“First Light Of The Last Dawn”, the new EP from Los Angeles-based atmospheric doomsayers Qaalm, is out today on Hypaethral Records.
The follow-up to the band’s critically lauded “Resilience & Despair” debut, “First Light Of The Last Dawn” ushers in a new era of Qaalm, introducing influence from black metal and progressive rock and ultimately pushing their new material beyond the boundaries set by their earlier work. Even the production, graced by the skillful engineering of Paul Fig and expert mixing and mastering of Zeuss, two powerhouses who have collectively worked with the likes of Slipknot, Hatebreed, and Municipal Waste, displays evolution, elevation, and growth.
Comparisons to the likes of Agalloch and the “Peaceville Three” only scratch the surface of Qaalm‘s sonic tapestry. As bands like Paradise Lost, Neurosis, and Mastodon have continued to reinvent themselves between albums, so too has Qaalm, maintaining the spirit of their earlier work while composing new material that is even more dynamic and engaging.
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1. First Light Of The Last Dawn 2. Ward 81 3. Heaven And Hell (Black Sabbath cover – physical releases only) |
Qaalm:
Henry Derek Elis – vocals, lead/rhythm guitars
Minsu Dylan Kim – lead/rhythm guitars
Dave Ferrara – drums
Photo by Samantha Wallschlaeger
