Guitarist & Bassist for the Heathen Apostles, The Cramps, Nick Curran & the Lowlifes

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Heathen Apostles – New Western Gothic Album Out Today

Western Gothic

Gothic Americana is a genre that is fast taking hold around the world, in that it combines the sub-genres of Western Gothic, dark blues and depression-era jazz. The Heathen Apostles were amongst the first to inject all three into their incendiary music.

Their fifth album Dust To Dust opens with the aptly named (and surprisingly danceable) incendiary stomper Burn It To The Ground, and doesn’t let up from there. The Heathens keep one foot firmly planted in driving heavy gothic numbers with Home Sweet Holmes (a recount of America’s first serial killer) and One True Belief (featuring eerie Middle Eastern-esque flourishes). Western GothicWith Dust To Dust, the band continues to explore the boundaries of Gothic Americana: the jangly Bad Seeds-esque Two For The Road, a spooky Southern Gothic dirge reinvention of the classic In the Pines, and the lamentful Paradise Lost (written for the victims of last year’s wildfires.) And since no future classic would be complete without an anthem, the Heathens offer up the soaring spaghetti western Rise. As an added bonus, the album concludes with the entire The Fall EP, which was selected by Folk N’ Rock Magazine as the EP of the Year for 2018. You can check out the album HERE.

Western Gothic“I truly dove in head-first on this album, building complex and layered vocal harmonies as a complement to the musical arrangements. Just as the best movies inspire multiple viewings, I sought to create melodies that invite the listener back to hear more and more of the song unfold. With Dust To Dust, we dug the grave a little deeper sonically, but we think you’ll enjoy falling in.” Mather Louth, vocalist.

Western Gothic“After our last album, the decidedly rootsy Bloodgrass Vol. I & II, we chose this album to showcase all of our influences; gothic rock, bluegrass, dark country, cowpunk… and much more.” Chopper Franklin, guitarist and producer.

Heathen Apostles Americana Goth CD “Dust To Dust” Reviewed on Viola Noir

The Russian Gothic website Viola Noir has posted a review of the new Heathen Apostles album Dust To Dust, it really connects with the Americana Goth vision of the band. Here is the English translation:

Heathen Apostles Americana Goth CD "Dust To Dust"The new Heathen Apostles album Dust To Dust is a return to where they began. After experimenting with bluegrass, covers and collaborations, while revamping country music, the Heathen Apostles use the doctrine of the darkness, terror and horror with accompaniment of the banjo once again.

Burn It To The Ground begins as smooth dark country, leaving both ritual and dark roots in place. Bluesy symphonic tragedy and western-swiftness appear with the track Rise. Two For The Road mixes the narrative with emotionality, and generally changes the mood. On to One True Belief, where the listener is already warmed up and ready to listen to another scary tale with a bad end. The Bride develops the mystic-theme and brings us to a true tragedy on Paradise Lost. After – Where The Waters Meet as an unusual track for Heathen Apostles – lyrical with hypnotizing elements from old school, post punk music. Home Sweet Holmes – a gothic americana slasher with a dense narrative and an injection of sinister atmosphere. Spooky Southern Gothic, dirge-like reinvention of the classic In The Pines follows- as the soundtrack to sorrow and sadness, a kind of farewell song. Meditative, contemplative Easeful Death gives a short pause before the intense final part of the album. The final you could already hear when EP The Fall came out. Exactly in the same sequence of tracks, so we will not be repeated.

A successful appeal to their roots, without self-plagiarism, with the development of new themes, with a more fresh sound, where there are still characteristic handwriting and recognizable powerful vocals. Moreover, the Heathen Apostles never disappoint.

The release of the album Dust To Dust will be on June 7 from Ratchet Blade Records. Presale has already started, in addition, they have published dates for a European tour in support of this album. 8/10

 

Heathen Apostles 2019 Tour of Europe Promo

The promo video for the Heathen Apostles 2019 tour of Europe  has debuted, it features all the show dates (32 in 32 days!) and a snippet of the new song Rise, which is taken from the band’s upcoming album Dust To Dust (out June 7th on Ratchet Blade Records). You can check out the Pre-Sale deals for the album HERE.

Heathen Apostles 2019 Tour

Pre-Sale Launches For Heathen Apostles’ Western Goth Album “Dust To Dust”

The pre-sale has launched for the new Heathen Apostles album Dust To Dust, out online on June 7th (and in stores worldwide on July 12th). The album is a great blend of their Western Goth music, combining the gothic club stomper Burn It To The Ground alongside the spaghetti western scorcher Rise and the poignant Paradise Lost (released earlier this year to benefit the California wildfire victims). 

The pre-sales are a copy of the CD, a Heathen Apostles Logo T Shirt and a large Deathrider sticker for $15, and a CD and Deathrider sticker for $10. Both packages will ship as soon as the CDs arrive from the factory, and the T Shirt bundle will end as the shirt sizes run out. So check it out now, you can visit the band’s webstore by clicking HERE.

Western Goth Album "Dust To Dust"

Heathen Apostles – “Deadly Nightshade” Dark Americana Video

The Heathen Apostles are proud to announce Deadly Nightshade, their new Dark Americana horror music video, directed by good friend Jorge Jaramillo. It is the third video from their Bloodgrass Vol. I & II album, out on Ratchet Blade Records. Here is the press release for the video:

Deadly Nightshade, the new music video from the Heathen Apostles, takes the band back into familiar dark territory; this time, the atmosphere is that of the quintessential Universal horror films of the 1930’s and 40’s.

Dark Americana music video

Those familiar with the iconic genre will thrill to the sights of a mortician-like banjo player piloting an angelic victim down river to her doom and corpses floating up from their graves, while burlap-masked musicians provide the soundtrack to a feral witch stealing the soul from our helpless heroine.

‘Inspired by classic horror movies and German expressionism, the main goal was to not romanticize an old style, but rather to bring it to something that could still be dark, creepy and beautiful,’ states director Jorge Jaramillo (who also directed the Heathen Apostles’ Paint the Stars video). Watch the new video HERE.

Dark AmericanaLead vocalist Mather Louth: ‘When the Heathens sat down for the initial pre-production meetings with Jorge, we all agreed that reinventing and modernizing the classic black and white horror genre would be the perfect visual direction for “Deadly Nightshade”. I’ve always felt very strongly about “Deadly Nightshade” being incredibly cinematic in nature, and it was always clear to me that Jorge would be the perfect director for the song. His work is thought-provoking, filled with symbolism and horrifically disturbing creatures, and he is a true visionary and original.

The video also served as a fun exploration for me to portray both predator and prey, and I particularly enjoyed finding the physicality and mannerisms of the witch’s character. There is something quite freeing about playing a character that is so wholly repulsive and ugly, especially in today’s overly filtered and appearance-obsessed culture.’

Deadly Nightshade is the third music video from the band’s Bloodgrass Vol. I & II album, check it out HERE. The Heathen Apostles fifth album, Dust to Dust, is out June 7th on Ratchet Blade Records.”