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The most extraordinary of art isn't created without its fair share of trials, of which Sprain faced numerous during the recording process of The Lamb As Effigy or Three Hundred And Fifty XOXOXOS For A Spark Union With My Darling Divine, with the sum and circumstances of them nearly sealing the album’s fate in limbo. With obstacles including session reschedulings as a result of a line-up change and a major studio electrical failure at the last possible moment, a mixing process that demanded the organization of several years of material across four separate studios, and the recording of the actual songs pushing the members of Sprain to their own physical limits, there were several times where the band considered scrapping the whole thing altogether. But Sprain persevered, applying the knowledge and willpower derived from those struggles to get the forthcoming The Lamb As Effigy, out this September from The Flenser.
Clocking in at nearly two hours, The Lamb As Effigy resembles an aural parallel to the human experience itself, with all the glorious beauty, crushing brutality, and unexplainable chaos that comes with it intact. Explosions of earth-sundering guitars, angelic keys, swirling strings, and bursts of improvised electronic noise coalesce to weave a visceral yet unique sonic tapestry bearing hints of no-wave, sound collage, 20th-century avant-garde, and free jazz. Tying everything together is an evocative approach to lyricism that, while rooted in the boundaries of the lived experiences of Sprain’s members, deconstructs these concepts through poignant absurdity.
Their latest single, "Privilege of Being," arrives today with a cinematic music video written and directed by Sprain's own Alex Kent.
Since their formation in 2018 by like-minded Calarts students Alex Kent (guitar, vocals), April Gerloff (bass), and Sylvie Simmons (guitar)— plus the recent addition of Clint Dodson (percussionist)— Los Angeles quartet Sprain has honed its signature flavor of experimentalism to a razor-fine point. Gradually moving from twisting conventions in its early works of minimalist slowcore to transcending the confines of genre altogether, Sprain’s evolution over the past several years has encouraged the band to embrace a sound true to its muse. With their latest record, Sprain have translated this intent into an ambitious work that pairs its resplendent scale with uncompromising honesty towards the band’s artistic and conceptual essences.
The Lamb As Effigy will be available September 1st from The Flenser and is available for pre-order here.
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