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Samothrace hit the scene with their debut LP Life's Trade, released by 20 Buck Spin way back in 2008. Four years have passed since then, a lifetime in today's fast-moving 24 hour PR blaaahgosphere. Life's Trade received a great deal of critical acclaim upon its release, even landing in Decibel Magazine's top albums of the year list for 2008. The band toured behind the LP and then, for a time, it seemed like they'd disappeared. In fact the members were occupied with the ups and downs of their daily lives which proved often to be tumultuous. Having left Samothrace shortly after recording Life's Trade, guitarist Renata Castagna returned to the fold in 2010 and the band began to slowly re-emerge becoming an active band once more.
Reverence To Stone is the band's new album, a two track 35 minute journey into and out of a vast expanse of dark, light, shadow, heartache, depression and triumph. The 14 minute track 'When We Emerged' is an updated version of song that goes back to Samothrace's demo recording from 2007, the one that attracted the attention of 20 Buck Spin in the first place. Awash in plodding heaviness, shimmery melodicism and the wrought vocals of Bryan Spinks the track has been reborn anew, the full weight of it brought forth.
'A Horse Of Our Own' might be considered the centerpiece here. 20 minutes representing the most recent songwriting of the band, showing the level to which Samothrace has advanced in crafting long, slow-building moods and atmospheres but with close attention to memorable song craft and tasteful musicianship. Spinks' midwestern bluesy soloing comes out more than ever before, complimenting the post-doom riffs in ways only hinted at previously. The adept rhythm section of Dylan Desmond and Joe Axler laying down a cavernous din of physicality and timed precision over which the guitars delicately unwind, interweave and soar.
Reverence To Stone has been a long time coming for Samothrace, and for the following the band inspired in the wake of Life's Trade. The LP represents a new beginning for the band and a point of departure from which they looks toward the future.
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