Chicago’s Shrineburner have been around for a few years now, plying their trade on the live stage more than the studio since forming a few years ago. After honing their chops and releasing a trio of singles, Shrineburner have dialed things in for their debut album, Hymns of Despair, their first release with bassist CJ Johnson and drummer Edward Hamel.
Like new single “Bodies Dragged to Sunlight,” Hymns of Despair is musically very heavy but it doesn’t skew into the bleak territory many doom and sludge bands find themselves occupying. Instead, “Bodies Dragged Into Sunlight” is performed with gusto and melody. It makes for an interesting juxtaposition, especially with the violent music video that accompanies the new song.
“This track is brutal, raw and heavy as nails,” says frontman Peter Norman. “Leaving traditional song structure behind, the idea was a song that just kept getting heavier with each part that hits you like a ton of bricks.”
Regarding the video, he adds:
“We had a blast making this video. All DIY over the course of a day and a half and everyone did such an amazing job. Our friend Liam Jennings filmed it and wrote it with me. When I was thinking about who would play the lead, Clinton from mr.phylzzz and Gatta Morta was a no-brainer. The basic idea was a chilling narrative centered around his character with zero budget and limited time, and we’re extremely grateful to all of our friends for putting in work and giving awesome performances.”
Peep the video for yourself below. If you want more Shrineburner, you can grab Hymns of Despair on September 11 via the band.
