We’ve all been there, the time when no matter how much sunshine is blazing outside our windows, everything feels hopelessly dark, disturbingly warped. Nothing looks right, and reality seems to have turned in on itself, making every nerve feel burnt and prodded, and all you really want is relief. And that’s a glass away.
Executioner’s Mask create dark post-punk that feels like the soundtrack to those dark days, and their new record “Almost There” is enshrouded in gloom. The band—vocalist Jay Gambit, guitarists Craig Mickle and Daniel Gaona, bassist Anthony Charletta, drummer Melissa Lonchambon—describes the record as being about drinking, longing, and surviving, and those elements are on full display over these eight tracks and 31 minutes that take you along for that ride and, at times, seem to block out the sun. Yet, there’s an attraction in these songs to which it’s easy to gravitate, cracking open your own bottle and numbing your feelings so you can have an evening to feel normal again.
“Devoured” opens gazey, a washed-out melody taking over as Gambit’s deep croon, almost a speak-sing, digs into your psyche. The pace picks up as the playing gets faster, tunneling through the dark and staying there for good. “Losing a Fixed Game” brings chugging guitars and vocals that feel ashen, the playing later lighting up, building as the temperatures spike. “I close my eyes, you are still here,” Gambit warbles, giving way to a flood of noise that chews muscle. “Mezcal Perfume” basks in steam, Gambit calling, “I haven’t seen the sun in weeks,” the psychological torment making everything come across in shades of gray. The moodiness feels like a sun-stained portrait, slowly eroded over time, the guitars surging as the emotion rains down, eventually dissolving into a wall of sound. “Failed Dreams II” is dreary, the singing bruising, the feeling of isolation setting in, a burst of energy rippling the shadowy waters. Things turn into a warped technicolor nightmare, blurring visions and drowning everything in an oncoming stormfront.
“Sunset in the Valley” rollicks with a post-punk glaze, the guitars taking on more dashes of light, Gambit snarling, “And we drink, and we drink, and we drink.” The power brushes against you, dimming the room, burning off the remaining fuel. “A Modest Proposal” dawns amid serious pressure, guitars scalding as the singing engorges, spiraling and working into the darkness. The leads sting and float, tingling your flesh, your brain cells melting into echoes. “Lovers in Hell” is catchy when it opens, drums punching as an icy obsession encases everything in its wake. The moodiness thickens as the fog becomes like a blanket, electricity shrieking while the strangeness takes up residence in the back of your brain. Closer “On Park Row” challenges with guitars scraping, a psychedelic blur blending before your eyes, the singing warbling. The playing turns moody and reflective, the emotions caterwauling, the noise sucking energy and burning into oblivion.
“Almost There” is despairingly dark, even as the music has moments that feel bright and energetic, but the haze of drunkenness often feels that way, a jolt of euphoria amid endless struggle. Executioner’s Mask have a way to make that feel alluringly charming, even as you stare into the abyss, your nightmares having come to life. These are songs that can be by your side as you try to numb the pain, figuring out a way to feel more like yourself, at least the better version of it, again one day.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/executionersmask
To buy the album (vinyl), go here: https://seeingredrecords.8merch.us/product/executioners-mask-almost-there-lp-pre-order/
Or here (CD): https://alacarterecords.com/products/executioners-mask-almost-there
Or here (cassette): https://summerdarlingtapes.bigcartel.com/product/executioner-s-mask-almost-there-sdt-037
For more on the label, go here: https://www.seeingredrecords.com/
And here: https://alacarterecords.com/
Meat Mead Metal 