TOWN OF LAKE - "The Valley"

TOWN OF LAKE: Mike Hranica (The Devil Wears Prada) reveals experimental project's new single "The Valley"

"The Valley,” the new single by Town of Lake, is streaming now.

Stream the track and read a new interview with Town of Lake mastermind Mike Hranica, here: https://newnoisemagazine.com/premieres/track-premiere-town-of-lake-the-valley/

Pre-order Town of Lake's debut LP, Lilac, here: https://mikehranica.com/

Known to many as the frontman of The Devil Wears Prada, Hranica explores radical new artistic terrain with Town of Lake. Created in collaboration with Andy Nelson at Bricktop Recording (200 Stab Wounds, Pain of Truth), the project melds ominous instrumentation and Hranica’s spoken word baritone in songs that bear traces of Nick Cave, Swans, William S. Burroughs, and more. Debut album Lilac drops October 4th via Hranica’s own Peach Bandana Records.

Discussing the new single with New Noise Magazine, Hranica states, "The valley seems to be some sort of imaginative hellscape... Something like a laboratory examination from a time long ago."

Regarding the decision to embark on the Town of Lake project, while still actively touring and recording with The Devil Wears Prada, Hranica says, "If it was a decision, it had to be one of the easiest I’ve ever made! The Devil Wears Prada veers from abstraction; however, as an art I find that entire world (or perhaps lack of a world?) deeply attractive and interesting... As someone that likes to always have the wheels spinning, working on or creating any number of things, Town of Lake is where I landed when another band I had started became inactive. This was the spigot to open."

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/08/town-of-lake-lilac.html

Photo by Ariel Kassulke

Out today: SCRUNCHIES - Colossal

Colossal, the new album by Minneapolis post riot-grrrl squad Scrunchies, is out today on Learning Curve Records. 

One of the final albums to be recorded and mixed by the great Steve Albini, Colossal is a rockin' slab of punk songcraft that lands in the same garage as Mannequin Pussy, Screaming Females, and Sleater-Kinney. A US tour begins August 31st.

Aug 24 - St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club

Aug 31 - Chicago, IL @ Liar's Club 

Sep 1 - Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR Pub 

Sep 2 - Dayton, OH @ Blind Rage Records 

Sep 3 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Roboto Project 

Sep 4 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right 

Sep 5 - Washington, DC @ Slash Run 

Sep 6 - Philadelphia, PA @ God's Auto Body 

Sep 7 - Richmond, VA @ Garden Grove 

Sep 8 - Asheville, NC @ 27 Club 

Sep 9 - Louisville, KY @ Portal 

Sep 10 - Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone 

Sep 11 - St Louis, MO @ Sink Hole 

Sep 12 - Kansas City, MO @ Howdy 

Sep 20 - Madison, WI @ Gamma Ray

Stream the album, here: https://scrunchies.bandcamp.com/album/colossal

Buy the album, here: https://lcrdistro.com/products/scrunchies-colossal-copy

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/06/scrunchies-colossal.html

"Songs that channel grunge, art rock, and post-punk... Raw rock ‘n’ roll with a distinct pop influence."
–Bandcamp Daily

"Recorded and mixed by the legendary Steve Albini at Electrical Audio, the album promises to deliver the same post-riot grrrl punch that has put Scrunchies in the same breath as bands like Mannequin Pussy, Screaming Females, and Sleater-Kinney... Scrunchies are here to remind us why punk is as relevant as ever."
–Idioteq

"Post-punk noise rock from Scrunchies. The third album titled 'Colossal' will be here in the latter half of August on Learning Curve Records."
–Louder Than War

"One of the Twin Cities’ best noise-making, throat-shredding rock acts of the past few years."
–Minnesota Star Tribune

"Loud, raw, and succinct... Sometimes noisy and sometimes punky rock. 'Colossal' was recorded by the late Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago."
–Scene Point Blank

