English prog experimentalists The Fierce & The Dead had been always very vocal about not wanting to repeat themselves, but when Wonderful, the first track of what become the News From The Invisible World album, was released last year longtime followers of the band had to wrap their heads around something very different indeed: bass player Kev Feazey singing. That was a first for the band, who never bothered with words, but let the music do the talking. O, and there was a bit saxophone and trumpet on it as well, courtesy of Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey / Spiritualized / Faust).
After the initial shock had subsided, people came to realize that adding vocals made perfect sense for a band that always looking for ways to extend their musical pallette, a sentiment that was enhanced by the second single Golden Thread, an adventurous song that boldly switches from metal to prog, surf and avant-garde, with dark and stark washes of guitar and synths riding on top of the groundswell of bass and drums. News From The Invisible World is a brave record, bringing their vulnerability that was always there into the spotlights. Guitarists Matt Stevens and Steve Cleaton have each other's back throughout it, deploying the art of weaving that makes a great band sound bigger than its component parts, especially during Non-Player that is as close as they ever got to write a power ballad.
The Fierce & The Dead are still the masters of being able to play loud and subdued within the space of a track (What A Time To Be Alive) and guitarist Matt Stevens plays a bunch of his signature licks during Shake The Jar. Ending with the slightly menacing, slow moving Nostalgia Now - note the monolithic approach of drummer Stuart Marshall - they manage to sound like Porcupine Tree with Peter Gabriel on vocals. At this stage of their career, they can do no wrong. Upward and onward.
The Fierce & The Dead:
Matt Stevens: guitars, synths
Steve Cleaton: guitars
Kev Feazey: bass, programming, synths, vocals
Stuart Marshall: drums, percussion
Guest musicians:
Terry Edwards; saxophone, trumpets
Matt Jones: piano, keys
Tom Hunt: backing vocals
Tia Bush: backing vocals
Lara Callaway: backing vocals
Heidi Henders: backing vocals
Lorraine Richardson: backing vocals
Natalia Stevenson: backing vocals
News From The Invisible World will be released via Spencer Park Music (vinyl, CD, digital). Buy it from their website. Release date: July 28.
Tracks:- The Start
- Shake The Jar
- Golden Thread
- Photogenic Love
- Wonderful
- Non-Player
- What A Time To Be Alive
- Nostalgia Now
They will play only one show this year, but it will be special one. On October 14 they will unleash the tracks from their new album at The Black Heart in London. And yes, it is already sold out.
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