Sumac – May You Be Held (2xLP - Colour vinyl)

"As an artist in this time of significant upheaval, in which society has apparently reached the end of its current iteration, it is of crucial importance to absorb and interpret this process of dissolution - and hopefully the transformation that follows," says Turner. "While I don't think we're on the verge of collective destruction right now, this is clearly a pivotal phase in human history - and there is something that feels right about this music at this very and very uncertain moment. "

SUMAC's work has always been about the transition between different states of being, and that is a fundamental aspect of the larger themes of May You Be Held. Musically, it's about constant union and divergence - and the uncertainty in this cycle. In this uncertainty there is also hope, frustration, madness, and a desire to connect. All of that is also part of this moment in our history - it all happens at the same time, the simultaneous emergence of the best and worst qualities of humanity.

Lyrically, "May You Be Held" follows the humanistic themes explored on "Love in Shadow", partly shaped by Turner's navigation through fatherhood and family life. Here Turner's roars and howls appear less threatening than wounded, pristine and mammal. On the guitar, his subversion of the melody and his preference for noises seem less like an aural punishment and more like an open horizon for frequencies and timbres. In a traditional metal context, Nick Yacyshyn's skilful beats, heady fills and creative flourishes may seem like the pinnacle of rhythmic ferocity, but on "May You Be Held" there is a kind of ecstasy in his performance, a fluidity and ability to

Bassist Brian Cook glues the whole thing together with a clumsiness that could be viewed as hostile or malicious if it weren't for the clearest way to navigate the band's thorny arrangements. Composed of the remnants of the "Love in Shadow" session with Kurt Ballou in the Robert Lang Studio in Shoreline WA, a session in The Unknown Recording Studio with Matt Bayles on the technical side (where the second album "What One Becomes" was recorded) and additional work in the House of Low Culture, it reflects the time shifts and the lengthy scope of its creation.