Blackwater Holylight have announced the release of their sophomore LP Veils of Winter via RidingEasy Records on October 11th. The upcoming long-player follows up on the Portland, OR quintet’s self-titled 2018 debut, which also appeared on RidingEasy. The group includes bassist/vocalist Allison (Sunny) Faris, guitarist/vocalist Laura Hopkins, synth-player Sarah McKenna, as well as new guitarist Mikayla Mayhew and drummer Eliese Dorsay.
The album’s lead track, “Motorcycle” is now available for streaming. The cut finds the band exploring an amalgam of styles to create a thrilling ride that seems to surprise at every turn. When discussing Veil of Winter, Allison Faris stresses the collaborative effect the recording process had on creating the kind of organic but diversely evolving sound that can be heard on “Motorcycle.” She explains:
“One of our favorite things about this album is that because it was so collaborative, we didn’t compartmentalize ourselves into one vibe. It’s heavy, psychedelic, pop, shoegaze, doom, grunge, melodic and more. The whole process was extremely organic and natural for us, we were just being ourselves.”
That multi-faceted vibe can be heard on “Motorcycle” as it twists and turns up a mountainous road. Gnarly bass drone opens the cut before the full band drops in on this heavy track. The amazing thing, though, is that somehow the Blackwater aspect of their sound, heavy as it is, seems to eventually float in the band’s Holylight duality. Varied guitar and bass hooks switch between heavy styles with aplomb, lending the track a dark vibe, just as synthesizer and harmony driven lyrics bring a lighter feel.
You can stream “Motorcycle” below, and after the YouTube embed don’t miss a list of Blackwater Holylight’s upcoming tour dates.
BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT LIVE 2019:
08/09 Portland, OR @ Tonic Lounge – Planned Parenthood benefit
08/24 Portland, OR @ Star Theater w/ Kadavar, Danava
09/23 Tallahassee, FL @ The Bark # 09/24 Tampa, FL @ The Blue Note #
09/26 Miami, FL @ Las Rosa’s #
09/27 Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub #
09/28 Gainesville, FL @ The Atlantic #
09/29 Pensacola, FL @ Chizuco #
10/24 Portland, OR @ Star Theater – Album release show
11/05 San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick *
11/06 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress *
11/07 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister *
11/09 Austin, TX @ Barracuda - Levitation Fest – RidingEasy Stage
11/10 Lafayette, LA @ Freetown Boom Boom Room *
11/11 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks *
11/12 Atlanta, GA @ 529 *
11/13 Asheville, NC @ Mothlight *
11/14 Richmond, VA @ Camel *
11/15 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery *
11/16 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church *
11/17 New York, NY @ Saint Vitus *
11/20 Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s *
11/21 Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle Brewing *
11/22 St. Louis, MO @ Fubar *
11/23 Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck *
11/25 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater *
11/27 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom *
# w/ Thou* w/ Monolord
