Climb to the crag looking over a wasteland of past failures and the folly of the ignorant. A sky cloaked in smoke and storm allows rays of lemon yellow to spotlight what ruin is captured by your bloodshot and tear filled gaze. A wind, still acrid, fingers through your battle dirt coated hair. Rivers of fresh salt cleanse trembled cheeks in lines of woeful respite. Upon this hill of skull, you collapse in wince and exhaustion, only to find that you are not the only hope. Entwined in stem, deep in root, two flowers rise from an ash covered tuft of grass.
This is only the introduction. The first step to the rest of your Life.
Infinite Bliss’ new album, We Reach For Crowded Aboveness, is an affirmation of our collective dire straits but also the sonic comfort for it. Blistering textures of congealed blood mired guitars, with the power of a frenetic, daemon possessed, bone saw, raise that formless specter of dread into a palpable monster. In stark contrast, a clean, almost fragile whisper-esqe, melodic guitar responds to this onslaught with a defiant, unshrinking resistance. Vocals, bass and drums gather a woeful but, indomitable strength from this resolve and hold up their champion with persistence. This balance of dynamics is constant throughout the mix of all five missive tracks.
“Two Flowers/Skull Hill”, “Pagan Fears” and “A Grave I’ll Never Visit” moved my introspection with such passion that they felt like incarnated stories, commiserations from a fellow traveler on their path parallel to my own. “Close” and “Yr Glowing Light” were each oases on this journey. Even during a dark journey of psychic discovery and reprogramming, one does need rest and respite.
We Reach For Crowded Aboveness by Infinite Bliss is available on Bandcamp and benefits Grimalkin Records’ various efforts. Tape proceeds go to Grimalkin’s current fundraisers. 75% of digital proceeds on Bandcamp go to Infinite Bliss and the other 25% supports future releases. Pick up your copy today and reach for the zenith from your nadir.