So Hideous Fans: Tour Announcement and New(ish) Album
Did you enjoy blackened/hardcore/orchestral/cinematic dreamers So Hideous‘s lush sophomore release Laurestine? Did you secretly hope that you’d get a chance to see the band perform material from that album live? Were you hoping for an orechestral version of the album with metal components stripped away? Well, my friend, you’re in luck.
Fans of So Hideous may recall from the interview I conducted with front man and visionary Brandon Cruz that the orchestral elements of Laurestine, performed by the string, brass, and choral ensemble known as the First Light Orchestra, were an integral part of that album’s vibrant, cinematic feel. In fact, I commented on my review of Laurestine that, “The string arrangements are what keep you enthralled as you undergo grief, denial, and ultimately absolution alongside the protagonist; the metal elements are just another piece of the grander puzzle, accenting the arrangements and adding a palpable gravity to the danger-fraught sonic journey.”
Cruz then must have been conscious of the high regards for the FLO’s efforts, as the band is set to release a stripped down, purely orchestral version of Laurestine on May 6th via Prosthetic Records. This new version of the album removes the vocals and guitars but keeps a minimal, quiet backbeat driven by Danny Moncada’s drums. The end result is a record that feels new and fresh, like the luxurious blooms of spring bursting forth from the desiccated husks of winter. It’s a calming, almost sensory mix that acts less like a guide through the afterlife and more like a calm night of watching eternity unfold in the stars above.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any tracks available yet, so you’ll have to make due with listening to the original version of Laurestine again.
If you still prefer the metal version, you’ll get a chance to see the band perform live in a smattering of dates across the western U.S. and Canada as the band embarks on a short May tour co-headlining with Bosse-de-Nage. Dates below.
TOUR DATES
5/5 Tempe, AZ – Yucca Tap Room #
5/6 Tucson, AZ – Club Congress #
5/7 San Diego, CA – The Merrow #
5/8 Los Angeles, CA – The Lexington #
5/9 Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst Atrium #
5/10 Sacramento, CA – Starlite Lounge #
5/11 Portland, OR – Panic Room #
5/12 Seattle, WA – Funhouse #
5/13 Vancouver, BC – Funky Winkerbeans #
5/14 Eugene, OR – Black Forest #
5/15 San Francisco, CA – Elbo Room #
# with Bosse-de-Nage
As always, you can still pick up Laurestine on Bandcamp and swing by Facebook to tell So Hideous, “Hello!”
