2 Feb 2018

"Apocalyptic psych rock" Pitchfork reviews MIEN's Black Habit


They say:

Darkness is nothing new for MIEN, whose members include the Black Angels singer Alex Maas, the Horrors’ Tom Furse, and the Earlies’ John-Mark Lapam—their resumes span psychedelia, gothic industrial, and prog rock. “Black Habit,” the band’s first single from their forthcoming self-titled album, folds these genres into an unusual arrangement topped with unmistakably grim lyrics.

“Black Habit” is a fairly straightforward psych jam distorted with nuance and texture, built on a buzzing bassline and accented with laser beam synths, chirping guitar fragments, and hypnotic use of delay pedals. Maas’ vocals feel similarly disoriented; at first monotone and assertive, they eventually splinter into frenzied breaths and layered, reverb-heavy hums. Through all the effects, one warning rings clear: “All you need is one taste than you die,” Maas growls. Despite all of the genres that inform “Black Habit,” the result is a multifaceted psych spree that exceeds the sum of its dark influences.

See the full right-up here: Pitchfork

Then preorder the ltd edition LP here: Rocket Bandcamp

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