Doomed & Stoned — They Grieve Unearth Frosty Post-Metal Hymn, “Wither”

They Grieve Unearth Frosty Post-Metal Hymn, “Wither”

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

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All that is gold does not glitter,
not all those who wander are lost;
the old that is strong does not wither,
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

                                        –J.R.R. Tolkien


THEY GRIEVE is a two-piece post-metal act hailing from Ottawa. Grim and dire, but with a bright misty atmosphere that hints of hopefulness, the band’s latest offering is titled, ‘To Which I Bore Witness’ (2022). It’s their first full-length following a 2016 EP debut, six tracks in all. We’re about to hear the album’s opening number, “Whither.”

The song opens with simple mystical statements on the synth. Other instruments are added to effect layers of feeling, meaning, and intensity. Guitar chords crackle and swell, enveloping us in ionizing radiation. Vocals are gruff and raspy; you have a feeling they’ve been through a lot, seen too much. As we inch closer to minute five, drums bounce jubilantly and a torrent of scratchy riffage erupts like the blinding winter wind. Gradually, the swell is calmed and we return to the strange solitary cries of the keyboard.

Failure knows no bounds and
makes its home here within me
Endless is the night of its becoming
Nothing returns
Cower, collapse, whither

They Grieve’s To Which I Bore Witness bubbles to life on February 24th c/o Silent Pendulum Records (pre-order vinyl here and digital here; pre-save the single here). Pair it on a playlist with Thou, Bell Witch, and Cult of Luna.

Give ear…


LISTEN: They Grieve - “Whither”


SOME BUZZ



'To Which I Bore Witness’ (2023) is the second release from Canada’s post-metal duo They Grieve. Intended to be an introspective journey, it is meant to be depressing. The listener will be confronted with sad, loud music that’s not meant to cross into anger. The latest single is “Wither,” the album opener, which happened to be written twice. The band explains in detail:

“The decision to scrap the original version in its entirety was anxiety-inducing at first, but clearly feels like the right decision now that everything is said and done. We spent a lot of time fine-tuning the last half of the song, and the ending was one of our favourite parts to write – in fact, it is still one of our favourite parts to play live. Writing this song really forced us to get more comfortable with not only using samples in a live context, but also with blending and balancing tones and dynamics at the same time to ensure everything hits in the right place. Without our electronics, we would need 5 or 6 guitarists to pull this off on stage.”

The band’s first EP was written quickly out of excitement for their new project. At first, they didn’t quite know what the band would end up being. Since then they have honed their sound and that is reflected in this new offering, which listeners will find more refined and nuanced.They slowed down, got heavier, leaned more into their drone, minimalist, and doom influences, and steered away from the colder, noisier moments on the first EP.

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They also note that the production level is much better thanks to Topon Das (F*ck The Facts) at Apartment Two Studio along with mastering done by Dave Williams at Eight Floors Above and additional tracks recorded by Alex Jakimczuk at Uppercut Studios. The album artwork was done by Pascale Arpin.

They Grieve took a long time to fine-tune these songs. Several of them were completely finished and even performed live before they eventually re-wrote them from the ground up. They actively collaborate on each song leaning into their individual strengths.

Self-described as tense atmospheres and sad riffs, “To Which I Bore Witness” and the single “Wither” is recommended for fans of Bell Witch, Thou, and Year of No Light. The album is being released on February 24, 2023, via Silent Pendulum Records.



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