Waning Hymns by Geist & the Sacred Ensemble
Waning Hymns is a study of Western consumer culture, attention spans and empathy. This collection of ritualistic music asks us to redefine our self-worth. Using sonic and lyrical incantations, on “Advaita” we yell out, ‘…with no source to trust, we get tricked and submit, our lives, to a fabricated future, that has no chance,’ over chains on drums and thick tones. These Hymns are a ceremonial call, a reminder that we alone have the power to define ourselves.
Press Release:
Among the Pacific Northwest’s hidden societies, GEIST & THE SACRED ENSEMBLE forges a doom-inflected folk ritualism; dirges tinged with Eastern psychedelia and meandering meditative trances. For the last several years, the group has shown the Washington state underground a clear vision for their sound and lyrics creating an otherworldly space for the listener, placing them into a trance, then building up the excitement. The overarching theme of their lyrical work is that of an idealist, a yearning for an end to the modern human condition, for destruction of the constructs and constraints of oppression.
At their greatest, GEIST & THE SACRED ENSEMBLE’s tunes exist as an ever-changing pilgrimage, transforming their abstract drifts into apocalyptic folk hymns or private confessionals.
GEIST & THE SACRED ENSEMBLE has shared the stage with acts as diverse as Earth, Oranssi Pazuzui, Insect Ark, Soriah, Six Organs Of Admittance, Pedestrian Deposit, Yonatan Gat, Father Murphy, and Jackie-O-Motherfucker, and have appeared at Thirst For Light, Northwest Psych Fest, Missoula Psych Fest, PNW Folklife, Magma Fest, Dismal Fest and Escalator Fest. With tours from Maine to Virginia and California to Montana, their live shows are hypnotic and emotionally charged, often taking place at unique locations like a metal forge and foundry, forests and meadows, old schools, churches and more.
Tracklist
| 1. | Advaita | 11:39 |
| 2. | Volition | 8:56 |
| 3. | Closed Eye | 6:02 |
| 4. | Century of the Self | 14:18 |
Credits
All songs written and performed by Geist & the Sacred Ensemble
Produced by Geist & the Sacred Ensemble and J.M. McNulty
Lyrics and Arrangements by M. Sauder
Recorded and Mixed by J.M. McNulty at Killroom Studios
Mastered by Mell Dettmer at Studio Soli
Arwork by Anima Nocturna
Geist & the Sacred Ensemble is -
S. Yoder -percussion, gong, timpani
C. Segawa - electric guitar, metal spike
C. Howe - electric bass, bowed bass
M. Sauder - vocals, hollow body guitar, clarinet, piano, power drill
Released by Scry Recordings
Press Quotes:
"...somewhere between Tribes of Neurot, Nick Cave and Swans at their most contemplative...Geist and his collaborators examine Western culture’s withering empathy and booming consumerism on their upcoming Waning Hymns LP. But Geist isn’t content to just observe and reprimand. Waning Hymns offers hope and understanding amid desolate soundscapes and turbulent times." - Decibel Magazine
"...brooding, hypnotic music that fans of any type of psychedelia should sink their ears into." - Brooklyn Vegan
"The instrumental foundation might be doomy alt-country, but post-rock dynamics and manic vocals take these sprawling songs to some mind-altering places...this isn’t an album for casual listening.These somber, enveloping sound baths exist to cause spiritual epiphanies and open obscure pathways within the individual. I can't recommend it on the basis of catchy leads and hard riffs—because in many ways, Waning Hymns directly contrasts with the concept of music as a consumable product. In that regard, the album is a solid victory against the frivolities of mainstream culture." - Metal Injection
