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Spirit Adrift from Arizona came to life in Mach 2015 with Nate Garrett as the band’s sole member. Chained to Oblivion is the band's second release, a full length album of five songs and an overall playing time of nearly 50 minutes.
When I praised the debut EP Behind - Beyond to the skies I was super excited for the first full length album to come out. It's here now, and I can't even apply the sentence "Chained to Oblivion was worth the long wait" or the like.
Less than half a year lies between the two releases, yet the musical development Spirit Adrift has made in this time is enormous. And he didn't start at a low level either, as I said above, I praised the EP to the skies. Now I have no option but to praise this album to space. And space is where it seems to go at times, anyway.
The five songs of the album sound much more focused, more elaborate, more varied and more balanced. Songwriting, instrumental and vocal skills, all have grown immensely.
While on Behind - Beyond the vocals sound kind of separated and rather laid over the instrumental work at times, here they step back a little to give the instruments more room, are intertwined and corresponding, more a part of the whole thing. Still they are definitely a strong characteristic element throughout the album.
The guitar and vocal melodies are of a gloomy and haunting beauty, the heavy Doom riffs monolithic and relentless and the warm clean vocals radiate a sense of urgency. The psychedelic moments offer genuine escape from the sorrow as well as the uplifting changes in the mood. Pain and darkness are infused with hope and light.
The emotions come across immediately, undressed, unfiltered, unpolished, but with a great sense of majestic grandeur and triumph.
Chained to Oblivion is insanely beautiful and deeply moving.
The song "Psychic Tide" is featured on The Wicked Lady Show 119