Portals Into Futility Coming September 8th On CD/2xLP/Digital Via Relapse Records
Photo by Orion Landau
Portland doom quartet USNEA has announced the full details of their third full-length album, Portals Into Futility. Inspired by dystopian science-fiction and the painful intersection of today’s crushing reality, Portals Into Futility offers five songs and fifty-six minutes of expertly crafted and elegantly depressive doom/sludge. With an evolved sound of strength and dynamism, USNEA delve more into the worlds of dissonant death metal, varied vocal structures, and cinematic composition, all while maintaining the monumental heaviness, brutality, discord, anger, and mournful melodicism of their previous work. Across dark and brooding peaks and valleys, USNEA reminds us that no matter how many doors are opened to the human species, our self-aggrandizement and hubris all lead to futility.
Hear USNEA’s new song “Lathe In Heaven” via Soundcloud HERE or YouTube below:
Comments the band of the track, “‘Lathe Of Heaven’ was inspired by the eponymous book by Ursula K. Le Guin. It is a meditation on the blurred line between cognitive reality and delusion wherein the protagonist can change reality through dreaming. A well-intentioned psychologist attempts to corral that power but ends up creating more chaos and suffering. In the end, human arrogance and greed are shown to be the leading contributors to our own doom.”
Portals Into Futility is due out September 8th on CD, 2xLP, and digital formats via Relapse Records. Physical preorders and exclusive bundles are currently available via Relapse,com at THIS LOCATION and digital preorders are available via Bandcamp HERE.
Portals Into Futility Track Listing:
- Eidolons And The Increate
2. Lathe Of Heaven
3. Demon Haunted World
4. Pyrrhic Victory
5. A Crown Of Desolation
USNEA will tour throughout Europe dates this fall as direct support for Ufomammut. The tour commences on September 30th in Paris, France and concludes October 22nd in Munich, Germany. The tour includes appearances at multiple festivals including Up In Smoke, Soulcrusher Festival, and Keep It Doom. The band will also perform an exclusive US set at Psycho Las Vegas on August 18th. A complete listing of dates is available below.
USNEA:
8/18/2017 Hard Rock Hotel @ Psycho Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV
w/ Ufomammut:
9/30/2017 La Boule Noire – Paris, FR
10/01/2017 Le Ferrailleur – Nantes, FR
10/03/2017 Borderline – London, UK
10/04/2017 Magasin 4 – Brussels, BE
10/05/2017 Schlachthof – Wiesbaden, DE
10/06/2017 Up In Smoke Festival – Pratteln, CH
10/07/2017 Doornroosje @ Soulcrusher Festival – Nijmegen, NL
10/08/2017 Forum – Bielefeld, DE
10/10/2017 Blitz – Oslo, NO
10/11/2017 Klub Undergangen – Stockholm, SE
10/13/2017 Korjaamo @ Blowup Vol. 3 Festival – Helsinki, FI
10/14/2017 Olympia-Kortelli – Tampere, FI
10/16/2017 KB 18 – Copenhagen, DK
10/17/2017 Lido – Berlin, DE
10/18/2017 Markthalle – Hamburg, DE
10/19/2017 Werk 2 – Leipzig, DE
10/20/2017 Firley – Wroclaw, PL
10/21/2017 007 – Prague, CZ
10/22/2017 Keep It Doom Festival – Munich, DE
USNEA spawned in late 2011 from the cerebral minds of guitarist/vocalist Justin Cory, guitarist Johnny Lovingood, drummer Zeke Rogers, and bassist/vocalist Joel Williams. The quartet has proven to be a seismic level force of destructive creativity with a massive yet meditative sound, masterfully crafted songwriting, and a clear yet non-derivative influence from doom legends such as Disembowelment, My Dying Bride, Neurosis, and YOB.
USNEA released their self-titled debut album in February 2013 on Rogers’ own label Orca Wolf Records. Following a 7″ EP split with Ruins, USNEA signed to Relapse Records and released Random Cosmic Violence in November 2014. Random Cosmic Violence‘s immense presence instantly elevated USNEA to the forefront of the blossoming American doom scene. Stereogum referred to Random Cosmic Violence as having a “Floydian vastness that both balances and amplifies the overwhelming, crushing heaviness. Like the night sky itself, it’s full of terror and awe and ice and fire. It is a massive, monumental thing.” USNEA spent the next couple years touring in support of the record alongside veteran acts such as Ufomammut and Inverloch plus appearances at notable festivals including Maryland Deathfest, Roadburn Festival, and Modified Ghost Festival. Now in 2017, USNEA returns with their third full-length album, Portals Into Futility. An array of sci-fi novels that are becoming more and more of a reality in these volatile times informed the band’s writing throughout the album, including Shadow Of The Torturer by Gene Wolfe, Lathe Of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin, Valis by Philip K. Dick, Valis by Philip K Dick, Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan, and Dune by Frank Herbert. Portals Into Futility was recorded with Fester and assistant Andrew Grosse at Caravan Recordings and Haywire Studios in Portland, Oregon and mastered by Adam Gonsalvez at Telegraph Audio.
USNEA:
Justin Cory – guitar, vocals
Johnny Lovingood – guitar
Joel Williams – bass, vocals
Zeke Rogers – drums
http://www.facebook.com/usneadoom
http://www.relapse.com
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