Written by Brandon George
Released January 15th, “Helm of Sorrow” is the companion EP to 2020’s Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou collaboration, “May Our Chambers Be Full.” The EP is another in record label Sacred Bones’ “Alliance” series of collaborative records.
This series pairs bands on the record label with other musicians to create unique and experimental iterations of the two artists’ sounds. The result isn’t just evocative music, but a testament to the power of collaborative songwriting.
These pieces in particular are helmed by Louisiana sludge metal giants Thou and Kentucky-based all-rounder Emma Ruth Rundle. Their signature styles combine to create a truly haunting experience.
“Orphan Limbs,” the opening track, clearly dictates the project’s dedication to the relationship between meditative and desolate. Much of the track is sparse, including faraway guitars made distant by reverb, and grieving cries from Thou clean vocalist Emily McWilliams.
Suddenly, 30 seconds of pounding toms and palm-muted guitars lead to one of the fastest and fiercest moments on the record. The guitars and drums breach through with thrashing unity.
The vocals, layered precariously atop one another, growl and croon with anguished cries of “Frenzy/Shrieks/Revel/Flesh.” This is perhaps the greatest signifier of the difference between the theses of “May Our Chambers Be Full” and “Helm of Sorrow.”
On the LP, Thou vocalist Bryan Funck’s screams are often textural. Here they are brought to the forefront, highlighting the heights of existential anguish behind their words.
Conversely, Emma Ruth Rundle’s warbling tones act as a focal point of the LP. On the EP, Rundle’s voice takes the role of a tertiary piece, outlining the melodies of the band.
“Crone Dance” and “Recurrence” continue this new theme of “Helm of Sorrow” with their own journeys of rage. The former is unconcerned with pretense, dragging the listener along with the furious momentum of the previous track.
This drive stops only for a brief respite wherein a lone guitar makes the angular, dissonant statement that will carry the track to its close. “Recurrence,” in defiance of that juxtaposition, waits only its beginning moments in meditation before spending the rest of its length in fury.
The two artists close the EP with a cover of The Cranberries’ 1996 hit, “Hollywood,” a decision that only serves to highlight the thesis of duality on this record. The song feels part and parcel of the marrow of this project.
It leaps between sparse guitar work and toms and the crashing sounds of the full band while Rundle and Funck’s voices duel beneath layers of distortion. The lyrics present a disenfranchisement with the narratives that systems of power weave, a sentiment that goes hand-in-hand with the recurring themes of existentialism, anarchism, and a general distaste for authority present throughout the project.
Collectively, this companion EP gives insight into the creative decisions that go into deciding what is included in a release to make sure it ends up a thematic whole. These songs, their anger far more explicit, would have felt out of place with the brooding ruminations of the full record; instead, they find their home with each other, creating an experience just as holistic as the LP they are attached to.
“Helm of Sorrow” is available wherever music is streaming and you can support the project and buy merch here as well as following the musicians at their respective Twitter pages, @EmmaRuthRundle and @eyehatethou. Let us know your thoughts on the record by tweeting us at @lgndsoftmrw!
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