There’s new hope for extreme heaviness, as one of the finest acts ever to emerge from the world of doom-laden, sludgy heavy rock has unexpectedly returned. Neurosis have come out of nowhere with a stunning new full length, An Undying Love For A Burning World, their first release in a decade, and the surprises don’t stop there.
Joining the band is Aaron Turner (Sumac, Isis), a figure whose legacy has long been intertwined with their own and a true kindred spirit. He steps in on vocals and guitar alongside vocalist and guitarist Steve Von Till, drummer Jason Roeder, bassist Dave Edwardson, and keyboardist Noah Landis.
The album lands with the same crushing force as the shock of its announcement.
“We need this, perhaps more than ever, and we suspect we are not alone. The trials and tribulations in our personal lives and as a band, combined with simply trying to navigate the insanity of our society, with the stress, anxiety, and isolation that come with it can be excruciating. Add to that the existential confusion and sorrow of the climate crisis and the sixth mass extinction. It is enough to cause you to completely lose your mind if you can’t find release or catharsis. This strange emotionally charged music has always been our method of trying to survive this and this is what we've always been singing about. When you have spent a lifetime engaged with these energies and utilizing this form of expression to purge and purify, it feels detrimental to our well being to let it sit idle and neglected. This was now or never.”
“He came straight out of the gate contributing, writing and presenting ideas,” says the band on the addition of Turner. “His energy matches ours perfectly. It’s as if he was always meant to be there.”
Aaron adds: “From the moment I first heard Neurosis over 30 years ago, I felt this was the music my heart and mind had been seeking but not yet heard. Now after many years travelling along various musical paths of my own, the singular sound and spirit embodied by Neurosis continues to speak to the depths of my being. It is an honor and a true pleasure to have been welcomed so warmly into a band that not only shaped my perspective on the limitless possibilities of music - but has lived and exemplified the necessity of upholding creative integrity and camaraderie above all else.”
The album sounds remarkably fresh, as if the band had never stepped away from either the studio or the stage. Built largely around the kind of expansive, long-form compositions on which they’ve always thrived, it finds them once again mastering the delicate balance between tension and release, brutality and melody.
Aaron Turner’s presence feels entirely organic, folding seamlessly into the band’s dynamic. From the very first listen, the record comes across like a compelling fusion of Times of Grace and Panopticon. As with everything they’ve created, it demands time to fully unfold and resonate, but even on initial impact, it hits hard, leaving behind a dizzying, almost euphoric aftershock.
Neurosis will play their first show in seven years on the traditional lands of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana as part of Fire in the Mountains festival by special invitation of Firekeeper Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to reducing youth suicide in Indian Country.
“I cannot think of a more appropriate environment for us to return to the stage,” comments Steve Von Till who also serves on the board of Firekeeper Alliance. “Last year’s Fire in the Mountains festival was the most profound music event I have ever been a part of. The weekend took on a healing, cathartic ceremonial nature that is difficult to put into words. Using emotionally heavy music to build community and collectively stare darkness in the eye is something we have always believed in, but using it to directly address the heartbreaking reality of suicide, grief, loss and trauma is taking it to another level.”
Band photo by Bobby Cochran
ZR