“It pains me to see how the industrialized part of humanity treats nature. I feel great sadness and anger when I think about how numerous animal and plant species are becoming extinct every day, how forests are being cleared, how mountaintops are being removed for mining purposes, and how entire ecosystems are falling victim to the greed of capitalist production methods,” expresses Heretoir guitarist Nathanael, aka Matthias Settele. “Out of these feelings of grief, a lot of our songs are born.”
Known for the affirming nature of their albums—offering a voice to the voiceless and advocating for the many living, breathing entities without the luxury to speak up for themselves—the German post-metal band re-emerges with their impassioned and salient new album, Solastalgia, out on September 19 via AOP Records. As musicians, they have to ask themselves what their responsibility is in such uncertain times. The answer may not seem revolutionary, but does have the ability to touch many by providing solace and offering scrutiny. In this way, Solastalgia is reflective and poignant for all the right reasons. It evokes an emotional response through intentional songwriting practices, backed by layered instrumentals. Lead vocalist David Conrad, who goes by the stage name Eklatanz, ushers in the purest form of melancholy with his desperate screams that he pairs with highly refined clean vocals. While the band is made up of an integral five-piece ensemble, the three leading figures of Eklatanz, Nathanael, and drummer Nils Groth all work hand in hand when piecing together an album.
While much of the album is centered on the existential threats posed by ecological disruption, there are also themes woven in that lend way to a humanistic viewpoint. The band attempts to paint a picture of the human experience through a personal lens, which is why you can hear the vulnerability and emotionality as you peel back the layers of each track. There is an existential tug-of-war going on from beginning to end. The key irony being that we live in a world where everything is advertised as being so interconnected, yet so many people around the globe still feel more isolated than ever.
Nathanael explains, “Many people still believe that technological progress will solve all problems. So-called “civilized” societies are megamachines that are destroying the natural world, on which not only the non-human inhabitants of the planet depend, but ultimately humans themselves. If we can encourage some listeners to think about these topics, then we have achieved at least something. But in the end, this is not an activist band. We create atmospheric music … and from time to time, you can discover the pain from which our songs originate, or what drives the musicians of Heretoir to make music in the first place.”
Solastalgia is out today, and you can preorder it from AOP Records. Follow Heretoir on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
Photo Credit: Anne C. Swallow
