Ether Coven, the Florida sludge metal band with vocalist/guitarist Peter Kovalsky and guitarist Devin Estep of metalcore vets Remembering Never, will release new album The Relationship Between the Hammer and the Nail on August 5 via Good Fight Music (pre-order). The album was produced by Andy Nelson, and it features a number of guests, including Dwid Hellion (Integrity), Anthony Crupi (Pain Ritual), Daniel Weyandt (Zao), Howard Jones (Blood Has Been Shed, Killswitch Engage, Light The Torch), Tarek Ahmed (Intercourse) and Shane Post (Bird of Ill Omen, Fistula). Dwid and Anthony are on lead single "Psalm of Cancer," and we're now premiering second single "Of Might & Failure," which features Shane Post.
Peter says:
This song touches on a few parts of the prison industrial complex; The exploitative nature of using prisoners for labor while paying them next to nothing, killing their opportunities upon release (voting, housing, etc), the history of experimentation of prisoners, the sexual assault that happens in prison (notably from prison admins), cops brutalizing suspects (and the racist history of police.) America is a legalized racket and this is just another arm of it.
Coming from the South Florida hardcore scene, we've had a wild array of influences. One of our favorite bands from the area is Bird of Ill Omen. At some point we became casual acquaintances with Shane (from Bird and now Fistula) and it turns out he was a fan of Ether, so it only made sense we asked him to drop some lines and it's really something incredible. Shane's voice is absolutely disgusting and it shows on this song. This was a true childhood dream come true
Peter also adds that the song is musically influenced by older Converge, and you can very much hear the band's hardcore roots coming through in this rager, along with the thick riffage of their sludge influences. It's great stuff, and it comes with a Matthew Zagorski-directed video that you can check out below.
Tracklist 1. Psalm of Cancer (feat. Dwid Hellion + Anthony Crupi) 2. Afraid & Suffering (feat. Dan Weyandt) 3. god Hates Flags (feat. Tarek Ahmed + Anthony Crupi) 4. Of Might & Failure (feat. Shane Post) 5. The Warmth of Your Bathwater (feat. Anthony Crupi) 6. Temple of Wu (Instrumental) 7. Consequences of Self (Let the Nails Carve Our Names in Rust) (feat. Howard Jones)
