. Whether you’re a seasoned metalhead or a curious wanderer, ‘SELF HELL’ will grab you by the collar and scream, “Welcome to the mosh pit of your mind!”
Remember: life's too short for silent headbanging.
Comments