Yeah, that title wrote itself, huh? That’s a good thing though because I’m so god damn excited about this that I don’t think I have the brain-cells left to write anything wittier. Azure are back baby! In case you’re unfamiliar, these guys are one of my favorite bands on the planet. No, I mean it; ever since we got to premiere the amazing Redtail in 2018, I’ve been at the edge of my seat for new music from these guys. I was happy when “Mistress“, a single, dropped a few months ago but I wanted more, more, more! Luckily enough, Azure is all about “more”, and they’ve recently announced a whole new album which I’ve already had the distinct pleasure of spinning oh, I don’t know, a few hundred times? Seriously, I’m obsessed with this release and a big part of it is because it showcases a darker, weirder side to Azure that I never knew was there. “Outrun God”, the sixth track on the album, is one of the weirder ones so I am beyond happy to premiere it here in full, alongside a kick-ass, full-band playthrough! Get to it below.
See what I mean about being darker? Don’t get me wrong, the track is still full of that prog rock meets metal vibes that make Azure so good. But that opening synth/guitar combo is decidedly sinister. And there’s an amen break in there? And weird, distorted vocals dueling the clean ones? The whole thing feels compact, direct where the band’s previous works have been expansive. There’s still that wanderlust tinged feeling there, mostly on the chorus, with its dreamy guitar parts, soaring vocals, and plentiful synths. But even those quickly collapse into a tapping section over rave-like electronics. And that outro guitar/synth riff! Yikes.
It’s a lot, is what I’m saying here and this album has a lot more than “just” this track. It’s a more layered, busy, and complex release from Azure, one that sees them dive into the bowels of what makes their sound work and dig into its guts, moving around the pieces and seeing what comes out. And what does come out is one of the more fascinating albums I’ve heard this year and yet another brilliant release from this underrated band.
Of Brine and Angel’s Beaks (yes, that’s the name of the album) drops on June 11th. You can pre-order it via the band’s Bandcamp, right here. And while you’re there, consider picking up some merch; it’s sick!