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Australian alt rockers
CLOSURE IN MOSCOW
have released single/video
‘Keeper Of The Lake’
Australian alternative rock group Closure in Moscow has released ‘Keeper Of The Lake’, the third single from their forthcoming new album ‘Soft Hell’, out on October 27, 2023 on Bird’s Robe Records.
‘Keeper Of The Lake’ is a dark synth laden ode to a former love.
Singer Christopher de Cinque’s soulful vocals pour out over lyrics filled with guilt, yearning and consternation, whilst the drum & bass interplay of Salvatore Aidone and Duncan Millar lock things down with an impossibly catchy groove.
The eclectic guitar work of Manny Zennelli and Michael Barrett recall the warble of 90s VHS tapes mixed with the aura of bands like Air and Portishead, before culminating in a gorgeously melodic solo from Barrett.
About the new single, drummer Salvatore Aidone says:
“Probably one of my favourite tracks on the album. I think this is the first time helping to write lyrics and giving this song its back story became this really amazing cathartic experience for me. I also probably for the first time truly understood that songs can mean totally different things for different people and i hold this song close to me but feel really hopeful that others will find it really relatable.”
The new single comes with a washed out performance video produced by Yovozol with filming by Rowey.
Blending the aforementioned 90s VHS effects with the quirky and idiosyncratic performance of the band, it’s yet another glimpse into a new era of these genre-shifting chameleons.
Having recently completed an Australian tour alongside Deafheaven, the band have also hinted at upcoming tour plans for Australia, the USA and UK, following the release of their new album in October.
Australian alt rockers
CLOSURE IN MOSCOW
have released singles/videos
‘Better Way’ and ‘Primal Sinister’
track-list:
Jaeger Bomb
Primal Sinister
Absolute Terror Field
Better Way
Holy Rush
Keeper Of The Lake
Lock & Key
Don Juan Triumphant
Soft Hell
Fine
Lovelash
My Dearest Kate
Closure in Moscow.
They’re back.
It’s been 9 years since the sprawling prog rock concept record ‘Pink Lemonade’ – 13 years since the feisty up tempo prog punk of ‘First Temple’ and 14 years since the earnest post-hardcore of their debut albumette ‘The Penance And The Patience’.
In the years hence, those milestones have been etched in fans minds as tent poles of the band’s career, which has seemingly lurched on a wide spectrum from post to pillar.
But to insiders, the band’s evolution has been a natural process, borne of their desire to express every element of their creativity.
Now, in a further extension of that evolution, 12 new songs comprising the album ‘Soft Hell’ will finally be released in 2023.
Where ‘First Temple’ yearned and ‘Pink Lemonade’ churned, ‘Soft Hell’ settles in as perhaps the most mature and studiously crafted album of their career.
Whilst the singles ‘Better Way’ and ‘Primal Sinister’ are nods to the sounds and attitudes band’s previous records, once you hit the jungle of sounds on the groove-laden ‘Absolute Terror Field’ the down tempo ballad ‘Keeper Of The Lake’, the Prince-soul-rock of ‘Holy Rush’ and the industrial soul of ‘Don Juan Triumphant’ – you realise, this is entirely new territory for Closure In Moscow.
The hooks, lyricism and songcraft take the forefront, whilst the bombast and technical proficiency are channelled into impossibly tasty grooves, guitar & bass solos dripping with juicy goodness and drum fills presented as morsels on an album size degustation menu.
The understated musicianship on this material reveals itself on repeated listens.
Don’t get it wrong though – there’s plenty of shred on display.
Whether it’s Michael Barrett’s guitar fire vs Salvatore Aidone’s octopus drumming in ‘Better Way’ or the game of ‘where the 1?’ in the chorus of ‘Holy Rush’ or the polyrhythmic maelstrom of album opener ‘Jaeger Bomb’.
Do yourself a favour and keep your finger on the replay button once you hear Barrett’s inspired playing at the end of ‘Lovelash’.
It’s not a concept album.
Or is it?
Frontman Christopher de Cinque is as cryptic as ever on tracks like ‘Primal Sinister’.
But overall, it’s their most honest and transparent album to date.
If you know the story of these songs, it hits even harder.
But it’s not hard to be drawn in on just the first listen.
The band comments:
“It’s the last 9 years distilled down to 50 minutes. We’ve put blood, sweat and years into this, and fully believe when you hear these tracks, the wait will have been worth it. We know you have to take our word on that for the time being, but the wait is almost over. The new album is called ‘Soft Hell’. Getting comfortable with chronic discomfort caused by the choices that fears and trauma lead you to make. This is life in a soft hell. There are enough distractions to stave off facing up to it, you can keep yourself in denial to avoid it, and things can just keep ticking along. Life becomes a fever dream of creature comforts and time killers, floating further into a lake of fire. People come along to pull you out, but they too get burned when you feel too stuck to climb with them.”
It’s been a long wait for fans and a long period of introspection and evolution for Closure in Moscow.
But the next phase of the band promises to be one of their most enthralling, as they make plans to share the record, revisit fans around the world and – hopefully – take less than 9 years until the next new music comes around.
What’s next?
Does it matter?
We’re all going to die eventually anyway.
Just dive into ‘Soft Hell’ and let yourself wallow there for a while.