Members of Grails have side projects, which means that fanatics of the Portland-based band probably avoided complete mental breakdown when releases from Holy Sons (the Emil Amos project), Watter (the Zak Riles collaboration with Slint member Britt Walford), and Lilacs & Champagne (a band inclusive of Amos and Alex Hall) all helped to fill the nearly six-year span absent a new Grails album. Certainly we’d have been subject to an emotional tizzy if that unofficial hiatus were more akin to a band-wide self-removal from society, but their continued musical existence kept the flame of hope burning; we knew Grails would return and that some of us would soon feel confident again wearing Wrangler jeans and spurs despite an affinity for ballet in a Northeastern metropolis. The music’s not quite as Southwestern as I make it sound…
Chalice Hymnal is out February 17 on Temporary Residence Ltd., and a press release comments on how individualized style proclivities all joined figurative hands to mold the character of the new album. There’s evidence of “European psych” and “experimental hip-hop” production techniques, and Riles reportedly infused some synth layers, which helped in adding a nuance that might’ve been lacking (not to a detriment) on albums such as the preceding Deep Politics.
Pre-orders are available here, and a stream of the promising title track can be found below. Meanwhile, Grails also announced a European tour. Check out the dates here.
Chalice Hymnal tracklisting:
01. Chalice Hymnal
02. Pelham
03. Empty Chamber
04. New Prague
05. Deeper Politics
06. Tough Guy
07. Rebecca
08. Deep Snow II
09. The Moth & The Flame
10. Thorns II
11. After the Funeral