I'm excited to announce the release of an epic album which I've been working on with Maxwell from Everson Poe - "The Body Is Not Sacred"
It's a metal album, which most closely fits in the crust/doom genre, but also has elements of progressive, death, and avant guarde metal mixed in. As per most of Everson Poe's releases, it's hard to squeeze into one genre.
It's a three disc release, which includes the main mixes on Disc 1, different instrumental songs on Disc 2, and "polite" versions of the main mixes for those of you who aren't into screaming on Disc 3.
You can listen to everything on Bandcamp, Spotify, or anywhere that music streams!
Release Details
For the last decade, Maxwell Shults has recorded a dynamic body of work under the name Everson Poe, exploring everything from doom metal to new wave and even the occasional '50s slow-dance song. No matter the genre, their music has always been characterized by heaviness—not just in sound (although they certainly embody that, too), but in emotion as well. And their latest project, The Body Is Not Sacred is, without question, their most emotionally heavy work to date.
Exploring Maxwell's gender identity and struggle with gender dysphoria, the music embraces duality to convey two distinct halves living in the same being. Maxwell's visceral howl—a sound that many would characterize as being typically "masculine"—contrasts with the softer, ethereal vocals of longtime collaborator DEROSNEC. Both of their faces grace the album cover, embracing gender fluidity and making it hard to tell where one person ends and the other begins.
The duality extends to the arrangements and lyrics as well. On opener "We All Become Our Sins," a crackling spoken-word intro and ghostly wail from DEROSNEC quickly give way to Maxwell's jackhammer drums, guitar, and voice. Likewise, on lead single "No Comfort In The Void," Maxwell screams the phrase "I strive to reject the masculine in all its forms," subverting what listeners and critics have come to expect from even the most emotionally in-tune metal music.
The Body Is Not Sacred has no shortage of ambition. As Everson Poe's first triptych, the self-titled first section contains the four songs that serve as the album's foundation. Part two, The Body Is A Prison, raises the emotional stakes with four hard-hitting instrumentals, and the third and final part, The Body Is An Illusion, consists of "polite" versions of the songs from part one. Softer and more reliant on acoustics, the compositions are what one might call "feminine."
But as The Body Is Not Sacred proves, these kinds of labels mean nothing in the world of Everson Poe. Through their latest and greatest three-part epic, they present a journey where gender is first a puzzle, then a cage, and, finally, nonexistent.
Tracklisting
Disc 1 - The Body is Not Sacred
- We All Become Our Sins
- No Comfort In The Void
- Prying Open The Fold
- With Obsidian Knives
Disc 2 - The Body Is A Prison
- In Faith You'll Find Your End
- In The Wake Of Indecision
- The Blood Of The Covenant...
- ...Is Thicker Than The Water Of The Womb
Disc 3 - The Body Is An Illusion
- We All Become Our Sins (Polite)
- No Comfort In The Void (Polite)
- Prying Open The Fold (Polite)
- With Obsidian Knives (Polite)
Album Notes
the full triptych cycle: four songs dealing with themes of gender & depression as the main album "the body is not sacred", four instrumental pieces as the companion album "the body is a prison", and "polite" versions of the four main album tracks (devoid of screaming for those who dislike it) as the companion album "the body is an illusion"
all proceeds go to the Trevor Project, an American non-profit organization founded in 1998 focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.
everson poe - guitar, baritone guitar, bass, drums, keys, piano, words, vocals, photography
derosnec - vocals, effects, photography, design
written, performed, recorded, & mixed at hell's half acre studio
april 2017 to april 2018
additional recording & mixing by derosnec in los angeles
produced by everson poe & derosnec
thank you - sarah, alex & tiff, nina & terrance, justine, annelise, dan, mom & dad
words of wisdom by genesis breyer p-orridge
Thank you!
As usual, thanks so much for listening and I genuinely hope you enjoy the fruits of our hard work!
