WILDERUN Premiere One-Take Lyric Video For ‘Exhaler’ Track
January 7th, 2022
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Boston, Massachusetts-based progressive symphonic metal band Wilderun have released an official one-take lyric video for the track ‘Exhaler’. Filmed by vocalist and guitarist Evan Berry, the clip can be viewed below.
Evan Berry commented: “‘Exhaler’ feels like a dream that precedes the core of ‘Epigone’, and like much of our previous album, muses on better times long gone. There is almost a feeling of resentment towards past joys and prior clarity, as they seem to just become a dark mirror through which the current state of existence is poorly reflected. Musically, this song stands out as very organic compared to much of the rest of the album, keeping to acoustic instruments and orchestrations, as opposed to some of the synthetic and darker textures we experiment with on the other tracks. Hopefully this reflects those feelings of rose-colored nostalgia, verses the conflicted and cold reality of the present.
“I wanted the video to match that feeling of organic, earthly clarity, which is why I avoided any effects or editing of any sort, and the lyrics are written entirely with broken sticks found on that plot of land. The track also holds a more consistent tone and energy than some of our other more frenetic and dynamic songs, so the one-shot approach felt very appropriate.”
Wilderun issued fourth full-length studio album Epigone on January 7th, 2022 through Century Media Records.
“This has been an album in the making for many years, so it’s a relief and a pleasure to finally get it out there,” Wilderun commented. ”We’ve learned a lot over the past three records, and applying that knowledge to these particular songs has been a very rewarding challenge.”
“This is certainly a ‘meta’ record for me,” added vocalist and guitarist Evan Berry. “It’s the record that has the most to do with the artistic process.”
“This record has a different kind of inner turmoil than Veil Of Imagination,” stated bassist and composer Dan Müller. “So much of that album was focused on the past and reminiscing on the progression from childhood to adulthood, and had a brighter, more flowery texture to it. This one is darker, and to me feels more introspective.”
The 2020 global pandemic was a contributing factor. “It was a frustrating time,” said Dan. “Things were starting to move in a direction that we had wanted them to for a while. We had signed to Century Media and were playing bigger shows like the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise. Then, suddenly, it felt like everything was ripped away from us. For me, that made it the hardest record we’ve ever had to write.”
Berry described the arrangement process for Epigone as “solitary”, largely due Covid restrictions. Ideas were shuttled back and forth between members, with the band never having the opportunity to meet as a whole before tracking commenced in early 2021. Wayne Ingram recorded orchestration out of his home studio in California, while the rest of the band tracked in Syracuse, New York.
Mixing was handled by Jens Bogren.
“There’s always a deep appreciation for the vibe and the atmosphere of folk and the heaviness of metal,” shared Müller.
“I think for us it comes down to this organic, esoteric atmosphere that incorporates a lot of different things. This is probably the biggest number of folk instruments we’ve ever had on a record. Sometimes it’s prominent. Sometimes it’s layered. There’s fewer keys and more acoustic passages. It’s a little more earthy and a little less theater.”
“At its core, Wilderun is escapist, transformative,” Müller concluded. “Our criteria is very simple: As a listener, does it put me in a place that’s better than where I am now? Even though the music and lyrics are very introspective, this could be anyone’s story.”
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The track listing is as follows;
01. ‘Exhaler’
02. ‘Woolgatherer’
03. ‘Passenger’
04. ‘Identifier’
05. ‘Ambition’
06. ‘Distraction I’
07. ‘Distraction II’
08. ‘Distraction III’
09. ‘Distraction Nulla’
10. ‘Everything In Its Right Place’ (CD and digital bonus track)
11. ‘Exhaler’ (Synth Mix – digital only bonus track)
Wilderun’s line-up is as follows:
Evan Anderson Berry (vocals, guitars and piano),
Joe Gettler (lead guitar)
Dan Müller (bass, synths and orchestrations)
Jon Teachey (drums)
Wayne Ingram (orchestrations)
CD and digital versions of Epigone include a cover rendition of the track ‘Everything In Its Right Place’. Written by Radiohead, its original version appeared on October 2000 album Kid A.
A music video was filmed for the track ‘Passenger’.
“‘Passenger’ is simultaneously the most immediate and the densest song on the record,” the band commented. “I think it hooks you in pretty quickly, but takes a good amount of replays to catch all the details. This is also one of those tracks we were excited to play live as soon as we tracked it in the studio, given the heaviness of both the band and orchestra, so I can easily imagine this becoming a staple of our setlist, but only time will tell.”
Directed by Miles Skarin with visuals inspired by Epigone album cover artist Kim Keever, a music video was also created for the track ‘Distraction I’. “‘Distraction I’ is the first movement in the four-part suite that closes the album,” Müller informed. “Musically, ‘Distraction I’ is far more straightforward than a typical Wilderun song and relies more heavily on atmosphere as a means of creating momentum throughout the track. It also is one of the more synth-heavy tracks on the record, utilizing dense tapestries of largely atonal sounds to develop a unique sonic space that is both surreal and expansive. It is the calm before the storm and the sign of things to come.”
In addition, a performance video was released for the track ‘Identifier’.
“It didn’t take us long to know we wanted to release this song as a single,” Wilderun said. “With ‘Identifier’ we wanted to find a way to weave classic Wilderun orchestrations with newly discovered synths and sound design, while simultaneously rejuvenating our use of folk instrumentation all in one song. We took a deep dive into our own experiences as a band and resurfaced with a new perspective that’s both daunting and invigorating.”
All three clips can be viewed below.
Third studio record Veil Of Imagination was independently released in November 2019.
Promotional photograph by Tom Couture.