"The band’s unique fusion of grunge and alternative influences with the raw energy of indie punk and punk rock creates a sound that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly original."
–Thoughts Words Action

"In short, the album is amazing. Full of lush textures and dynamics, in some part, due to Steve Albini’s sonic treatment... Some part, Laura and the band grabbing hold and claiming stake of themselves as seasoned artists fully in control of their powers as they rolled into their third full-length record."
–Vinyl & Vision

Out today: MISSOURI EXECUTIVE ORDER 44 - Salt Sermon

Salt Sermon, the new album by Missouri Executive Order 44, is out today on Learning Curve Records and The Ghost Is Clear Records.

Recorded and mixed by Matt Perrin (ex-Bummer) and mastered by Will Killingsworth (Orchid, The Body), Salt Sermon is a 15-minute storm of Great Plains Hardcore, highly recommended for fans of Coalesce, Cursed, and The Locust. 

Based in Kansas City, the band takes its name from a dark chapter of its state's history: an 1838 order from the state's governor, encouraging the banishment or extermination of all Mormons. Clad in the bike helmets and white shirts that commonly signify LDS evangelists, the four aliased members of MEO44 use the historical persecution of the Mormons as a central symbol as they rail against all forms of tyranny.

Upcoming shows: 

Aug 16 - Kansas City, MO @ Howdy 

Aug 23 - Colorado Springs, CO @ What’s Left Records 

Aug 24-25 - Denver, CO @ Ghost Canyon Fest 

"Missouri Executive Order 44 is a righteous band with a unique mission... The world's first Mormon-powered blackened sasscore band."

–Getting It Out

"Missouri Executive Order 44 offer up quite the mathcore smorgasbord on 'Salt Sermon'... Nods to the grindier side of early Converge and a smattering of Every Time I Die-style Southern swagger and lyrical delivery in play as well, not to mention touches of fellow statesmen Coalesce's more chaotic approach as well."

–Heavy Blog Is Heavy

"Coining their name after the 1838 Missouri law of the same name that stated Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state, the Kansas City hardcore band Missouri Executive Order 44 use that historical moment to amplify a larger point on their second album Salt Sermon. Clocking in with a short run-time of fifteen minutes, Salt Sermon does not waste time and delivers their message of opposition to persecution loudly and clearly."
–Heavy Music HQ

"Missouri Executive Order 44 are a grindy hardcore band that serves as a reminder of a bigoted history in the Show Me State."
–Invisible Oranges

"A blistering onslaught that, over the course of less than twenty minutes, packs more punch than some bands' entire discographies... The love child of Chat Pile and Dillinger Escape Plan."

–Metal Epidemic

"The band dress up in bike helmets and white shirts that signify LDS evangelists... While this might seem like a big set-up, the band are earnest in their exploration of serious themes of anti-fascism and anti-colonialism. The delivery system is blistering, chaotic, hardcore punk."

–New Noise

"Insane noisepowerviolencescreamo type stuff."
–Nine Circles

"FFO: The Locust, Daughters, Coalesce."
–No Echo

"Missouri Executive Order 44 bring in memories of the early days of screamo. Their debut record, Salt Sermon, is a rampage packed in 15 minutes, aiming for the same direct payoff that 'Chaos Is Me' and 'This Is Medicine' delivered a quarter century ago."
–PopMatters

"A heavy take on noise-rock, summarized as Great Plains hardcore."
–Scene Point Blank

"Poisonous grindcore-meets-noise... Let me tell you, this band is one of the most exciting things to come out of the Midwest since Chat Pile."
–Veil of Sound

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/06/missouri-executive-order-44-salt-sermon.html 

Photo by Raney Yelenich

FÓRN - Repercussions of the Self

FÓRN: funeral sludge heroes embrace electronics, progress to next level, with new masterpiece "Repercussions of the Self"; first single streaming now

Persistent Vision Records announces the October 18th release of Repercussions of the Self, the new album by Fórn.

