New Jersey sludge and noise band SUNROT have today released their new single, Trepanation, via all streaming platforms. Alongside the single the release, SUNROT have also shared an accompanying video for the track. Trepanation is the third song to be taken from the quintet's forthcoming sophomore album, The Unfailing Rope, which is set for release via Prosthetic Records on April 7.
WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR TREPANATION BELOW.
Stream Trepanation via Apple Music | TIDAL | Deezer | Bandcamp and Spotify
Pre-order The Unfailing Rope via the Prosthetic webstore here.
Speaking on Trepanation's release, SUNROT
comments: "Trepanation is an older song that came together quickly and compulsively and the lyrics kind of reflect that burning anxious need to get it out and get it out quickly.
“Trepanation is an old medical procedure where they would drill a hole into a persons skull to relieve pressure in the head. As a group of people we have all dealt with varying degrees of mental health struggles and the song is using that procedure as a metaphor for the release of that kind of mental pressure. That frantic need for release. It’s definitely one of the more personal songs on the record and we hope it can help someone feel seen who is also in the middle of a crisis. Hope y’all enjoy it. Rot in the sun."
At times The Unfailing Rope seemed to be a cursed project; recorded no less than three times before hitting the jackpot with its final iteration, completing the record was a hard-fought battle. Vocalist Lex Santiago was hospitalised between the first and second recordings, suffering from a psychotic episode. Although it may have seemed like an albatross around their necks, The Unfailing Rope eventually provided salvation and catharsis for SUNROT in ways they had never anticipated.
Reflecting on the difficulties they overcame collectively to reach a point where the album was fit for release, the band are resolute in finding joy in the debris of the experience. Whilst the musical output is gritty, venomous and far beyond heavy, it is healing, acceptance and forgiveness that is at the heart of what drives SUNROT forward as a band. Coupled with a DIY ethos that connects them firmly to their roots, SUNROT are determined to be a force for good, despite the pain and darkness embedded in their music.
The third and final recording was captured by Scot Moriarty at Backroom Studios in Rockaway, New Jersey, and later mastered by Magnus Lindberg of Cult of Luna. The trial and error of earlier sessions led to a more precise execution of their vision, a more confident approach and a ultimately more live and organic sounding record than they’d originally anticipated. Their take on sludge is adrenalised by the addition of samples, noise and experimentalism. With guest musicians including Bryan Funck, Emily McWilliams, and Blake Harrison (Pig Destroyer) adding embellishments to the core SUNROT sound, the final result is electrifying.
SUNROT is very much a product of its environment; The Unfailing Rope an anthology of the lived experiences of authors. From the micro to the macro, personal to political, every scar, every tale is etched into the fabric of The Unfailing Rope with unflinching detail. SUNROT keen to stress that for all of the trauma, loss and catharsis, joy is only just below the surface.