Therapy? - Hard Cold Fire
Op vrijdag 5 mei brengt de sympathieke Noord-Ierse rockband Therapy? zijn nieuwe studio-album 'Hard Cold Fire' uit via Marshall Records (UK). Ofschoon frontman Andy Cairns (zang-gitaar), bassist Michael McKeegan en drummer Neil Cooper de afgelopen vijf jaar regelmatig op Benelux podia te zien waren - zowel in poppodia als op festivals - dateert hun vorige studio-album 'Cleave' alweer uit 2018. Des te meer welkom zijn de tien gloednieuwe songs dus; volgens eigen zeggen "a spiralling, hypnotic melange of grunge-rock and towering melody that sees the trio steadfast and reinvigorated".
En zo is het maar net: alle songs klokken ruim onder de vier minuten (de helft daarvan duikt zelfs onder de drie minuten). Zoals de melancholieke en vertrouwd klinkende eerste melodieuze single 'Joy' die verhaalt over Westerse verveling en ontevredenheid: "Another day, another deadener, another dull routine. The same grey ritual, tethered to the pantomime of Western ennui."
Andy: "'Joy' started with a term from 'Waiting for Godot', by Samuel Beckett. This wonderful line: 'habit is a great deadener'. I just love that word, 'dead-en-er'. It's an amazing word. People get themselves into these habits, and the next thing you know, their life is over and they've only lived in a very small circle of experience, often through choice, which is scary.”
‘Hard Cold Fire’ is compact en toegankelijk, een destillatie van alles wat de band heeft gemaakt tot wat ze zijn: stoïcijns maar met een hernieuwde focus op catharsis en genezing. Pure muzikale therapie dus eigenlijk. Therapy?'s zestiende album vertegenwoordigt de volgende mijlpaal in de voortdurende muzikale ontdekkingsreis van de band die het midden houdt tussen "noise-rock, discord and sparse, groovy experimentation, and million-selling, mainstream-friendly pop" en "noirish, cinematic vistas".
Frontman Andy Cairns: “One thing we did decide when we were eventually able to rehearse, was that we didn't want to make a lockdown record. When we began to rehearse the songs we realised there was an empathetic quality to them. We wanted to make something that was a bit more relatable, and less standoffish and claustrophobic - which we have a history of, and it stands in places - but we wanted to make something more approachable and open.”
Bassist Michael McKeegan: “We wanted this album to be one that felt good to play live, almost a release after this period of stasis, but then also not dwelling on the whole situation - we’re moving forward, and we wanted that energy to be there. The serrated, chugging riffage, churning low-end and propulsive rhythms that are hallmarks of our sound are all present and correct, but met with a new-found sense of resolution and release, as most readily displayed on the one-two punch of our first single ‘Joy’.”
Drummer Neil Cooper: "There's a reinvigorated feel to the band, as though things are moving forward. I'm very excited about people hearing this. It's not just about turning up and performing. Everyone's so invested... we're unbelievably lucky, some bands don't get that privilege, and I appreciate that. We're in a fantastic place.”
Voor 'Hard Cold Fire' ging Therapy? opnieuw in zee met de gevierde producer Chris Sheldon (Feeder, Biffy Clyro, Foo Fighters), waarmee ze al sinds hun doorbraakalbum 'Troublegum' uit 1994 samenwerken. Eind 2021 vertrok de band naar de pas geopende Marshall Studios in Milton Keynes, waar ze als bezetenen werkten aan het nieuwe studio-album.
Michael: “We know Chris. We've got a similar mindset, a similar outlook in life, a similar sense of humour. It works well, and it's a very easy, collaborative environment. There's no agenda to making the album, apart from 'let's make this absolutely brilliant'. Chris is excellent at getting the performance out of you, knowing when to push a bit harder, knowing when something doesn't need to be over-complicated. There's an enthusiasm and a connection with him that really does bring something to the band, and to the vibe we have together.”
Beluister de nieuwe single JOY hier.