The album's opening track, "Pact of Forgetting," is now streaming on digital platforms: https://tr.ee/qzhx_DNuAV 

Pre-orders (vinyl and cassette) are scheduled to launch September 6th via Persistent Vision.

Pioneers of "funeral sludge," Fórn have been favorites of the metal underground since their formation over ten years ago. Kim Kelly, writing for SPIN in 2015, stated: "Rarely does a debut album spring forth from the womb so fully-formed and vital as Fórn’s The Departure of Consciousness... The album’s six, tense, foreboding compositions take their cues from Thou’s poisonous sludge and funeral doom’s lightless melancholia in equal measure, and come punctuated by sparse, blood-curdling howls... This album drags listeners into the utter depths of despair then leaves them there, alone, as the last light winks out."

Releasing music via labels such as Gilead Media, including a split with Yautja, the band went dark shortly after touring in support of its 2018 album, Rites of Despair. With a series of major events occurring in the personal lives of the band members – births, deaths, and relocations across four states and two countries – and with the COVID pandemic disrupting society as a whole, the years after Rites of Despair would serve as a crucial pause and reset, leading to the radical rebirth that is Repercussions of the Self.

Guitarist Joey Gonzalez reflects on that time of limbo: "I toiled away in private working on a lot of the tracks. At the time of writing the record, I was really teetering between where I wanted to take the band next. I was heavily influenced by film score composers like Cristobal Tapia De Veer and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and artists like Massive Attack and Portishead, and of course Nine Inch Nails. I spent a lot of the pandemic making music that fell somewhere in those borders and it felt natural to try and bring those elements into Fórn."

Repercussions of the Self, Fórn's first new musical creation since 2018, bursts through the speakers with god-tier grandeur, reflecting hints of those influences Gonzalez named. The album sees Fórn enter new territory, mixing the downtuned guitar-driven epics the band is known for, with a new, industrial, electronic dimension. "We always intended for the band to progress beyond the 'sludge' nametag," says Gonzalez. "We feel that this album accomplishes that mission while still keeping with our classic sound to please the headbangers."

With guest vocals by Ilsa's Orion Peter, the album's opening track, "Pact of Forgetting," introduces the band's new era – a glistening, hypnotic dirge, the song instantly summons widescreen visions of epic cinematic glory. In Gonzalez' words: "It's like emerging from a haze into turbulence. Being rattled violently and abruptly out of expectations of life and into its terrifying, endless, violent current."

Notably, Repercussions of the Self also features Lane Shi Otayonii (Elizabeth Colour Wheel) on vocals and electronics across all its six tracks. A past collaborator, Otayonii makes her debut here as a full-fledged contributing member of Fórn. Gonzalez explains: "Once we had the instrumental tracks done I had been in talks with Lane about collaborating on one song. What she sent back was, as always, immaculate and breathtaking, which was no surprise having worked with her before. From this bloomed a conversation of her joining Fórn as a member, to which she agreed. It’s been tough keeping that a secret but relieving to be able to reveal that to the world now."

Musing on the concepts that drive the new album, Gonzalez gives this statement: "Musically speaking, the theme I tried to get across is how the past is constantly recreating itself in both harmful and beautiful ways in our present. It’s about reclaiming the ability to mold ourselves and rejecting the mold others may try to cast you in." A more appropriate statement could not be made, as Repercussions of the Self shows Fórn embracing change and advancing to its next form – respecting its past whilst hurtling freely into the future.

Repercussions of the Self was engineered and mixed by Kevin Bernsten at Developing Nations in Baltimore, Maryland and mastered by James Plotkin at Plotkinworks.

The artwork is a collaboration between Alexander L. Brown and Devin Toye.

The album is Persistent Vision Records' second Fórn release; the Richmond, Virginia-based label reissued the band's 2014 debut, The Departure of Consciousness, earlier this year. Fórn is also scheduled to play Dark Days Bright Nights, the festival curated by Persistent Vision owner Paul Hansbarger and Pageninetynine guitarist Mike Taylor, in September.

