San Juan’s MOTHS have been refining their sound for a while now. Their last album, Space Force, was leaps and bounds ahead of their self-titled debut, trading a strong-but-standard take on progressive-tinged doom for something a little weirder. Space Force is a lot more psychedelic, a lot heavier and a lot weirder than its predecessor and MOTHS have only further harnessed that sound on their third album, Septem.
According to the Catholic Church, there are seven deadly sins and therefore Septem has seven tracks. Each is named after a sin and, according to the band, the music reflects it. MOTHS brought stronger influences from death and black metal into the songwriting process this time around, adding an extra layer of heaviness against the bright guitar melodies and soaring vocals of new addition Mariel Viruet.
Though the songs have clear differences,—”Envy” is much heavier than spaced-out tunes like “Pride,” for example—there’s a distinct feeling that they could only be played by MOTHS. The way guitarists Jonathan Miranda and Omar González interact with the band’s very heavy rhythm section creates songs that feel fleshed-out and vivid.
“We’re beyond excited to finally unveil Septem to the world!” Moths tell Decibel. “This album has been in the works for almost four years, and now we get to share it with everyone. The response to the singles has been amazing—it’s been fascinating to see the different interpretations and perspectives people bring to our music.
“Septem is our most ambitious effort to date. From traveling to another country to record it, to the addition of a new vocalist, and creating it all amidst a world in turmoil—it’s incredibly rewarding to finally see it out there. It’s an intriguing, unpredictable, and unconventional album, one that I’m sure will feel like a fresh sound to everyone who hears it.
“We can’t wait for you to hear the full record in context. If you’re on the East Coast of the U.S., come catch us live!”
Septem is available to stream below via Decibel and can be purchased via Bandcamp.
US Tour Dates:
7/31 – Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub
8/1 – St. Augustine, FL @ Shanghai Nobbys
8/2 – Atlanta, GA @ Boggs Social Supply
8/3 – Asheville, NC @ Fleetwood’s – Tickets: Door
8/6 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA
8/7 – Baltimore, MD @ The Depot
8/8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Lucky 13 Saloon
8/9 – Somerville, MA @ Somergloom Festival – Crystal Ballroom
The post Full Album Stream: MOTHS – “Septem” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.