There’s a particular kind of anger that doesn’t arrive all at once. It lingers, gets passed down and lives in the things nobody talks about until, eventually, there’s nowhere left for it to go.
That’s the territory Israeli progressive metal/ethno-rock outfit Submasq explore on “Anger,” the latest track from their forthcoming Spirit Animal, which Decibel is proud to premiere.
Formerly known as Subterranean Masquerade, the band will make its Willowtip Records debut with the album on September 18. Judging by “Anger,” they’re not exactly entering this new chapter quietly.
“‘Anger’ is about trauma — being haunted by the silence of your family, inheriting unspoken sadness, and watching it slowly turn into rage,” the band says. “It’s about the things that are never said, the feelings that have nowhere to go, and how they are eventually forced out.”
For the video, Submasq went underground, filming in the ancient Templar and Crusader halls of Acre, using the centuries-old stone architecture as a suitably haunted backdrop for a song about inherited trauma and things buried beneath the surface.
“We spent a night underground, deeper than the grave, and this is the outcome.”
“Anger” appears as track five on Spirit Animal, a nine-song record that finds Submasq turning inward. The album is an autobiographical journey through trauma, addiction, bipolar disorder, collective memory, identity, and belonging, all filtered through the band’s particular blend of progressive rock, metal, and ethnic instrumentation.
The record was recorded across several studios, including Sweden’s Fascination Street Studios, and mixed by Adam Noble, whose credits include Paul McCartney, Biffy Clyro, and Nothing But Thieves. Grammy-nominated engineer Robin Schmidt handled mastering. The album also features a guest guitar solo from Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal on “Cardamom.”
At the center of it all is Submasq’s knack for making a lot of seemingly disparate pieces work together: heavy guitars, progressive arrangements, handpan, oud, bouzouki, strings, percussion, and big melodic hooks. Spirit Animal pushes that approach further while retaining the adventurous spirit that has carried the band through six previous full-lengths.
The lineup features vocalist Davidavi “Vidi” Dolev, bassist Golan Farhi, guitarists Tomer Pink and Or Shalev, drummer Yalon Schori, keyboardist/electronics player Shai Yallin, and live guitarist Dima Kogan.
Spirit Animal arrives September 18 through Willowtip Records. Pre-order it here or here.
The post Video Premiere: Submasq – “Anger” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.