Tracklist:
1) Pact of Forgetting
2) Soul Shadow
3) Hela's Choir
4) Anamnesis
5) Regrets Abyss
6) Dreams of the Blood

Lineup:
Chris Pinto - vocals
Joey Gonzalez - guitar, electronics
Danny Boyd - guitar
Brian Barbaruolo - bass
Lane Shi Otayonii - vocals, synth
Andrew Nault - live drums, electronics
Josh Brettell - recorded drums
Orion Peter - guest vocals

Upcoming shows:
Sep 12 - Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery (w/ Prisoner, Porcelain)
Sep 15 - Richmond, VA @ Dark Days Bright Nights (w/ Pageninetynine, Portrayal of Guilt)

Photos by Matt Martin

Artwork by Alexander L. Brown and Devin Toye

SCRUNCHIES - "Generator"

SCRUNCHIES: Minneapolis post-riot grrrl squad teams with LA dance troupe Pony Sweat on "Generator" video; new album "Colossal" drops next week; US tour begins August 31st

"Generator," the new single by Scrunchies, is streaming now on all platforms. The track is the third single form the Minneapolis band's upcoming new album, Colossal, out August 23rd on Learning Curve Records.

Stream the official music video, created in collaboration with Los Angeles-based "dance aerobics celebration" Pony Sweat, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7qzcL_0csk

Pre-order Colossal, here: https://lcrdistro.com/products/scrunchies-colossal-copy

One of the final albums to be recorded and mixed by the great Steve Albini, Scrunchies' third album Colossal is a rockin' slab of post-riot grrrl songcraft that lands in the same garage as Mannequin Pussy, Screaming Females, and Sleater-Kinney. Colossal is an "AAA" production – recorded, mixed, and mastered entirely with analog gear and tape. The album was mastered by Greg Obis (Deeper, Dehd).

Bandcamp Daily describes the sound as "songs that channel grunge, art rock, and post-punk... raw rock ‘n’ roll with a distinct pop influence" in its new article, "The New Faces & Voices in the Minneapolis Punk Scene": https://daily.bandcamp.com/scene-report/minneapolis-twin-cities-punk-scene-report

While Scrunchies are being hailed as "new faces," the members have been entrenched in Minneapolis' thriving DIY scene for decades. Notably, vocalist/guitarist Laura Larson was a member of Kitten Forever, the long-running Minneapolis band with releases on Atlas Chair, the label founded by JD Samson (Le Tigre).

Larson offers this statement about the "Generator" video: "Pony Sweat is a 'fiercely non-competitive dance aerobics practice.' Based in LA, they dance to everything from Bjork to Bikini Kill in inclusive, imperfect, celebratory movement. I found out about Pony Sweat through my previous band Kitten Forever, who is frequently featured on Pony Sweat playlists. I was immediately thrilled at their 'fuck the moves' mentality and value of all bodies finding joy through dancing to more unconventional workout music. I have always loved dancing and credit it with allowing me to find a comfortable truce with my brain and body after growing up in the hellscape of diet culture. Pony Sweat’s values are so aligned with Scrunchies' in finding liberation through whatever physicality we can bring to a space in the moment. We’re all so honored that Emilia choreographed this routine for 'Generator' and are so grateful to all of the Ponies who dance with us!"

