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EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Get Tussled in Leonov’s Wake With “I am Lion, I am Yours”

I’ve been listening to “brighter” music lately; whether it’s the shrill tones of thrash and traditional heavy metal or the expansive beats of more electronic genres, something in

6 years ago

I’ve been listening to “brighter” music lately; whether it’s the shrill tones of thrash and traditional heavy metal or the expansive beats of more electronic genres, something in me just hungers these days for cleaner, more direct tones. But I’ll make exceptions as I always do for the best of the best, even if it’s from a genre I’m not currently paying too much attention to. Enter Leonov and their thoroughly corrosive Wake from which we’re proud to premiere the opening track today, “I am Lion, I am Yours”. We’re talking about post-metal which totters on the precipice of sludge, accompanied by excellent and otherworldly vocals of the most rarified sort. The entire album is a bleak, moving work of art and this track is all of it in microcosm. Head on over the jump and dive in the murk.

Damn. One of my favorite things about this are the creepy synth tones that play in parts of the album, reminding me of the excellent Flesh of the Stars. Another high point is, of course, the vocals; they’re really quite exceptional and much more effective than your run-of-the-mill, ghostly efforts that usually dominate this genre. Instead, they work exceptionally well with the ponderous main guitar line and even better with the transitions near the end of the track, spearheaded by some fantastic bass choices that really accentuate the bottom end of the vocals, kind of like what makes Messa so damn good. By the end, when the vocals return, we’re already well immersed in their shattering embrace, wholly committed to their languishing message.

The entire album doesn’t fall short of this track. Back to back, it delivers its dark and austere message with astounding clarity. The band remarks on this message, ““I Am Lion, I Am Yours” is the second single off our upcoming album, “Wake”, and its opening track. In terms of our album being about life from start to end, “I Am Lion, I Am Yours” is at the formative beginning. It is about conformity – the promises of getting everything you desire, as long as you fall into the ranks and do as you’re expected to. It is about feeling safe and protected, but as you’re growing up discovering that security has limits. We are never fully in control.”

Make sure you head on over to their Bandcamp above and pre-order this beast of a release. You won’t regret it. I mean, you will but in a good, doom metal kind of way.

Eden Kupermintz

Published 6 years ago