Vancouver based progressive Death Metal unit NECK OF THE WOODS (Pelagic Records) have unveiled their new lyric video for the song “Ambivalence”, coming from The Annex Of Ire, the latest full-length released on Friday, March 20th via their new label home of Pelagic Records.
“NECK OF THE WOODS is a restless band, never content to sit on the same idea for too long; in writing these songs, they’ve struck a balance between these impulses and the control with which they rein themselves in. The band gives their music freedom to explore, and in doing so, they’ve created a record brimming with life and enthusiasm.” — Invisible Oranges
Captured by producer/engineer Jesse Gander (Japandroids, White Lung, Brutus) at Rain City Recorders in Vancouver, the relentless seven track offering capitalizes on NECK OF THE WOODS’ already ravaging recipe of rabid, methodical, and absorbing extreme/death-tinged metal.
Formed in early 2014, NECK OF THE WOODS’ exhilarating brand of progressive metal and charged live shows have quickly earned them a reputation as one of the most exciting acts to emerge from Vancouver’s metal scene.
The group’s complex and dynamic sound along with their resonating live performances helped the band quickly rise to prominence. Following the release of their self-titled EP in 2015, they took to the road making appearances at multiple Canadian festivals including both Calgary and Armstrong Metalfest. Summer 2016 saw them accompany metalcore legends Misery Signals on the Canadian leg of their 2016 tour as well as embarking on a headlining tour of Western Canada. It wasn’t long before they caught the eye of UK label Basick Records who welcomed them to their roster in Spring 2017. Their debut album, The Passenger, released in September of 2017, sparked candid debate amongst metal critics across the globe; its diverse sound defies categorization while delivering a blend of aggressive attitude, emotive expression, progressive intellect, and modern flair.
Performing in support of major touring acts has become a well-rehearsed routine for the band. From warming the stage for Converge at Sled Island Music & Arts Festival to directly supporting Every Time I Die, NECK OF THE WOODS has established themselves with a high energy performance that is not to be missed. The band spent the majority of 2018 on the road, kicking things off with a six-week North American tour that included debut performances in New York, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Shortly thereafter, the group embarked on their first tour of the West Coast and have continued to tour regionally on a regular basis ever since.
2019 began with NECK OF THE WOODS receiving a nomination for Heavy/Hard Artist Of The Year by the Western Canadian Music Awards. Recently signed to Pelagic Records, the band will be releasing their second full-length, The Annex Of Ire, in March of 2020.
In the case you missed it: View NECK OF THE WOODS’ “The Annex Of Ire” video, playing at Metal Injection, at THIS LOCATION or see the band’s playthrough video for the track “Vision Loser” at BrooklynVegan.
“…it kinda sounds like if you took the proggy post-metal of Pelagic’s flagship band The Ocean and injected it with the death-y metalcore of prime-era BTBAM.” – BrooklynVegan
“Vancouver’s NECK OF THE WOODS are quickly making a huge impression in Canada’s metal scene, landing shows with some of the biggest names in metal and hardcore whenever they come through town. Their live shows put their wildly chaotic sound into a more visceral atmosphere where they can let loose while dropping blast beats, melodic death-metal riffs and brutal breakdowns.” — Alternative Press
“…vocalist Jeff Radomsky’s performance is a jaw-dropper – he sounds like a cross between a bear and a panther that has become an enraged Old Testament prophet.” — No Clean Singing
“This thing is all over the place in the best possible way. It runs from prog-death delivered with a hardcore intensity, to tech death wizardry, to heavy metal solos all in the course of a song.” — Toilet Ov Hell
“NECK OF THE WOODS show that being slightly progressive with a hint of metalcore and a lot of death metal can be a great thing when done right” — Nine Circles “…a dark new chapter of their career, and it’s a captivating one.” — Can This Even Be Called Music
“You could say The Annex Of Ire is a progressive death metal record just as easily as you could say it is a post-hardcore influenced prog metal album but however it is sliced the work of this quintet is undeniably modern.” — Grizzly Butts
“…an aggressive, progressive, melodic metalcore punch that seems to relish in their ability to meld equal parts heavy and melody without losing the edge on either side. The general formula is powerful and appealing; an unrelenting vocal attack complimented by a steady stream of fast and heavy riffs juxtaposed with a consistent supply of very appealing melodic hooks. Underpinning these components is a genre blend that is fairly wide but always conducive to where each song needs to go.” — The Sleeping Village