With Colossal dropping August 23rd, the band will embark on a US tour the following week:

Aug 31 - Chicago, IL @ Liar's Club
Sep 1 - Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR Pub
Sep 2 - Dayton, OH @ Blind Rage Records
Sep 3 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Roboto Project
Sep 4 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right
Sep 5 - Washington, DC @ Slash Run
Sep 6 - Philadelphia, PA @ God's Auto Body
Sep 7 - Richmond, VA @ Garden Grove
Sep 8 - Asheville, NC @ 27 Club
Sep 9 - Louisville, KY @ Portal
Sep 10 - Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone
Sep 11 - St Louis, MO @ Sink Hole
Sep 12 - Kansas City, MO @ Howdy
Sep 20 - Madison, WI @ Gamma Ray

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/06/scrunchies-colossal.html

COMMON WOUNDS - All Night Blood

COMMON WOUNDS: post-hardcore powerhouse announces new album "All Night Blood"; first single "Broken Hands" streaming now

From Phoenix, Arizona, Common Wounds announces the October 18th release of its new full-length album, All Night Blood.

Stream the music video for the first single, "Broken Hands," here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d0epIljXFg

Pre-order the album (vinyl and digital), here: https://allnightblood.com/

Consisting of three Phoenix lifers and a San Jose transplant, Common Wounds delivers soul-stirring, bone-rumbling post-hardcore that draws upon decades of personal highs and lows.

Vocalist Ian Lanspeary states: "The title All Night Blood relates to the idea that the society and economic system we live in is unrelenting in what it takes from us to survive; as though we’re being constantly bled dry to live our lives." Each of the nine songs on the album grapples with the realities of existence within this order. Some songs are messages of hope, some are admissions of hopelessness. 

First single "Broken Hands" represents the latter. "The song is about how people in positions of power attempt to manipulate others to the point where they start to question themselves," says Lanspeary.

"Broken Hands" is built on a tense, spiraling 6/4 groove that bursts open into a cathartic chorus. Reference points include Jawbox, Unwound, and Young Widows. The passion of the vocals is palpable; Lanspeary's words hit percussively yet each one is backed by a tidal surge of emotion. Recorded by Zachary Rippy (Power Trip, Wristmeetrazor), mixed by Scott Evans (Thrice, Samiam), and mastered by Carl Saff (Modern Life Is War, KEN mode), the sound is warm and heavy.

A united force, the band churns ahead, not like four musicians, but like one freight train. In this sense, lines can be drawn from Common Wounds to the noise rock scene. The sheer weight of Common Wounds' sound connects the band to some of the bruisers on the more melodic end of the AmRep spectrum – the likes of Chokebore and Helmet. But sonic impact aside, Common Wounds' sincere and forthright spirit shines in a way that points undeniably to its roots: "Our prime background is hardcore and we are still driven by the ethos and passion of hardcore," states bassist Matt Martinez.

Martinez' involvement in the Phoenix underground goes back to the 1990s when his band Suicide Nation was playing DIY venues with the likes of The Locust and releasing splits with Yaphet Kotto and Creation Is Crucifixion. From there, he founded Landmine Marathon, a death metal unit that broke out of the Arizona scene, toured the world, and landed on the cover of Revolver Magazine. Lanspeary notably played guitar in Phoenix hardcore favorites Run with the Hunted.

Martinez muses on his hometown: "Right now, in Phoenix in the midst of summer, I have to dwell on the oppressive, almost inescapable heat. The summer months become consuming and isolating, or cause for escape. We try to lay low and enjoy the privilege of air conditioning. I always lean on the belief that the heat builds negativity and tension and it is reflected in the aggressive music that we see. That being said, Arizona music is thriving. I see newer and newer generations creating and carving their own paths, while some of the Arizona music 'veterans' continue to deliver refreshing music. We have so many excellent bands and people trying to make things happen."

One such Arizona veteran continuing to deliver is Brendan DeSmet, former vocalist of Tucson's Groundwork and current owner of record label Protagonist Music. Common Wounds' All Night Blood is Protagonist's 100th release in a wonderfully diverse catalog that includes gems from Gatecreeper, Leaving, Bleached Cross, Sexless Marriage, Hundreds of Au, Self Defense Family, and more. Protagonist also released Common Wounds 2023 debut EP, which earned these words from Decibel Magazine: "Pointed and burly, pulsing with the honesty of emotional hardcore and the swagger of noise rock."

