Premiere: Lathe ‘Journey To The East’ – Taken From New Album ‘Tongue Of Silver’, Releases 29th July
Americana drone and doom is the order of the day. Think of an amalgamation of both early and latter-day Earth, with an extra helping of pedal steel and a spaghetti western vibe that’s more Clint Eastwood than John Wayne, you’re somewhere close to dusty mesa landscape the Baltimore, Maryland-based instrumental trio that is Lathe create.
As the release of their debut long-player, Tongue Of Silver, creeps upon us through Grimoire Records and Apt 66 at the end of the month, we at The Shaman are cocked and loaded to bring you the next cut from this prodigious album with the six and a half minute Journey To The East.
About the track, the band says, ‘Journey To The East is our most ambitious song to date and is quite literal in its title – sprawling guitar notes are eventually picked up by a galloping rhythm section, which then crashes into the loudest segment on Tongue Of Silver. The track’s convergence of tremolo-picked riffs and pedal steel presents an expanded version of ‘country black metal’ that was briefly introduced on APT 66 Split.’
They continue, ‘Journey To The East was originally written in 2018 for that 7” split with George Cessna, but the song felt incomplete at the time and was shelved for a later release. With the assistance of new band members, the track was revisited in 2020 and developed into its final form. Although it is one of our oldest songs, it also presents the future of the project – the next LP is modeled on its aesthetic.’
It’s now time to don your Stetson, put on your cowboy boots, and click play below as Lathe take you on a Journey To The East…
More On Lathe & ‘Tongue Of Silver’
Lathe, the Baltimore, Maryland-based instrumental Americana drone/doom outfit’s sound can be found somewhere between sand and rust, where sparkling leads and pedal steel are met with blistering riffs and a pummeling rhythm section.
Tongue Of Silver is a collection of songs that began as a studio project in 2018. After countless revisions and setbacks, a pile of demos were brought to producer and Grimoire Records owner Noel Mueller for a proper studio assessment throughout 2021. Now, nearly four years since most of these songs were initially composed, they are finally completed and pressed to vinyl!
Across its eight engrossing tracks, Tongue Of Silver seamlessly blends elements of doom, country, punk, swing, and black metal into heavy wall-of-sound. A hearty array of instruments familiar to the spaghetti western landscape – organ, tambourine, and pedal steel to name a few – significantly alter the common tropes of stoner music.
While each song has an independent story to tell, they are unified as a whole through driving bass lines and persistent percussion. This aesthetic comes to total fruition on Rodeo Fumes, as the d-beat track featuring field recordings of a monster truck rally climaxes into a full-on wave of distortion that drones into the dark oblivion of 351W.
Tongue Of Silver was recorded and mixed by Noel Mueller at Tiny Castle with additional engineering by the band’s own Tyler Davis and mastered by Dan Coutant at Sunroom Audio. The record’s cover photo was taken by Noah Scialom with artwork and additional layout by Andrew Haas.Tongue Of Silver is the third vinyl release for Lathe.
Their first, a 7” titled APT66 Split, was a distant collaboration with George Cessna after he moved away from Baltimore. Lathe’s second 7”, Cavalier, presented the band for the first time as a trio and was mixed by Matt Williams of Hell and Sub Odin Studios. As with those prior releases, Tongue Of Silver combines pieces of classic country twang with a roaring wall of amps; a fitting soundtrack to a demolition derby.
Tongue Of Silver Tracklist:
01. Vinegar
02. Drain
03. Heat Wave
04. Rodeo Fumes
05. 351W
06. Cauliflower
07. Journey to the East
08. Morris
Lathe is:
Tyler Davis – Guitars, Bass, Organ
Eric Paltell – Pedal Steel, Guitars
Flynn Diguardia – Drums
Tongue Of Silver, the debut album from Lathe, is set to be released on the 29th July through Grimoire Records and Apt 66, pre-orders are available now over on Bandcamp.
Label: Grimoire Records | Apt 66
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp
