About

 

Elias Black

Post-punk artist Elias Black has elegantly captured the bubbling rage roiling beneath seas of sadness on his latest EP, Way Down. This suite of six moody songs evokes the emotional hangover after tidal waves of pain, heartbreak, and frustration.

In contrast to his previous album, Reclamation, the songs on Way Down are crafted more deliberately. They are thoroughly composed and feature dynamics that have been carefully thought out in almost a gothic theatrical way. The anger is articulated through sinister singing verses screaming, and the songs unfold into a dramatic presentation that is at times chilling.

 The EP opens with charred black melancholy of “Way Down,” a track that could be considered an anthemic dirge. “Rust” has a wiry Fugazi-like sense of pent-up aggression with its ominous bass line, seething vocals, and jostling loud/soft dynamics. “That song is about how vicious people can get in the throes of interpersonal battles.” Elias says. The creepy “Flickered Out” teems with dreary ambience and poetically gloomy lyrics such as:Little sister - can you tell me?/‘Bout the souls of those in doubt/As all the answers/...they drift by me/...and the lights flicker out.“Acid Tongue” boasts a riff-rock swagger and a bitingly political lyrical agenda. 

 The EP winds down with “Leave It Alone” and “Endings,” concluding with somber sentimentality. “Leave It Alone” features scrubbed-raw vocals, almost as if they’re hoarse from yelling, and punk-informed angular aggression. Fittingly, the EP’s final track is the acoustic “Endings.” It features delicate and well-placed touches like darkly emotive slide guitars and a theatrical arrangement that stretches to almost Pink Floyd-like proportions. “It’s the epitaph of a challenging time,” Elias shares. 

 Elias produced the EP mainly in his garage, but this is far from garage rock. It’s darkly polished and deeply dimensional. Elias and trusted collaborator Ryan Chamberlain (Arrowounds, Lions Of Tsavo) wrote, produced, performed, and recorded all instrumentation on Way Down. Previously, Elias issued two full-lengths and one EP.

Contact

  • For all booking inquiries, please contact: eliasblackmusic[at]gmail.com
  • For all other inquiries, please contact: eliasblackmusic[at]gmail.com

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