Tracklist:
1) Cognition
2) Broken Hands
3) Vainglory
4) Mile Marker
5) All Night Blood
6) Parochial
7) Lost Voices
8) So It Goes
9) The Diplomat

Lineup:
Ian Lanspeary - guitar, vocals
Corey Rial - guitar
Matt Martinez - bass
Steven Campbell - drums

Discography:
Common Wounds EP (2023, Protagonist Music)
All Night Blood (2024, Protagonist Music)

Photo by Kindness Photo Co
Cover art by Matt Martinez

MISSOURI EXECUTIVE ORDER 44 - "Let's Jump a Cowboy Together!"

MISSOURI EXECUTIVE ORDER 44: bike helmet-clad Kansas City hardcore crew fights tyranny on new single "Let's Jump a Cowboy Together!"

"Let's Jump a Cowboy Together!," the new single from Missouri Executive Order 44, is now streaming.

New album Salt Sermon will be released August 16th on Learning Curve Records and The Ghost Is Clear Records.

Stream the official music video and read an exclusive interview with the band, here: https://www.invisibleoranges.com/lets-jump-a-cowboy-together-missouri-executive-order-44-fight-power-oppression-and-other-people-interview-video-premiere/

Pre-order the album, here: https://lcrdistro.com/products/salt-sermons-lp-meo-44

Recorded and mixed by Matt Perrin (ex-Bummer) and mastered by Will Killingsworth (Orchid, The Body), Salt Sermon is a 15-minute storm of Great Plains Hardcore, highly recommended for fans of Coalesce, Cursed, and The Locust.

Based in Kansas City, the band takes its name from a dark chapter of its state's history: an 1838 order from the state's governor, encouraging the banishment or extermination of all Mormons. Clad in the bike helmets and white shirts that commonly signify LDS evangelists, the four aliased members of MEO44 use the historical persecution of the Mormons as a central symbol as they rail against all forms of tyranny.

Vocal Jarom Johnson states: “Missouri Executive Order 44 is a reminder that we, as decent human beings, need to stand together in communities and collectives to overthrow tyrannical authority and prevent the impending destruction of our autonomy by the bigoted forces of the state, police, and fascists. The story of our Mormon ascendants is cautionary but also too familiar to the experiences of our brothers and sisters. The state can and will oppress those it deems 'other' or 'less than' and our message is one of retribution, anti-colonialism, anti-state and pro-humanity."

Upcoming shows:
Aug 16 - Kansas City, MO @ Howdy (w/ Yatsu, Gash)
Aug 23 - Colorado Springs, CO @ What’s Left Records
Aug 24-25 - Denver, CO @ Ghost Canyon Fest (w/ Young Widows, Wolf Eyes)

More info: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2024/06/missouri-executive-order-44-salt-sermon.html

Photo by Raney Yelenich

TOWN OF LAKE - Lilac

TOWN OF LAKE: The Devil Wears Prada frontman Mike Hranica forges experimental new path on debut solo album "Lilac"; stream "No Gloss" single now

Mike Hranica, known around the globe as the vocalist and founder of metalcore giants The Devil Wears Prada, announces the October 4th release of Lilac, the debut album from his new project, Town of Lake.

In what might go down as the most surprising solo effort of 2024, Town of Lake is a radical departure from The Devil Wears Prada, revealing a side of Hranica many have not yet seen.

Highly experimental and personal, Lilac sees Hranica indulging in a creative vision whose inspirations lie somewhere amidst the works of Nick Cave, Swans, and William S. Burroughs.

Stream Lilac's first single, "No Gloss," (by way of a visualizer created by Trace Amount auteur Brandon Gallagher), here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rijo8pKpJ54

Pre-order the album, here: https://mikehranica.com/

First single "No Gloss" serves as a perfect introduction to Town of Lake. Tension builds around a minimal beat, a breezy bassline, peals of twangy guitar, and a mounting drone; a minute in, the groove collapses in a lightless cavern of doom, only to return again in the song's final third, aided and abetted by cowbells and congas. 

