Barrelling towards their fifth studio album Rise Radiant due out on Friday May 22, Brisbane's very own Caligula's Horse have continually verified themselves as one of the most innovative and engaging bands in the modern prog world, universally embraced both at home and all over the globe. And while the quintet's planned North American tour around the time of Rise Radiant's release may have fallen victim to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the C-Horse gents have forged ahead to gift us with unwavering magic with the release of brand new singles The Tempest and, most recently, Slow Violence (and also rescheduling their North American takeover for 2021).
With some early album breadcrumbs tantalising fans with what's to come on Rise Radiant, there's undoubtedly some phenomenal treats that await when May 22 finally rolls around. But to make the wait just that little bit easier, C-Horse have also just dropped a brand new music video to accompany the album's second single Slow Violence. Dishing up a prismatic visual feast (and directed by the band's very own Adrian Goleby), the clip is the perfect accompaniment to the tense-yet-tender tune, balancing palettes of raw frenzy with sultry menace. And while Slow Violence deftly offers everything fans have come to know and love about Caligula's Horse, there's also significant lashings of sonic rejuvenation as the group dabbles between lurching intensity, gentle rumination and some blistering riffage to dazzle your senses (plus a particularly drool-worthy axe solo from the sensational Sam Vallen).
“Our goal with Slow Violence was to create something more stripped back and minimal musically speaking, letting the guy’s performances speak for themselves. The result was something full of energy and with a powerful message that we’re all really proud of, and the hectic music video ended up capturing that explosive vibe perfectly. The idea for the themes in Slow Violence came out of my own frustrations with very visible hypocrisy in the face of a desperate need for change, and a youth that is crying out for unity in crisis. Slow Violence expresses that frustration along with the unifying message that one way or another, all are inevitably made equal.” - Jim Grey, vocals
Produced by C-Horse's Sam Vallen and mixed by the legendary Jens Bogren (Opeth, Devin Townsend Project, Leprous), Rise Radiant is already shaping up to be one for the ages if early cuts are anything to go by. And with the album promised to be an anthem for the regeneration of self-belief, legacy and a rallying cry for survival - it is certainly a glimmer of hope offered in this bleak and uncertain reality we're currently surrounded by. Prepare yourself for the beaming brilliance still to come...
RISE RADIANT FROM CALIGULA'S HORSE IS OFFICIALLY DUE OUT FRIDAY MAY 22.
THE ALBUM WILL BE AVAILABLE AS A LIMITED CD DIGIPAK, GATEFOLD 2LP + CD, & AS A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD.
THE FORMATS ALSO INCLUDE 2 BONUS TRACKS (COVERS OF THE SPLIT ENZ TRACK MESSAGE TO MY GIRL & PETER GABRIEL'S DON'T GIVE UP).
BY TIANA SPETER