In September 2011, Melbourne five-piece, Heirs, will release the first taste of its forthcoming third album in the form of a double A-Side 7"/CD. To celebrate the release, the band is touring Australia in October 2011 with French metal-gazing giants, Alcest.
Hailed as one of the best post-metal albums of 2009, Heirs’ debut, Alchera, established the band amongst Australia’s foremost instrumental acts. 2010 saw the release of Heirs’ second album, Fowl, displaying a shift towards a broader sonic palette, taking further influence from industrial, darkwave and gothic rock. Incorporating a pugilistic rhythmic foundation with coarse, threatening guitar textures and a stronger electronic presence, Fowl marked a great leap forward for Heirs, taking them beyond genres into a realm that is almost hermetic in its vision.
The album also featured the bands’ first collaborations with multi-instrumentalist and world-renowned Theremin maestro, Miles Brown. Of Fowl, Time Off Magazine says, "There’s reticent beauty in the ugliness here and a heart that beats with purpose. There are many complexities, but also a clear and single narrative that defines Fowl – most notably from anything else that heavy music has on offer! 5 Stars"
Their soon to be released material sees Heirs strengthening their melodic resolve, and while equally intense, inhabits a less oppressive atmosphere, with the band citing Cocteau Twins & Sisters of Mercy as being influential to their process. Their live show will also feature visuals and installations by Heirs' guitarist and visual artist, Brent Stegeman.
After making a small stir in the Black Metal underground with their 2005 mini-CD, Le Secret, Alcest have left their origins in that scene far behind them. Their 2010 LP, Écailles De Lune, spread Alcest's genre-melting renown across the globe, bringing to mind memories of the innocence and bliss of a childhood long past as well as front-man Neige's (Peste Noire, Amesoeurs, Forgotten Woods) fascination with a fantastic "otherworld" of perfect harmony.
Don’t miss Heirs with Alcest this October.
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