The best clue in deducing what a band sounds like before you actually hear them is to check out what shirts they decided to pick off the pile on promo picture day. One of the next best ways of prejudging a band is to take a look at who they’ve shared the stage with. In the case of San Francisco’s Deliria, they’ve secured past opening slots for Tyr, The Zenith Passage and Ulcerate. In a more direct way, they’ve also shared the stage — as well as the rehearsal room and the studio — with Rivers of Nihil and Fallujah, given that drummers Jared Klein and Andrew Baird, respectively, are both former members.
Looking at this list of suspects and priors, there is no clearcut answer to what Deliria might sound like to presumptive ears. The description being kicked around following their 2017 debut, Nausea, is “atmospheric/post-black metal.” With a second album entitled Phantasm on the horizon and two songs nabbed from it for an EP called Spellcraft that was released last week, the jury is still out. Why don’t you play the role of juror? Both tracks from Spellcraft (the title track and “Gemini”) are streaming below, waiting for your verdict. Check it out; it might be the only form of jury duty any of you actually look forward to and try not to weasel out of.
Says the band about their latest works: “‘Spellcraft’ marks the first time Deliria will be heard on vinyl. We are excited to offer this as a sample of what’s to come on the new full-length album, Phantasm. Thematically, ‘Spellcraft’ transforms you into a creature by a witch in the woods, while the second side, ‘Gemini,’ portrays the grim reality of darkness and duplicity. [Bassist] Jade [Ordonez] crafted the cover art painting herself and we are thrilled to release new long sleeves with the design as well. Spellcraft crushes you with haunting melodies and dark atmospheres, where beauty and darkness create a tapestry of everyday misery. With every morbid riff and each introspective lyric, this release defines our spectral sound.”
Join ’em, along with Phantom Witch, Xoth and Atrae Bilis at their album release party next month.
