Traversing the highs and the lows of humanity, life, death and beyond, Aussie blackened sludge veterans Lo! are no strangers to captivating and positively challenging with their roaring riffs, thunderous grooves and hard-hitting thematics. Following on from their monstrous previous releases, including 2011's Look And Behold, 2013's Monstrorum Historia, an EP The Tongueless in 2015 and the acclaimed 2017 full length Vestigial, Lo! have risen once more to simultaneously herald the end to the toxic existing order of things while also reminding us all that these guys are truly one of the greats in this genre; and that rise has come at long last vividly just one week ago via the band's latest album The Gleaners.
Named for the medieval practice where nobles would "allow" their lowest subjects to scrounge through the refuse of a freshly harvested field for sustenance, The Gleaners takes aim at capitalism, colonialism, privilege and wholesale apathy. And, as The Gleaners reveals, the literal meaning as a metaphor stems starkly into our modern times, replacing grain with our own daily "gleaning" from media, relationships and our own myths to survive.
But a conspiracy album this is not, with Lo! instead focused on charging for freedom and truth, introducing various characters throughout the nine tracks throughout The Gleaners, ultimately shaping the journey laden with atmospheric sludge, post-hardcore flavours and a genre-defiant spine that makes The Gleaners truly something special to behold.
With some brand new songs in their repertoire following the release of The Gleaners on April 7 via Pelagic Records, and an impending album launch tour this June and July, there is plenty of new Lo! goodness to wrap your ears around right now and in the near future. But to celebrate the album's release, Lo! vocalist Sam Dillon also stopped by The Soundcheck to share some of the band's personal favourites from their catalogue to date. From old faves to new offerings, come visit the past, present and future of Lo! below.
1. Fallen Leaves
The first one is Fallen Leaves, which is on 2013’s Monstrorum Historia. This showcases the brooding calm-before-the-storm style of our slower tracks. This album also saw us tour with Pelagic Records labelmates Cult of Luna and The Ocean across Europe that year.
2. Orca
Next is Orca from The Tongueless in 2015. This track adopted a more vicious and live-sounding approach with myself as the new vocalist, with lyrics on the topic of circuses and animal exploitation. This blistering track was immortalised with the now-infamous film clip featuring a naked creature covered in pink goo writhing to the music of three gas masked bandmates.
3. Glutton
Number three is Glutton from 2017’s Vestigial. This theatrical, brutal and groovy number is a popular single off Vestigial, and combines sludge metal with an anthemic chorus to full effect. It’s always a firm favourite to play live.
4. Rat King
Rat King is next from the new album The Gleaners. This violent, unrelenting and very visceral number is the most aggressive and abrasive track from us, yet it features multi-layered, unhinged vocals, tormented real-life rat samples, buzz-saw guitars and pulverising drums.
5. Mannons Horn
Lastly, Mannons Horn also from The Gleaners; an expansive end to the triptych which started with 2015’s The Tongueless. This track is the crowning jewel of the new record, with lengthy experimentation and scope, coming in at seven and a half minutes long. It features rollicking drums and soaring guitars, lofty organs, trumpets, and both choir and clean vocals - all without losing the core aggression of the band’s sludge roots.
LO!'S BRAND NEW ALBUM THE GLEANERS IS OUT NOW VIA PELAGIC RECORDS.
FOR MORE INFO, HEAD TO: lookandbehold.net
THE GLEANERS
ALBUM LAUNCH TOUR 2023
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
BLACK LAVA
SATURDAY 10 JUNE - THE EVELYN, MELBOURNE
FRIDAY 16 JUNE - HOPE AND ANCHOR, ADELAIDE
SATURDAY 17 JUNE - CROWBAR, SYDNEY
SATURDAY 15 JULY - THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE
TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT: lookandbehold.net
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BY TIANA SPETER