Long-running Vancouver metal band Bison have made their crushing return via a new two-song single, which arrives digitally today (December 18).
Marking the first material to come from the band since 2012's devastating Lovelessness LP, which was the group's last for Metal Blade Records, the single features two new tunes: "1000 Needles" and "Calm, Friendly and Euthymic," the former of which you can now stream below.
While Lovelessness was recorded out in Chicago by Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Corrections House, Rwake), the latest recording sessions found the group once again teaming up in the studio with Vancouver producer Jesse Gander (White Lung, Japandroids).
According to guitarist/vocalist Dan And, this is just the beginning for the project, who dropped the "B.C." from their name after they split with Metal Blade ("we don't have to use the fucking 'B.C.' anymore!"). Though plans are still up in the air, at least an hour's worth of material has been crafted by the burly metal band since last year, though considering the length of some of their tunes, it's unclear how many songs have been prepped thus far.
"We've been working on new material intermittently over the past year. So far we have about an hour of finished material and picked two songs out of that to record and release as an EP," And tells Exclaim! "We were planning on releasing a 7-inch, but in true Bison fashion, the two songs are each over nine minutes. So we're now looking at releasing a 12-inch 45 sometime early next year."
While you can stream both tracks down below, "1000 Needles" will soon be available as a free download on Bandcamp until December 26.
Though the group are currently free agents, And says that they have been in talks with an undisclosed record label about issuing the wax version of "1000 Needles"/"Calm, Friendly and Euthymic." War on Music had delivered vinyl versions of Lovelessness and 2010's Dark Ages.
As for the direction of the new material, And mentions that it has a different feel than the downcast material presented on Lovelessness, while still retaining the oppressive feel of past Bison material.
"Lovelessness was written during a dark period for a couple of us, the whole thing had an extremely oppressive and dark feel to it. The new stuff we're working on is by no means 'light' songs but so far they each have their own distinct personality," he says. "The songs still sound like 'us,' whatever that means, but we aren't concerned with shying away from whatever influences creep up. The older we get and the longer we play together, the less we give a shit about trying to sound like anything in particular."
A projected due date for the upcoming 12-inch, as well as album plans, are still TBA.
Marking the first material to come from the band since 2012's devastating Lovelessness LP, which was the group's last for Metal Blade Records, the single features two new tunes: "1000 Needles" and "Calm, Friendly and Euthymic," the former of which you can now stream below.
While Lovelessness was recorded out in Chicago by Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Corrections House, Rwake), the latest recording sessions found the group once again teaming up in the studio with Vancouver producer Jesse Gander (White Lung, Japandroids).
According to guitarist/vocalist Dan And, this is just the beginning for the project, who dropped the "B.C." from their name after they split with Metal Blade ("we don't have to use the fucking 'B.C.' anymore!"). Though plans are still up in the air, at least an hour's worth of material has been crafted by the burly metal band since last year, though considering the length of some of their tunes, it's unclear how many songs have been prepped thus far.
"We've been working on new material intermittently over the past year. So far we have about an hour of finished material and picked two songs out of that to record and release as an EP," And tells Exclaim! "We were planning on releasing a 7-inch, but in true Bison fashion, the two songs are each over nine minutes. So we're now looking at releasing a 12-inch 45 sometime early next year."
While you can stream both tracks down below, "1000 Needles" will soon be available as a free download on Bandcamp until December 26.
Though the group are currently free agents, And says that they have been in talks with an undisclosed record label about issuing the wax version of "1000 Needles"/"Calm, Friendly and Euthymic." War on Music had delivered vinyl versions of Lovelessness and 2010's Dark Ages.
As for the direction of the new material, And mentions that it has a different feel than the downcast material presented on Lovelessness, while still retaining the oppressive feel of past Bison material.
"Lovelessness was written during a dark period for a couple of us, the whole thing had an extremely oppressive and dark feel to it. The new stuff we're working on is by no means 'light' songs but so far they each have their own distinct personality," he says. "The songs still sound like 'us,' whatever that means, but we aren't concerned with shying away from whatever influences creep up. The older we get and the longer we play together, the less we give a shit about trying to sound like anything in particular."
A projected due date for the upcoming 12-inch, as well as album plans, are still TBA.