Full of Hell and Nothing Join Forces for New LP, Drop “Spend The Grace” Video
What happens when you mash the grindcore sensibilities of Full of Hell with the shoegaze approach of Nothing? Well, it turns out you get the devastatingly heavy, almost black-metal-meets-grindy-death-metal sound that permeates throughout the entirety of their first collaborative single, “Spend The Grace.”
And while it’s frustrating for mopes in my line of work that have to try to describe music in a blog post, the melding of genres and even the complete avoidance of labels all together is actually the whole point of the bands’ collaborative LP, When No Birds Sang. Set for release on December 1 via Closed Casket Activities, Full of Hell vocalist Dylan Walker said both bands set out to create something that was hard to pin down while remaining true to both bands’ visions.
“We’re beyond limiting ourselves to a genre. There aren’t any rules, but there’s clearly an identity. No matter what Nothing does, I can tell it’s them. We’re meeting in the middle where it’s lush and beautiful, but also sad and ugly if you look closely at it. Out of mutual respect, we just decided to go for it.”
As their first single, “Spend The Grace” features a high concept music video directed by Mike Martinez and Tyler Way that juxtaposes the song’s slow, dark, almost glacially plodding sound with the doldrums of wage slavery in the U.S. — at least that’s what I got out of the video.
According to the band (or is it bands?), Full of Hell’s Walker, guitarist Spencer Hazard, drummer Dave Bland, and bassist Sam DiGristine were joined by Nothing’s vocalists and guitarists Domenic “Nicky” Palermo and Doyle Martin in the collaborative effort. Apparently the musicians strove to meet in person in Ocean City, Maryland to write and record in-person as much as possible.
Ultimately produced by Will Putney, Palermo said making the effort to be in the moment with one another during the creative process was important to the project.
“I was super happy to be in a room and not just throwing shit back and forth online. I have such a hard time when I’m not staring down the barrel of a gun. Being in a room with these guys brought everything into reality.”
As for the entire package they’re releasing when they drop When No Birds Sang, Walker suggested that everyone involved in its making want the listener to feel something as they listen.
“When you hear it, I hope you feel devastated emotionally. If we’re doing our job, it will freak you the f*ck out in the best way, because you’re staring at the precipice of oblivion with us.”
When No Birds Sang will drop on December 1 via Closed Casket Activities, but you can preorder your copy today.
When No Birds Sang, track listing:
- Rose Tinted World
- Like Stars in the Firmament
- Forever Well
- Wild Blue
- When No Birds Sang
- Spend The Grace
