Track Premiere: Howling Sycamore, “Let Fall”

Davide Tiso is back: the talented guitarist and producer — best known for his work with Ephel Duath and Gospel of the Witches — returns with Howling Sycamore, a new project that both ventures into new territory and continues Tiso’s long-standing run of top-notch progressive metal.

First, the band. Tiso has surrounded himself with quite the cast of musicians this time around, with singer Jason McMaster (Watchtower, Dangerous Toys) and drummer Hannes Grossmann (Necrophagist, Obscura, Alkaloid) at the core. Saxophonist Bruce Lamont (Yakuza, Brain Tentacles) and guitarists Kevin Hufnagel (Dysrhythmia, Gorguts) and Fester (Burials, Humorous) all make guest appearance on Howling Sycamore’s debut record.

Now, the music. Tiso himself does a bang-up job explaining “Let Fall,” which we’re premiering here on MetalSucks today:

“Let Fall” is a song of opposites. While groovy melodies pull you up at first, the bleak, introspective lyrics come in to drag you down after. In the heart of the song, during a Tony Iommi-infused riff, the Sycamore tree is summoned with prayer-like singing, referencing it loud and clear as the guide-like entity that it is for the concept of the band itself. With Jason McMaster crying out my painful awareness of not really fitting in anywhere, it becomes, to me, one of the most intense and dramatic moments of the whole album. Then again the groovy melody comes in to lift your mood back up to where you started. I love this song.”

Howling Sycamore’s self-titled debut will come out on January 26th, 2018 via Prosthetic Records; pre-order here.