The thread running through this wildly unorthodox song is the voice of Mike Hranica. Over the ominous instrumentation, Hranica recites poetry that explores the darkness in everyday settings and situations. "I’ve always been drawn to the ordinary," he states, "and personally speaking it’s where I find the most appealing notions of drama. I don’t love fantasy, I love everyday." Deep and assured, Hranica delivers his spoken-word baritone with a plain-talk prowess that calls to mind Iggy Pop. Hranica's confidence, built over two decades of fronting one of the biggest metalcore bands on Earth, carries over into this project, although here there are no screams at all.

"No Gloss" – along with the nine other tracks on Lilac – is an expression of absolute musical freedom, motivated by nothing other than the maker's passion. So, how did the guy from The Devil Wears Prada come to make an album like this? Hranica offers a glimpse at the path that led here, name-checking influences ranging from Steve Albini to Vladimir Nabokov. He reminisces: "Hearing Songs About Fucking for the first time. Hearing Filth for the first time. Hearing Goat for the first time. First time reading Nausea. First time reading Lolita. These experiences are monumental in guiding what I create."

Fans who have been watching closely will know that Hranica has dabbled in challenging music in the past – as the singer of the short-lived noise rock trio God Alone, he had a hand in bashing out some Jesus Lizard-inspired gems which, in hindsight, look to be the precursors to Town of Lake's even more challenging musical explorations. Fans who have been watching closely will also know that Hranica is a published author and that there are connections between Town of Lake and some of of his writings. "Two of my most recent works coordinate with the stylings of Town of Lake," he explains. "My books Bullet-Made Tambourine and Three Dots & The Guilt Machine are made up of abstract, observational prose, semi-autobiographical, like the Lilac songs."

While Town of Lake is fully Hranica's project, he enlisted the help of two friends to execute the mission: Andy Nelson (co-owner of Bricktop Recording in Chicago and a member of bands such as Weekend Nachos) and Mason Nagy (The Devil Wears Prada). He describes the process: "For most of Lilac, the lyric would either directly dictate the sounds or the sounds would directly dictate the lyric. Everything was tracked at Bricktop. Certainly not a remote project. The three of us cooked up everything there in Chicago. In terms of the instrumentation I think we each played everything at one point. Andy is certainly the most learned with keyboards, so he cornered most of those sounds. I handled the songs’ writing, their inception, their lyrics, and most electric guitar. Mason cornered 99% of bass. All in all, improvisation plays a huge part in my songs for Town of Lake." The album was mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Services.

Having ascended to the top of the metalcore heap and having held the position for 20 years and counting, The Devil Wears Prada continues to thrive. The band has toured the world with the biggest names in metal (Anthrax, Slayer, A Day to Remember, Killswitch Engage, Beartooth, the list goes on), they've seen their albums debut at #1 on Billboard charts, and they have been backed by some of the burliest labels in the scene. They will tour Australia in August 2024, followed by the US in the fall. With such a day job as that, Hranica could play it safe and stay within those bounds, but instead he chooses to venture out and find additional new paths to creative fulfillment. In this context, Town of Lake's Lilac is an extremely inspiring piece of work, as a pure example of a person compelled to make art for art's sake.

"I have no care or concern for Town of Lake’s appeal," says Hranica. "I’ve been playing in The Devil Wears Prada since the band’s inception and I fully recognize that music on a more challenging scale will not likely be received as openly."

Tracklist:
1) Shall I Let You Leave Me + Sin Título
2) Can of Soup
3) No Gloss
4) The Valley
5) Death of a Neighborhood
6) Reading Off My Dreams
7) Tumult / Cheater
8) Where At?
9) How I Feel
10) Drops Gather

Photos by Ariel Kassulke

Cover art by Anthony Barlich and Matt Withers